After successful completion of the course, students are able to understand the basic concepts of environmental risk, to explain processes of climate change (including feedbacks), to apply methods for quantifying climate-related changes meaningfully, to assess, in general terms, climate impacts (including risks and opportunities) based on observational data, to have an overview of the methods of environmental risk management, and to know about the current Austrian and international developments in the field of climate adaptation and climate mitigation.

1) What is risk?

2) Processes of climate change

3) Methods for quantifying climate-related changes

4) Climate impacts: changes, risks and opportunities

5) Environmental Risk Management

6) Climate adaptation and climate mitigation

Distance learning via Zoom. Presentation slides are provided

Presentation of the teaching materials, assignments, discussing assignments, time for discussion and questions

Assignments are given in each lecture. The solutions are presented in the following lecture. Completion of the assignments is highly recommended (as they are relevant for the exam) but is not mandatory.

Multiple choice test with knowledge questions and estimation problems or oral (depending on participant numbers)

All contents of the bachelor's degree in environmental engineering or equivalent

Recommended Literature:

Hart, J. (1988) Consider a spherical Cow, A course in environmental problem solving. University Science Books