Climate forcing effects and adaptation in the Arctic

Climate forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols is leading to increasing temperature in the atmosphere and at the earth’s surface. In the Arctic this warming lead to thawing of permafrost, melting snow and reduction of the ice masses. Due to this melting and thawing the uptake and release of greenhouse gases from the Arctic ecosystems changes, likewise the loss of ice and snow, enforcing the increase of temperature even more - (feedback mechanisms). The warming affects the natural environments in the Arctic, further affecting the living conditions for the society, which have to adapt to the new condition

The objective of the course is for the students to obtain knowledge and understanding of the climate forcing and effects in the Arctic. They will obtain understanding of the sensitivity of the cryosphere (sne, ice and permafrost) to the climate change and the effects on the living conditions in the Arctic. Furthermore they will gain perception of the most important effects on the ecosystems and climate activated feedback processes and an understanding of how the natural environment changes and how this affect the society. Finally they will obtain knowledge of different addaptation strategies.