Geography/Science Virtual Twilight Lecture

The twilight lectures are aimed at students currently studying at Level 3, to complement their studies and to provide an insight into studying these disciplines at degree level. Both students and their teachers are welcome. Students are permitted to attend independently.

What would you do if the hottest day in summer was > 6?C degrees hotter than pre-industrial levels? What can we do if a whole month of rain falls in single day? Before the end of the century parts of England may to deal with just that! As a species we have always adapted to a changing climate, but the pace of human induced climate change means that populations around the world will have to make drastic behavioural and infrastructural changes in the coming decades.

This talk delivered by Conor Walsh will introduce the basics of climate adaptation, stressing the dangers of mal-adaption such as locking in responses to near term stresses at the expense of preparing for more significant impacts over a longer-term. An important distinction will be made between having a theoretically high generic capacity to adapt, (i.e. a strong diverse economy) but lacking specific expertise for particular types of impact. What are the lessons we can learn from economies and communities in developing regions that might not have economic influence but have accumulated practice and knowledge to adapt to explicit climate impacts?

Join us on the 12 May at 16:30 - 17:30.