Climate Change and Agriculture
Code
11373
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências da Terra
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
Fernando Henrique da Silva Reboredo
Weekly hours
4
Total hours
56
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
To understand how Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change threatening global food security.
To recognize the main constraints to the food production.
To be able to develop critical suggestions to mitigate the injurious effects of climate change
To be able to acquire the necessary skills to introduce new and more adaptive crops.
Prerequisites
The students must have basic knowledgements of plant biology, plant physiology and biochemistry
Subject matter
Earth history and climate changes. Glaciations, inter-glacial periods and climate optimum.
Climate change and increased occurrences of extreme events - droughts and floods.
Climate changes and predictive models. The role of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The importance of climate in agricultural production – consequences of the increase of temperature, water deficit and carbon dioxide, among others GHG.
Evaluation of the climate change impacts at the global level. Effects on the yield crops and forestry.
Mitigation and adaptive strategies
The SIAM model and the predictable effects on Portugal mainland
Policy implications and future research needs
Bibliography
1. IPCC. 2012. Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. Special Report of the IPCC, Field C.B. et al. (Eds.), Cambridge University Press, New York, 582 pg.,ISBN: 978-1-107-02506-6
2. Dinar, A. & Mendelsohn, R.O. editors, 2011. Handbook on Climate Change and Agriculture, Edward Elgar Publishing, 515 pg., ISBN: 978 1 84980 116 4.
3. Wreford, A., Moran, D. & Adger, N. 2010. Climate Change and Agriculture. Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation: OECD Publishing, 136 pg., ISBN: 978 92 64 08686 9
4. IFPRI. 2009. International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, Agriculture and Climate Change: An agenda for negotiation in Copenhagen, A 2020 vision for food, agriculture, and the environment. G.C. Nelson ed., 28 pg., ISBN: 9780896296589
5. Dinar, A., Benhin, J., Hassan, R. & Mendelsohn, R.O. (edit), 2008. Climate Change and Agriculture in Africa: Impact Assessment and Adaptation Strategies, Earthscan Publishers, 224 pg.,
Evaluation method
Continuous assessment in two components: theoretical (1 individual Mini-Test - 40% of the final classification) and theoretical-practical: (work development and oral presentation and discussion - 30%+30% of the final classification).
Final rating: (0.40*Mini-Test) + (0.30*Written work) + (0.30*Oral presentation and discussion of written work). Approval requires a minimum score of 9.5 (scale of 20 values) for each component (theoretical-practical and theoretical).
Students without approval in the continuous assessment will be submitted to exam. Rating equal to 0.4*Exam+0.6*classification of theoretical-practical. Approval with a minimum grade of 9.5 (scale of 20 values)