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Unit of study_
PHYS4802: Climate Futures: From Crisis to Resilience
2026 unit information
Climate change is reshaping our world, bringing increasingly frequent extreme weather events and far-reaching socio-economic disruptions. This unit dives into the heart of these multifaceted impacts of climate change, exploring how rising temperatures, extreme heat events, intensifying storms, prolonged droughts, shifting precipitation patterns, sea level rise, and ecosystem disruptions are altering human and natural systems worldwide, and could lead to food shortages, water scarcity, infrastructure damage, biodiversity loss, public health crises, economic instability, and increased conflict and displacement. Drawing on findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Reports to contextualize the range of possible future scenarios, students will critically examine concepts of risk and uncertainty, gaining insights into potential climate tipping points, such as the collapse of the Atlantic Overturning Circulation, and their implications for global climate patterns and economic stability. A core component of the unit is the analysis of economic and systemic consequences, incorporating insights from recent research into the global costs of climate change. Through case studies, students will assess varying estimates of economic losses, reconciling differences between methodologies and assumptions. Topics include the amplification of economic costs through global supply chains and the long-term economic commitments imposed by climate change. Another focal area of the unit is the human dimension, examining how severe climate events influence individual and collective behaviours, from cognitive biases and misinformation to societal conflict. Students will develop skills in advanced analytical techniques, including input-output disaster analysis, Integrated Assessment Models, and Agent-Based Models, to effectively evaluate disruptions and resilience in economic systems. By the end of this unit, students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of climate-related risks and uncertainties, gained exposure to leading-edge research, and acquired analytical tools to assess the economic and social consequences of climate change, preparing them for further research- or policy-oriented careers in climate science.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Physics Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Understand the multifaceted impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, ecosystem disruptions, and socio-economic consequences.
- LO2. Analyse the economic costs of climate change, including direct damages and systemic impacts on global supply chains.
- LO3. Evaluate climate resilience strategies such as adaptation, supply chain diversification, and resource flexibility.
- LO4. Understand advanced analytical methods like input-output disaster analysis, Integrated Assessment Models, and Agent-Based Models to assess economic disruptions.
- LO5. Assess the psychological and societal dimensions of climate change, including climate anxiety, misinformation, and cognitive biases.
- LO6. Examine the factors driving climate-induced migration and the policy responses to address displacement and conflict.
- LO7. Explore the potential for physical and socio-economic tipping points and their implications for global stability.
- LO8. Develop communication and research skills to effectively synthesise, present, and debate policy proposals for climate resilience.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
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Semester 2 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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