CLB221 Introduction to Climate Change

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This unit is designed to offer science, engineering and other students an opportunity to understand fundamentals of climate and climate change together with sustainable development efforts related to clean energy technologies. It  provides students with an overview of global climate and climate change drivers, meteorological parameters and global air circulation, as well as an overview of technological pathways towards low carbon society. Students will explore global energy balance and climate change through an investigation of (i) Energy related environmental problems on local and global scale; (ii) Earth's climate, meteorology and transport of pollutants in the atmosphere; (iii) Working principles in selected conventional and alternative energy technologies to reduce energy related environmental consequences.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Explain the scientific basis that build the foundations of our current knowledge of global climate change such as radiation, Earth's energy balance and the greenhouse effect.
2. Describe the basis of how Earth's climate is changing, how it has been changing in the recent geological past and how it may change in the future.
3. Explain the significance, scope and limitations of energy resources used on a global scale such as fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable energy.
4. Explain the role of scientists and engineers in the society and short and long-term social and environmental implications of the decisions that they make.
5. Plan and conduct scientific experimental and reporting tasks carried out as a part of a team and as an individual and express yourself with technical and scientific rigour both verbally and in writing.
6. Collaborate in an inclusive team environment to produce required outcomes.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit may be taken as a standalone introduction to climate science, or as the foundation for the climate science Minor and/or Major.

In this unit, you will participate in an integrated lecture-workshop-lab program designed to achieve the unit objectives by systematically addressing the contents, emphasising a problem-based approach.

During the workshop sessions and in most parts of the lectures you will be enjoying an interactive atmosphere as student-lecture teams working on selected problems and investigating options to solve those problems. You will be encouraged to contribute to the overall effort of problem solving through demonstrating your understanding of the issues and synthesis of the knowledge that you acquired by attending key lectures and through your own reading.

The folios of information and reports that you will develop during this unit will enable you to understand how to retrieve and organise relevant information obtained from a number of different media and resources and through your own experiments. You will learn how to use information to draw scientific conclusions.

Through a blend of class, online and video lab based activities, workshops and examinations you will get ample opportunities to express yourself both as a part of a team and as an individual.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Written and oral feedback will be available on your progress.

Assessment

Overview

You will be expected to undertake a number of assessments related to the learning outcomes of this unit (see below).

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Low carbon energy solution

Students learn about industrial and regulatory issues associated with energy production decarbonisation from invited industry and university experts. Student investigation culminates in an oral presentation of emerging and future energy solutions that should lead us to net-zero by 2050.

Assessment: Climate simulation lab report

2 x 3 hours computer lab sessions on climate models followed by a short report (Formative and Summative). Immediate formative feedback provided by workshop leads during computer laboratory sessions. This feedback is used by the student to support the summative report.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Examination (written)

Progressive and End Semester Theory Assessment.

Short numerical and/or multiple choice (Formative and Summative).

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Nil

Costs

There are no out of the ordinary expenses associated with the study of this unit.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Risk Assessment Statement

Student activities in this unit are (a) attending of lectures and tutorials in QUT class rooms and (b) conducting experiments in laboratories in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. Students will be advised about workplace health and safety issues relevant to the laboratory sessions they are likely to attend.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution
4. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution
2. 
   Relates to: Climate simulation lab report
3. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution
4. 
   Relates to: Low carbon energy solution

Course Learning Outcomes

ST01 Bachelor of Science

1. Develop a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of science and a specialised, in-depth knowledge of at least one discipline.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
2. Use higher order thinking skills to design, plan, and conduct investigations and evaluate data to address scientific questions and challenges.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
3. Develop and demonstrate key competencies in scientific practices and relevant technologies.
   Relates to: ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report
4. Practice science in a safe, culturally appropriate, ethical, sustainable, and socially conscious way with a knowledge of relevant concepts, regulatory frameworks and protocols.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
5. Communicate scientific findings, concepts and evidence-based reasoning to diverse audiences using a variety of methods.
   Relates to: ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report
6. Work autonomously and collaboratively with others in an inclusive and professional manner and use critical reflection for personal and professional growth.
   Relates to: ULO6, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report

SV02 Bachelor of Science

1. Develop a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of science and a specialised, in-depth knowledge of at least one discipline.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
2. Use higher order thinking skills to design, plan, and conduct investigations and evaluate data to address scientific questions and challenges.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
3. Develop and demonstrate key competencies in scientific practices and relevant technologies.
   Relates to: ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report
4. Practice science in a safe, culturally appropriate, ethical, sustainable, and socially conscious way with a knowledge of relevant concepts, regulatory frameworks and protocols.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)
5. Communicate scientific findings, concepts and evidence-based reasoning to diverse audiences using a variety of methods.
   Relates to: ULO5, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report
6. Work autonomously and collaboratively with others in an inclusive and professional manner and use critical reflection for personal and professional growth.
   Relates to: ULO6, Low carbon energy solution, Climate simulation lab report, Examination (written)