Module: Climate Change & Cities

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Climate Change & Cities
Module Code	LG5056 (ITS) / POL1067 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
Module Co-ordinator	Daniel Marks
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

This course explores the theme of climate change in urban areas. Since the world is becoming more urbanized, cities are important actors in addressing climate change. The module covers both how cities are affected by climate change (adaptation) and how cities are contributing to climate change (mitigation). It also looks at how climate change adaptation and mitigation can be considered in urban planning and identify concrete measures. A number of case studies on both the mitigation and adaptation side will be used to help understand the relationship between cities and climate change, including flooding, drought, coastal erosion, transport, and energy. Cases will be given from both cities in the developed and developing world. Finally, a number of examples of the ways in which cities have played a transformational role in addressing climate change will be presented.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify principal themes and debates related to climate change and cities
2. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of contending approaches to the study of urban climate policies
3. Understand the climate challenges cities face through different analytical lenses
4. Appraise contemporary governance mechanisms to manage urban climate challenges.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Seminars	24	No Description
Assessment Feedback	10	No Description
Total Workload: 34

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Participation	Course participation	15%	n/a
Group presentation	Describe a current climate challenge a city faces and suggest ways to address it	15%	n/a
Essay	Two reading reviews of readings for the course	15%	n/a
Research Paper	Term paper on how a certain urban group is affected by a certain type of climate risk and give recommendations of what can be done to help this group	25%	n/a
Short Answer Questions	Final end of semester short answer essays	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Harriet Bulkeley: 0, Cities and climate change,
Ashley Dawson: 0, Extreme Cities: The Peril and Promise of Urban Life in the Age of Climate Change,
Marcus Taylor: 0, The Political Ecology of Climate Change Adaptation: Livelihoods, Agrarian Change and the Conflicts of Development,
Mark Pelling: 0, The Vulnerability of Cities: Natural Disasters and Social Resilience,

Other Resources

None