Education

Researchers of CCB Wageningin-UR are involved in the masters Earth Systems Sccience (MEA) and the masters Environmental sciences (MES) The course Global Change (ESA-30804), is coordinated by CCB Wageningen-UR and is designed for both master programmes. CCB education views the Earth as a synergistic system of interrelated phenomena which is governed by complex processes involving the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. By building on the traditional disciplines for studying the Earth, the system approach has become widely accepted as a framework from which to pose monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary questions in relationship to humankind (such as global change issues). Education in CCB-research context reflects world-wide concern about the state of the environment and the need to find sustainable solutions to the threats facing the environment. It provides insight into the socio-economic causes, the nature and the consequences of global change and their effects on human beings, other organisms and ecosystems. It aims to generate technology as well as socio-political and economic instruments to mitigate and to adapt to global change in an interdisciplinary way. Research of the Climate change and Biosphere Programme is implemented within several educational programmes of WIMEK,SENSE and PE& RC.

Contribution to English MSc. programs and PHD education Doing a thesis on global change Courses with CCB contributions

MSC Thesis on Global and Climate Change

In a global change thesis you may study:

the working of the climate system and the main causes of climate change
Assessing uncertainties in predictions and related expected impacts on natural systems (water, soils, air and ecosystems) and human activities (transport, insurance, energy supply, food and fibre production)
Policy implications and the possibilities of application of policy measures to reduce the greenhouse effect (mitigation) and to minimalise the possible damage of climate change (adaptation).
unknown and complex feedback-mechanisms between climate, biosphere and human society (Integrated Assessment)
the effects of land use and cover change (such as deforestation) on the global hydrological cycle
Participartory processes, like new approaches for using models and scenarios in Participative Integrated Assessment, including dialogues between scientists, decision-makers and stakeholders

More information?

Dr Ir Marcel R. Hoosbeek
Tel.: 0317-(4)84109
Email: marcel.hoosbeek@wur.nl

Some examples of possible thesis subjects

  • Evaluation of Greenhouse gas measurements (MAQ)
  • Impacts of Global Change on ecosystem goods & Services
  • Phenology and Climate Change
    More info: Arnold van Vliet
  • Possible implications of global change on wheat production systems in West Australia

    TO BE EXTENDED

    Course Global Change

    Students will learn how scientific research can contribute to a better understanding of the causes and effects of Global Change (climate change, land use and cover change) and the possible solutions. To this end, lectures and guest-lecturers will provide the latest expert knowledge about Global Change issues. Also the interactions between science and policy making will be discussed. Attention will be paid to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Program (CCB) of Wageningen University and Research Center. The issue is approached from multi-disciplinary perspective to enhance the integration of knowledge of disciplines like environmental sciences, ecology, economy and agriculture. Next to climate change, this course will also aim at understanding, analysing and modelling Land Use Cover Change (LUCC) and its effects. Students will start with a problem-oriented study on the underlying causes (socio-economic and biophysical) of land use change by means of a set of case studies from various regions in the world varying from continental to local scales. Subsequently the students will receive for each case study a combined spatial explicit socio-economic-biophysical data set, which they will analyse by means of empirical methods. The students will use the CLUE (Conversion of Land Use and its Effects) model. Scenarios will be formulated with an emphasis on socio-economic, population, global change and a natural catastrophe.

    Examinators

    Prof.dr Pavel Kabat, Prof.Dr.Tom Veldkamp, dr Carolien Kroeze, dr Dolf de Groot

    Contact:

    Dr R.S. de Groot
    Tel.: 0317-(4)82247
    Email: dolf.degroot@wur.nl

    IN CONSTRUCTION

    Updated 01.05.2003 by Jeroen Veraart jeroen.veraart@wur.nl To homepage Wageningen UR