GSPH 326      2 Credit Hours

Global Climate Change and Health Effects

This information is for second semester 2017/2018 academic year

Teacher responsible

Dr. Mawuli Dzodzomenyo

Availability

This course is available open to all visiting students but only as a second semester course.

Course Content

The course on Global Climate Change and Health Effects will introduce students to the basic concepts of climate change with emphasis on health effects. It is divided into three broad areas. Firstly, it will introduce students to the science of climate change drawing attention to the latest research and evolving pattern of scientific information that has emerged on climate in recent years, after defining some basic terminologies. Secondly, there will be emphasis on the physical impacts of climate change including issues bothering on increased average temperatures, increased precipitation, melting ice and glaciers and sea level rise and extreme weather events. Key among other health impacts will focus on discussion on the potential effects and documented evidence of climate change and variability on the health of individuals and populations. Finally, the course will discuss the social changes and adaptations that human communities have already made and those they will most likely to have to make as the Earth’s climate continues to the change in the coming years.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the understanding of the science of climate change as a global environmental problem and its possible causes. It is also aimed at appreciating the scientific evidence on climate change and its impact on different sectors and what measures are required to mitigate its impact locally and internationally

Teaching

Tuesdays 8.30-10.30am                    Lecture Venue:          Room E2

Teaching is by weekly lectures and will be by sakai platform. Lecture slides will be uploaded onto resources and students are expected to download and read notes prior to coming in for lectures. Lecture periods will be mainly discussion in nature. Videos will also be used to demonstrate the phenomenon at appropriate sessions during the course. There is one educational trip where students will go to a selected coastal village (Totope) in the Ada East District, inundated with sea water and study social issues as an impact of climate on coastal communities. The expected output of this trip is a bound trip report for assessment. There will be group presentations on two selected topics. These topics will be discussed during the course.

Formative Coursework

The course is made up of Assignments, Interim Assessment and Final Examination.

Indicative reading

•          Climate change and human health: Risks and responses. McMichael et al eds; WHO, 2003.

•          Friis Robert H. Essentials of Environmental Health, Jonnes and Barlett Learning, LLC 2nd ed.(2012).

•          Frumkin H. Environmental Health: From Global to Local, John Wiley and sons. 2nd ed. (2010).

•          IPCC (2001) Climate change: synthesis report. Watson RT et al eds, Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Press

•          Linda Starke Ed. 2009. State of the World: Into a warming World. The world watch Institute. WW Norton and Co. NY.

Assessment and Grading

Grading Scale:

GSPH 326      2 Credit Hours

Global Climate Change and Health Effects

This information is for second semester 2017/2018 academic year

Teacher responsible

Dr. Mawuli Dzodzomenyo

Availability

This course is available open to all visiting students but only as a second semester course.

Course Content

The course on Global Climate Change and Health Effects will introduce students to the basic concepts of climate change with emphasis on health effects. It is divided into three broad areas. Firstly, it will introduce students to the science of climate change drawing attention to the latest research and evolving pattern of scientific information that has emerged on climate in recent years, after defining some basic terminologies. Secondly, there will be emphasis on the physical impacts of climate change including issues bothering on increased average temperatures, increased precipitation, melting ice and glaciers and sea level rise and extreme weather events. Key among other health impacts will focus on discussion on the potential effects and documented evidence of climate change and variability on the health of individuals and populations. Finally, the course will discuss the social changes and adaptations that human communities have already made and those they will most likely to have to make as the Earth’s climate continues to the change in the coming years.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the understanding of the science of climate change as a global environmental problem and its possible causes. It is also aimed at appreciating the scientific evidence on climate change and its impact on different sectors and what measures are required to mitigate its impact locally and internationally

Teaching

Tuesdays 8.30-10.30am                    Lecture Venue:          Room E2

Teaching is by weekly lectures and will be by sakai platform. Lecture slides will be uploaded onto resources and students are expected to download and read notes prior to coming in for lectures. Lecture periods will be mainly discussion in nature. Videos will also be used to demonstrate the phenomenon at appropriate sessions during the course. There is one educational trip where students will go to a selected coastal village (Totope) in the Ada East District, inundated with sea water and study social issues as an impact of climate on coastal communities. The expected output of this trip is a bound trip report for assessment. There will be group presentations on two selected topics. These topics will be discussed during the course.

Formative Coursework

The course is made up of Assignments, Interim Assessment and Final Examination.

Indicative reading

•          Climate change and human health: Risks and responses. McMichael et al eds; WHO, 2003.

•          Friis Robert H. Essentials of Environmental Health, Jonnes and Barlett Learning, LLC 2nd ed.(2012).

•          Frumkin H. Environmental Health: From Global to Local, John Wiley and sons. 2nd ed. (2010).

•          IPCC (2001) Climate change: synthesis report. Watson RT et al eds, Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Press

•          Linda Starke Ed. 2009. State of the World: Into a warming World. The world watch Institute. WW Norton and Co. NY.

Assessment and Grading

Grading Scale: