Climate change is a major threat to the capacity of forest ecosystems to provide ecological, economic and social services. In this module, we will introduce students about the concepts of climate change and its major drivers coupled with the change in CO2 over the paleo and recent history. We will also cover the future projections of climate change from General Circulation Models (GCMs) with various greenhouse-gas emission scenarios, as well the target of the Paris Agreement.
In this module, we will also introduce the impact of climate change on forest ecosystems, focusing in the Asia-Pacific region. The roles of forest ecosystems in mitigation of climate change and the adaptation of forest ecosystem to a rapid changing climate will also be discussed.
Outcomes
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
Compare the rate and pattern of climate change between the paleo and recent periods.
Explain the relationship between the change in CO2 concentration and the change in temperature.
Identify the gaps between GCM projections and the target of the Paris Agreement.
Explain the impact of climate change on forest ecosystems as whole and local communities in the subtropical and tropical regions.
Recognize the importance of forest ecosystems in mitigation of climate change and the challenges in adaptation of forest ecosystems to a rapidly changing climate.