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Planning for Climate Change in African Cities

Approx. 22 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course provides an overview of the impacts of climate change on Africa, including the science behind it, the resulting economic and social effects, and possible solutions to mitigate and adapt to it.

Key Learning Points

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of climate change on Africa
Explore the science behind climate change and its effects on the continent's ecosystems and economies
Learn about potential solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in Africa

Learning Outcomes

Understand the science behind climate change and its effects on Africa
Identify the economic and social impacts of climate change on the continent
Explore potential solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in Africa

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of environmental science
Interest in climate change issues

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced
Video lectures
Quizzes

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Description

Climate change poses a threat to economic growth and long-term prosperity of many countries around the world. Africa is not an exception, considering the actual and potential impacts of climate change and climate variability that will threaten its vulnerable sectors and human populations. African countries are projected to experience changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, and higher temperatures that will affect food security, agricultural production, water availability, and public health, among others. These climate change impacts and climate variability can further produce social and political problems, such as rural-urban migration and water resource disputes.

Furthermore, the low levels of development in many African countries, as well as limited institutional, infrastructural, and technical capacities to respond successfully to climate change impacts and climate variability, can exacerbate the situation. In terms of contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although African countries are the lightest polluters, it has also become apparent that alternative energy sources can offset the increasing energy demand and dependence on biomass. Addressing climate change offers possibilities for low-carbon development. Moreover, there are promising mechanisms that can address both climate change actions and development goals simultaneously. At the city level, strengthening resilience, or the ability to respond to and absorb the effects of a hazardous event in a timely and efficient manner and to sustain this ability in the future, and adaptation; the process of adjusting to actual or expected climate change stimuli or their effects, should be at the forefront of planning. Local governments have an important role to play through the provision of adequate infrastructure, regulation of land use, and other public services that are crucial for urban resilience. Mobilizing local governments, in collaboration with national governments, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations, among others, is also critical for an integrated multi-sectoral approach to climate change. The Course on Planning for Climate Change in African Cities provides the foundation for understanding cities’ exposure and sensitivity to climate change, and how cities can manage these impacts in the face of growing uncertainty. It does so by introducing the basic concepts of urban resilience and adaptation, by using illustrative case studies in different African cities. Furthermore, this module provides lectures on the different approaches for climate change planning, whether ad hoc, strategic or mainstreaming; introduces the different steps in the planning cycle – from initial assessment to monitoring and evaluation; and presents the different decision support and assessment tools for prioritizing climate change actions. This course broadens the discussion on planning for climate change by engaging learners to apply their knowledge and practice their decision-making skills in a simulated exercise. In line with development that minimizes the harm caused by climate change impacts, while maximizing the many human development opportunities presented by a more resilient future, we ask: what are the connections between urban risk and vulnerability? How is climate change and urban resilience conceptualized and applied in practice? Which policies and measures should be introduced to address climate change? Finally, how to choose among different measures that address climate change adaptation, urban resilience, and other development objectives? Course Objectives: At the end of this course, learners should be able to: • Recognize the effects, impacts, and drivers of climate change in cities • Understand the drivers of urban risk and vulnerability in the context of climate change • Distinguish the typologies, approaches, and tensions of climate change adaptation • Explain the different approaches and steps in climate change planning • Examine the decision support and assessment tools for climate change • Develop a climate change plan based on participants’ city contexts

Outline

Welcome to the Course
Video Introduction
Course Description and Objectives
Grading System
Get to know your lecturers!
Glossary of Terms

Climate Change and Cities
Climate Change Science
Climate Change Sources
Climate Change Effects and Impacts
Urbanization and Climate Change
Urban Drivers of Greenhouse Gases
Climate Change Effects and Impacts on Cities
Climate Change Policies
Recommended Readings for Week 1
Test Your Understanding of Week 1!

Defining and Assessing Urban Risk and Vulnerability
Introduction to Defining Risk and Vulnerability
Approaches to Climate Change Vulnerability
What is social vulnerability?
Practical Examples of Calculating Social Vulnerability
Risk and Vulnerability in African Cities
Reading Materials for "Approaches to Climate Change Vulnerability"
Reading Materials for video on "What is social vulnerability?"
Reading Materials for "Practical examples of Calculating Social Vulnerability"
Reading Materials for Video 5"Risk and Vulnerability in African Cities"
Introduction to Calculating Social Vulnerability Quiz
Test Your Understanding of Week 2!
Calculating Social Vulnerability

Climate Change Adaption and Resilience
Introduction to Climate Change Adaption and Resilience
How do cities adapt to climate change? Reactive adaptation
How do cities adapt to climate change? Anticipatory adaptation
Climate Adaptation: different contexts and approaches
Conceptual tensions of urban resilience
Urban climate resilience: from conceptual tensions to practice
Governance to reduce urban risk
Key actors in reducing urban risk
Climate and resilience programs in African cities
Reading Materials for "Differences in adaptation responses" sub-section
Reading Materials for "Conceptual tensions in urban resilience" sub-section
Reading Materials for "Conceptual tensions in urban resilience" sub-section
Test Your Understanding of Week 3

Planning for Climate Change
Introduction to Planning Approaches for Climate Change
Adhoc, strategic and mainstreaming approaches
Main Steps of Planning for Climate Change
Planning for climate change in Kampala, Uganda
Climate Change Mitigation in Kampala City
Urban Adaption in Action: Experiences from Kampala
Barriers to Implementation of Climate Change Actions
Guiding Principles for City Climate Action Planning
Recommended Readings for Week 4
Test your understanding of Week 4!

Decision Making Analysis for Climate Change
Introduction to Decision Support and Assessment Tools for Climate Change
Cost Effectiveness Analysis for Adaptation
The economic case for low carbon development
Climate change planning in Kigali, Rwanda
Multiple criteria analysis
Which decision support tool to use?
Examples of MCA application
Recommended Readings for Week 5
Test your understanding of Week 5!

Final Assessment: Developing a Climate Change Action Plan
Initial list to feasibility assessment
Choice of criteria and impact assessment
From Weighting Criteria to Final Results
Instructions for the Individual Assignment
Acknowledgements

Summary of User Reviews

Learn about climate change and its impact on Africa in this comprehensive online course from Coursera. Users have praised the course for its engaging content and knowledgeable instructors. One key aspect that many users thought was good is the course's focus on practical solutions for combating climate change in Africa.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging content
Knowledgeable instructors
Practical solutions for combating climate change in Africa
Flexible scheduling
Access to course materials even after completion

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course to be too basic
Technical issues with the platform
Lack of interaction with other students
Limited opportunities for feedback from instructors
Course materials may be too dense for some learners

languageEnglish

start dateAvailable now

durationApprox. 22 hours to complete

teacherVeronica Olivotto, Dr. Shuaib Lwasa , Prof. Andy Gouldson, Marcus Mayr, Dr. Stelios Grafakos, Dr. David Dodman, Dr. Diana Reckien, Dr. Nathalie Jean Baptiste

institutionUnited Cities and Local Governments of Africa, African Local Government Academy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute for Housing and Urban Development

course taken onCoursera

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