Anno 2024-25

The topic of climate change and its present and future consequences has now become of daily
relevance in the physical, natural, economic and social sciences, as well as in the political debate.
The climate system is characterised by complex interactions between atmosphere, ocean, ice, soil
and biosphere: the knowledge of the dynamics of these interactions is crucial for understanding the
implications of climate change and predicting its impact.
The aim of this course is to provide students with the minimum tools to interpret and communicate
the knowledge produced and disseminated by the scientific community on climate change, and
integrate it within their personal, educational and professional path.
The course covers:
1) The physical processes of the climate system;
2) The main characteristics of climate variability and global change;
3) The tools for climate observation, analysis and forecasting;
4) The periodic reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).