This course provides an advanced overview of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) within the broader climate change mitigation landscape. After introducing the global carbon budget and the role of carbon removal, the course focuses on the main NCS pathways—including reforestation, wetlands, sustainable agriculture, and enhanced weathering—analyzing their potential, limitations, and scalability. Multiple perspectives are used to evaluate these solutions, with particular emphasis on hydrological processes as key regulators of carbon uptake, storage, and system feedbacks. The course combines qualitative insight with quantitative, engineering-oriented reasoning. Assessment is based on a student-led project and oral presentation.

Basic knowledge of hydrology, environmental science, or climate change. Familiarity with mass balances and quantitative reasoning is recommended.

PROGRAM Part 1 – Climate Change Mitigation • Introduction to climate change and the global carbon budget • Mitigation strategies and the role of Natural Climate Solutions Part 2 – Natural Climate Solutions: pathways, processes, and constraints • Reforestation • Wetland restoration • Sustainable agriculture • Enhanced weathering • Cross-cutting processes: water, biogeochemistry, and emerging cycles (incl. hydrogen) Part 3 – Student Projects • Student project presentations and discussion EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of the course, students will be able to: • Explain the role of Natural Climate Solutions within the global carbon budget and climate mitigation strategies • Describe and compare the main NCS pathways, including forests, wetlands, agriculture, and enhanced weathering • Interpret the role of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in controlling carbon uptake, storage, and emissions • Evaluate the potential, limitations, and trade-offs of NCS across different environmental contexts • Develop and present a critical, research-oriented analysis of a selected NCS topic STUDENT PROJECTS Students will present a short project on a Natural Climate Solution (NCS) in the form of: • a brief extended abstract (1–2 pages, 1-2 figures) • a 10-minute presentation The project should provide a concise, critical overview of a chosen topic (e.g., a specific NCS pathway, a comparison, or a key process), highlighting main mechanisms, constraints, and limitations.

In presenza

Presentazione orale

P.D.2-2 - Aprile