Climate Studies

Overview

Climate change is an existential threat to Small Island Developing States. The significant threat to human life and infrastructure posed by climate change impacts in SIDS – particularly as they occur in the form of increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events is a challenge that has the potential to undermine the long term development of Caribbean nations. In light of the on-going threat posed by climate change, this course explores the issues that Caribbean and other SIDS face and seeks to boost the adaptive capacity of the inhabitants of such territories. In this regard, the MSc programme is critical to Caribbean development as it seeks to boost the capacity of SIDS to develop suitable management responses, disaster risk identification, and assessment strategies that can be implemented at a regional, national and community level.

The programmes aim to leverage the strong and internationally recognised climate capacity of The University of the West Indies by honing additional climate professionals for adapting a comprehensive approach to climate solutions. The emphasis on interdisciplinary studies makes the programmes unique, and participants will take existing approved graduate courses as electives to build concentrations.

Moreover, in introducing students to the various climate-related issues impacting the Caribbean islands, emphasis will be placed on the development and planning of disaster risk management (DRM) strategies at the community level. Robust DRM strategies are critical to the ability of SIDS to achieve the development objectives and goals, particularly in light of increase extreme weather events.

Program Levels

• Postgraduate Certificate

  4 core courses courses
  
  Total: 12 credits

• Postgraduate Diploma

  5 core courses courses (15 credits); 2 elective course (6 credits)
  
  Total: 21 credits

• Masters

  6 core courses courses (18 credits); 4 elective course (12 credits); 1 project (6 credits)
  
  Total: 36 credits

Program Goals

1. Increase the number of Caribbean climate professionals who are equipped and inspired to advance the UWI’s reparatory justice work
2. Create a diverse pool of climate specialists whose expertise align with the climate needs of Caribbean sectors including agriculture, health, sport, tourism, energy and social welfare
3. Capitalise on The University of the West Indies being an ideal living laboratory for implementing climate initiatives that are aligned with the institutional strategy for climate justice and resilience
4. Prepare a cadre of Caribbean climate professionals who are equipped and inspired to advance the UWI’s reparatory justice work
5. Forge professional collaborations among climate faculty, researchers and practitioners with various specialisations through teaching, research, project supervision
6. Strengthen the pedagogical competences of faculty through co-teaching, co-supervising research and advising authentic regional climate projects
7. Create synergies between The UWI and Caribbean industries and sectors that rely on climate studies information for planning, forecasting and other functions
8. Align climate education with needs of Caribbean governments, industries and the international community
9. Expand career opportunities by honing dynamic graduates capable of making meaningful contributions to varied climate initiatives in their roles as climate scientists, advisors, advocates, educators and others
10. Attract funding for high quality graduate Programmemes that are aligned with international, government and industry needs
11. Refine the interdisciplinary climate studies graduate Programmeme to make it a ‘best practice’ model for climate education in the region
12. Create a cadre of climate professionals (faculty, researchers, professional staff) across The UWI who adopt a broader perspective on climate action
13. Disrupt the binary and limiting classification of students being either “science” or “humanities” oriented

Programme Objectives

1. Evaluate the progress made by the region toward achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2. Articulate the negative impact of inequality within and among countries in the region and offer evidence-based solutions to narrow the gap
3. Contribute to collaborative projects geared toward food security, improved nutrition, health and well-being, climate justice and sustainable agriculture for Caribbean people
4. Articulate the shift needed in health and medicine to alleviate the impact of climate change
5. Identify strategies for making clean energy affordable for Caribbean citizens
6. Advise on responsible consumption and production patterns among Caribbean citizens
7. Select appropriate research techniques to investigate and gather data for climate solutions
8. Select appropriate communication tools and media for disseminating climate-related information to a variety of publics
9. Generate interdisciplinary writing products on climate studies: technical paper, policy paper, briefs, position paper, proposal, articles, presentations, speeches, blogs, tweets and others for specific purposes and audiences
10. Offer feasible solutions for climate priorities in the region by consulting and synthesising interdisciplinary content from a variety of sources
11. Present the outcome of a collaborative initiative toward at least one of UN’s sustainable development goals that is being pursued by the University of the West Indies
12. Plan an approved collaborative project with research and applied components that provides feasible evidenced-based recommendations for climate adaptation and mitigation in a key subsector, health, energy, sport, tourism, climate justice, food and agriculture
13. Develop a robust public education plan to create awareness on climate-related illnesses and treatment plan, climate and food security, climate and sport, climate law, climate and gender, and affordable and clean energy.
14. Execute an element of the public education plan (in 5) (example a Webinar) to create awareness on a critical climate-related threat
15. Display curiosity to learn and adopt interdisciplinary perspective on climate issues
16. Contribute willingly to interdisciplinary work groups and project teams
17. Become activists and advocates for Caribbean climate causes
18. Commit to communicating accurate and verifiable climate information and data
19. Pursue continuous learning on climate studies through webinars, conferences, networking etc.

SDG Focus

• #7 - Affordable and clean energy
  Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• #8 - Decent work and economic growth
  Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• #10 - Reduced inequalities
  Reduce inequality within and among countries
• #13 - Climate action
  Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts