MSc Climate Studies
Human activity is profoundly changing the regional and global environment. Some of these changes are caused by CO2 emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels, or by the application of nitrogen compounds from fertiliser to soils. Changes in land use may result in loss of habitat and extinction of species. Many of these human interventions are now occurring on such large scale that the global biogeochemical cycles are changing, thus affecting the climate and the way the Earth system operates. These changes will ultimately affect our well-being. Fundamental to the Climate Studies approach is the need to emphasise relevant interactions between biological, chemical, physical and socio-economic processes.
A thorough understanding of the interactions between human activities and climate change is essential to identify cost-effective solutions for mitigation and adaptation. The economic analysis is essential to identify options for renewable energy, for efficiency improvement of energy consumption and for the optimal use of carbon sinks to reduce the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It also is necessary to analyse the possibilities to establish international climate agreements (like the Kyoto protocol) and to search for fair distributions of costs and benefits for the various regions in the world. Climate change is an issue that deserves full attention of economists, in close collaboration with the natural sciences. It is only through multidisciplinary approaches that we can identify the best solutions and that we have the best chances of getting them implemented.
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Students with a BSc in natural or social sciences are invited to apply. This it self is already a unique feature of this MSc programme.
This MSc offers a large degree of freedom in order to design your personal programme that fits your interest, your career planning and your previous education. The study advisor will guide you through this process.
As a student you will gain a broad overview of climate change related issues by following two compulsory courses, a selection of recommended courses and courses that you may choose freely. But you will also become an expert in a topic of your choice by choosing advanced courses and by working on your thesis. For your thesis research you will participate in climate change related research projects offered by one or two of the following chair groups:
All of these groups are highly ranked by international research evaluation standards and are recognized as excellent research groups within the international climate change research community. Cooperative work with other chair groups is also possible.
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Figure below. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide over the last 10,000 years (large panels) and since 1750 (inset panels). Measurements are shown from ice cores (symbols with different colours for different studies) and atmospheric samples (red lines). The corresponding radiative forcings are shown on the right hand axes of the large panels. (source IPCC 2007)
