Ateneo - UPO

Climate change and its consequences. How to study climate. The climate emergency is analysed from an economic perspective, discussing economic policy implications, e.g. in the field of mitigation and adaptation. The health effects of climate change. How determinants of health and disease status are identified and measured.

Handouts, reports and scientific articles provided by the lecturer, (scientific and popular articles, reports (e.g. IPCC), databases, etc.), also in English, made available on the course DIR page.

To provide students with the fundamentals of methods for the study of climate and climate change from a physical point of view. During the course, students will be able to address climate change both as an "economic problem" and in terms of growth/development, gaining an awareness of the difficulties in implementing strategies to combat climate change. Apply the techniques of Epidemiology and Public Health in studying the health effects of climate change.

Basic knowledge of mathematics and physics

Lectures, group work and interdisciplinary plenary discussions of case studies, interdisciplinary activities.

Attendance is strongly recommended.
The course includes modules on CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PHYSICS, ECONOMIC POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY and CLIMATE AND HEALTH.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request
specific services and tools via the staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse
e agli Studenti consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-
students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination
modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The written test for the integrated course in Climate Change includes 2 questions for the Physics of Climate and the Environment module, 2 questions for the Economic Policy and Sustainability Strategy module and a multiple-choice quiz for the Climate and Health module. The grade is weighted according to the CFU of each module. Detailed information on the examination programme and procedures will be provided on the course DIR page.

For those students who attend lectures in the modules Climate and Environmental Physics and Economic Policy and Strategy for Sustainability on a regular basis, taking into account the teaching conditions that the pandemic situation will allow, the assessment will be based on the participation and contribution to the activities carried out in the classroom/team work and to the presentation of a project (this assessment accounts for 50% of the final grade for these two modules). For these candidates, the written test will comprise just one question for each of the above modules.

Climate change, The anthropogenic effect, Climate action, Dynamic meteorology, Atmospheric motions, The equation of continuity, The equation of state, The first principle of thermodynamics, The equations of motion (of Navier-Stokes), The geostrophic flow, The Taylor-Proudman Theorem, Conservation of potential vorticity, The planetary boundary layer (PBL), Characteristics of the PBL, The wind in the PBL, The logarithmic profile of the mean wind, Statistical treatment of turbulence, The Turbulence Scales, Atmospheric stability, Definition of atmospheric stability, Other parameters for stability categories, Structure and day-night evolution of the PBL, The Convective Boundary Layer (CBL) Definition and characteristics, The Residual Layer (RL), The Stable Boundary Layer (SBL) Definition and characteristics, The formation of the SBL, Thermal inversion, The height of the SBL, Turbulence in the SBL, The behaviour of pollutants in the SBL, The Urban Boundary Layer (UBL), The Ekman layer, The dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, Air quality models.

The course explores the issue of climate change from an economic perspective, highlighting its consequences and adaptation and mitigation policies. It will show how the issue is being addressed at international and national level, highlighting the targets set (e.g. Agenda 2030, UN Conference of the Parties). In discussing the targets, reference data will be analysed to understand this phenomenon and its magnitude, together with its economic effects. The tools/models used in economic disciplines to assess the effects of climate change will then be provided in order to assess the most effective strategies to be adopted to counter this emergency.

Define the state of health and disease. Define the main communicable and non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Define the constituent elements of descriptive and analytical epidemiology. Define the relationship of occurrence (determinant, confounder, effect modifier). Calculate and interpret crude rates, specific rates, standardised rates and the main demographic and epidemiological measures, global burden of disease (GBD). Calculate and interpret the main measures of frequency (prevalence, incidence), association (relative risk, odds ratio, attributable risk). Define the main models of epidemiological studies and their context of application to the study of climate change on health. Describe and interpret the main health effects of climate change (overheating, flood and drought, air pollution, El Nino, allergens). Describe the main policies to prevent and/or mitigate the main health effects of climate change. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Knowledge and understanding: The expected learning outcomes concern skills on environment and climate with a focus on the effects of climate change on the environment and its causes, as well as on economic and health aspects. The student will be able to understand the implications and relationships between the different aspects, meteorological, economic and health.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Placed in productive realities, students will be able to usefully apply the acquired notions and tools autonomously to assess the most appropriate policies to be implemented in order to maximise both collective wellbeing and business results.
At the end of the course, students will be able to apply the basic elements of epidemiology to the study of the impact of climate change on human health and to research, select and use public health interventions capable of minimising this impact.