Course

Unit 1

Climate Change –The Science of Climate Change – Causes: Natural & Human causes; Impacts of climate change: Agriculture, Water insecurity, Natural disasters, sea level rise, ecosystems and biodiversity – Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies in developing countries. Integration of AI and Big Data in Climate Forecasting and Risk Mapping. Multispecies entanglement

Unit 2

Regional and National Scene- South Asia & Indian Scenario: Geography, poverty and population density. Poverty and resource degradation; High climate variability and natural disasters. Heavy reliance on monsoons; Himalayas and their Influence on Regional Climate and Economy.Urbanization & challenges. Recent National and State-level Initiatives: National Mission on Climate Change and Human Health (2021), PM-PRANAM Scheme, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (2024), Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), AI-driven early warning systems for floods and droughts.

Unit 3

Social Impacts and Interventions- Women, the poor indigenous people most vulnerable. Climatic refugees: Bangladesh to India. Social Development: Strengthening local govts.; Promotion of participation, Resettlement & rehabilitation

Unit 4

Sustainable Development- Conceptualization and definitions. Local & global challenges to Indicators of unsustainable development. Sustainable rural and tribal development in India: review of strategies. Integration of Renewable Energy, Green Technologies, and Smart Agriculture. AI-enabled Sustainable Resource Management (soil, water, energy). Integration of SDGs into Local Governance and Panchayat Development Plans

Unit 5

Global efforts and Policy framework : Global Action plans and Negotiation Mechanisms for sustainable development.  Post 2015 process and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN System implementation and Accountability. Paris Agreement, COP28 Outcomes, and India’s Panchamrit Commitments. Role of AI and Climate FinTech in achieving SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Text Books / References

1. Ahlluwalla, (2007) Global Climate Change. New Delhi, Paragon International.
2. Kandel,Robert Hartmann, & Nicholas. (1990) Our changing New York, McGraw-Hill.

Climate change: politics and New Delhi, Centre for Science and Environment.

3. P.C,International Encyclopedia of Sustainable Development Vol.1. New Delhi: Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd. 1998.
4. TE (1998) Climate Change: Post-Kyoto Perspectives for the South. Delhi, Tata Energy Research Institute.

Suggested Readings:

1. UNDESA (2014) Sustainable Development in Action, Special report on Voluntary Commitments and Partnerships for Sustainable Development.

Climate change is contextualized within global change and the interplay of socioeconomic development, technology, and policy. Changes in global climate have wide ranging impacts across different geographies, ecosystems, and societies. Some regions benefit, while others face devastation. This course enables students to understand these complex interactions, evaluate mitigation and adaptation strategies, and explore emerging trends such as AI-enabled climate analytics and digital sustainability tools for rural and tribal development.

Course Objectives:

1. To promote students’ understanding of the relationships between climate change and sustainabledevelopment, in particular, the major impacts of climate change on sustainable development and of development on climate change
2. To promote students’ understanding of processes and factors affecting the potential impacts and effectiveness of different policy responses to climate change, particularly with regard to their impacts on development.
3. To enable students to apply this understanding to policy analysis, design, and implementation tasks, integrating ICT and AI-based decision support systems for climate resilience.
4. To explore the role of global and national institutions, frameworks, and financial mechanisms in promoting sustainable development and climate action.
5. To develop professional competence in using digital and AI-enabled tools for monitoring, planning, and evaluating climate and sustainability initiatives.

Course Outcomes:

After completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the scientific, social, and policy dimensions of climate change and sustainable development.
2. Critically assess climate impacts on ecosystems, livelihoods, and communities with emphasis on rural and tribal regions.
3. Evaluate and design climate and sustainability policies integrating modern tools like AI, GIS, and climate data modeling.
4. Apply sustainable development principles to local governance and policy planning.
5. Demonstrate skills in implementing and monitoring climate adaptation projects using AI-enabled early warning and digital sustainability platforms.

CO–PO Mapping: (Course Outcome and Program Outcome Mapping)