This module explores climate change impacts on natural and human systems and describes the intersections and synergies of those impacts in terms of human and ecological risk. These include impacts from temperature and precipitation regime change, wildfire, drought, flooding, sea level rise, storm surge, and extreme weather events. The course addresses how those impacts affect natural systems at the physical, biological, and ecosystem functioning levels, and presents key impacts on the built environment and human systems, including public health and safety, critical infrastructure, natural resources, national security, supply chains, economies at all scales, and financial systems. This content serves as a critical foundation in assessing risk, planning for climate action, understanding cascading impacts of a changing climate.

Learning Objectives

Identifying impacts/trends already experienced and projected to occur for the following climate impacts: temperature and precipitation regime change, wildfire, drought, flooding, sea level rise, storm surge, and extreme weather events
Understanding how these key climate impacts affect the functioning of natural systems
Assessing how these key climate impacts affect human systems and the built environment, including public health and safety, critical infrastructure, national security, the economy, and financial systems.
Addressing the intersections and synergies possible from climate impacts among natural systems and between changing natural systems and human systems, as a foundation for assessing risk and planning for effective mitigation and adaptation actions.

Alicia Betancourt, CC-P — University of Florida Extension Director, Monroe County, University of Florida
Sarel Cousins, CC-P — Administrator (Planner), Maryland Department of Agriculture
Ned Gardiner — Climate Resilience Toolkit Engagement Manager, NOAA
Fred Lipschultz — Senior Scientist, U.S. Global Change Research Program
Adrienne Hollis — Senior Climate Justice and Health Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Susan Love — Administrator, Climate and Sustainability Office, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Lindene Patton — Partner, Earth and Water Law, LLC
Paul Wagner — Faculty and Fellow, Virginia Tech Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability