Detailed Description of Climate change mitigation

Climate change mitigation in forest ecosystems. 7.5 ECTS

1. Basic information

The mitigation of adverse climate effects and, ultimately, the sustainability of livelihoods in many parts of the earth are key issues for many decision makers. The greenhouse effects due to greenhouse gas emissions, in particular carbon and related carbon sequestration, are at the heart of climate change, which ranks them among the most pressing problems the earth is facing. Global instruments like the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and IPCC all aim to address these problems, resulting in an explicit link with the International Environmental Agenda.

This requires identification, development and analysis of policy instruments in order to manage the impacts of the foreseeable changes in the carbon emissions and sequestration. Within the whole, complex carbon cycle, forestry in the broad sense forms one of the principal scientific areas for research since it may address both emissions (sources) through deforestation and sequestration (sinks). Afforestation, reforestation and deforestation are the current Kyoto focal areas, but sustainable forest management, including certification, and the assessment and prevention of forest degradation should also be considered in the so-called post-Kyoto period (see e.g., the proposal on Reducing Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation, REDD). Due to size, inaccessibility of the forest resources, and international requirements for a uniform methodology, quantification of the carbon cycle components in both space and time leans heavily on remote sensing, GIS modeling and related statistical tools.

2. General information

The course is part of the internet based programme ‘GIS and Earth Observation for Environmental modeling and Natural resource management’ (iGEON). The course is an elective course for the double degree: Master of Science in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Faculty ITC, the Netherlands and Master of Science in Geographical Information Science of Lund University, Sweden. The course is also given as a single subject course. The language of instruction is English. The course is fully based on distance learning, with all material distributed over the Internet. It is flexible in the sense that students can study full time (100%), half time (50%), or with a 25% study tempo.

The course is to a large extent similar to the on-campus elective course for a Master of Science degree in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Faculty ITC, Department of Natural Resources, the Netherlands.

3. Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students should be able to:

4. Course contents

The application of optical and SAR Remote Sensing and GIS is an advanced subject introduces the principles of optical sensor system and Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Systems.

The course consists of the following topics:

5. Teaching and assessment

Teaching / learning method:

Summative assessment (examination) of theory and assessment of practical work.

6. Grades

Students are graded for the course with a grade between 10 and 100. 60 is the pass mark.

In order to pass the course the student is required to have passed the exam and all compulsory exercises, including 3 graded exercises..

The final grade for the course is determined by the result of the written  exam and 3 practical exercises.

7. Entrance requirements

The following are required for admission to the course: Basic admission requirements of Faculty ITC, and basic GIS and remote sensing corresponding to iGEON compulsory courses of semester 1 and 2 (35 ECTS).

8. Literature

RS/GIS background.

supporting textbooks: