Block 2 - Overview of the climate system

P&D: 09.10.2024, 17:15-18:45; Wolfgang Gurgiser

Before diving into the history of Earth's climate, this block will introduce the physical basics of the climate system and how it works. This includes:

# The components of the climate system: atmosphere, ocean, land, ice, vegetation

# How do the components interact with each other?

# Climate forcing: what factors cause the climate to change?

# How does the climate respond to changes in the forcing?

CTNL: To enhance our knowledge about the climate system it is necessary to extent the extremely short period when instrumental records of atmospheric variables are available into the past. 

Block 3 - Physical basics of past climate reconstruction methods

P&D: 16.10.2024, 17:15-18:45; Patric Simoes

How can we investigate past climate evolution and variability? This block focusses on principles, materials and approaches for the reconstruction of past climate stages.

# stratigraphy and dating

# climate archives and proxies, reconstruction of past climate – and their uncertainties

# modeling

CTNL: Applying the methods to reconstruct the climate of the past

Block 4 - Climate of the past I

P&D: 23.10.2024, 17:15-18:45; Anika Donner, Patric Simoes

CTNL: From different general states of the climate system to the current general "settings"

Block 5 - Climate of the past II

P&D: 30.10.2024, 17:15-18:45; Anika Donner

Within this session we focus on the current interglacial, called Holocene, and especially the last 10.000 years.

# what do we know about the evolution of climate in the last 10.000 years?

# what are drivers for short and long-term variability during the Holocene ?

# where are we today in relation to Holocene’s climate ?

CTNL: Learning from the past to assess where we are today

Block 6 - Present day and near future climate (change)

P&D: 06.11.2024, 17:15-18:45; Wolfgang Gurgiser

With this course block, we have reached the present and will proceed into the future, addressing the following questions:

# The instrumental record: how did the climate change during the past century?

# Humans and climate change: How do we know it's us? How can we distinguish between natural variations and human-induced changes?

# What can we say about future climate change: sea-level, glaciers and ice sheets, extremes

CTNL: Knowledge is common goods and should be shared.

Block 7 - Climate change communication I

P&D: 20.11.2024, 17:15-18:45; Anika Donner, Patrik Simoes, Wolfgang Gurgiser

Providing successful climate change communication requires to strongly simplify and summarize scientific contents for most target groups and settings. Furthermore, language has to be as simple as possible which is usually challenging for scientists that are used to technical terms in their daily communication. Within this lecture, we will

# Discuss general aspects of climate change communication based on recent literature

# Prepare short presentations to practice and train climate change communication  

CTNL: Best preparation of climate change communication is half of the story. Having an idea what journalists need to do their job as good as possible is the rest of it and equally important.

Block 8 - Climate change communication II

WS: 27.11.2024,17:15-18:45; Representative ORF, Wolfgang Gurgiser

This lecture will be held in German language. 

Media experts know best which formats they have to provide to successfully reach and keep the respective audience. Scientists have to accept these concepts more or less BUT - when being aware of them - they can adapt their communication in a way that it meets journalists' needs as much as possible without compromising their message. Within this lecture

# an expert from the ORF will give us background information on concepts and rules for (climate change) communication in their media channels (television, radio, web)

Block 9 - Conclusions and Feedback

WS: 13.12.2024, 13:00-17:00 ; Anika Donner, Patrik Simoes, Wolfgang Gurgiser

This lecture will touch a broad range of topics and methods. Additionally, participating students have diverse scientific backgrounds and knowledge to contribute to the lecture. Thus, this final workshop aims to

# reflect & summarize the lecture contents and discussion/activity outputs

# discuss/define open questions

# evaluate the lecture from the students' perspective