Course in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks
Online 300-hour course in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks. 6 modules covering Spain's Law 7/2021 on Climate Change and Energy Transition, the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2021-2030 (PNACC) and QGIS. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Interpret climate scenarios and projections at urban scale.
Assess climate vulnerability and risk in accordance with ISO 14091.
Integrate climate adaptation into planning instruments.
Design urban solutions for heat, flooding and drought.
Simulate urban microclimate to evaluate design alternatives.
Plan the funding and monitoring of adaptation measures.
Prepare an adaptation roadmap for an urban area.
Who it's for
- Urban planner specialised in climate adaptation who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Municipal environmental technician who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Climate risk consultant who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Regional planner who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Environmental GIS analyst who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Green infrastructure project manager who wants to specialise in Urban Planning for Extreme Climate Risks.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter local and regional government.
What you'll work with
- Law 7/2021 on Climate Change and Energy Transition
- National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2021-2030 (PNACC)
- ISO 14091 Climate change adaptation: vulnerability, impacts and risk
- ISO 14090 Climate change adaptation: principles and guidelines
- Law 21/2013 on Environmental Assessment
- Royal Legislative Decree 7/2015 Consolidated Text of the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Act
- Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 European Climate Law
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Physics of extreme events and their attribution1.2SSP scenarios of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report1.3Regionalised projections from AdapteCCa1.4Heatwaves and the urban heat island1.5Intense rainfall and DANA (cut-off low) events1.6Prolonged droughts and water stress1.7Sea level rise and coastal storms1.8Fires at the urban-forest interface1.9Climate indicators for planners1.10Practical: analysis of local projections with the AdapteCCa viewer
2.1Risk framework = hazard × exposure × vulnerability2.2Vulnerability analysis according to ISO 140912.3Mapping population and asset exposure2.4Social vulnerability and sensitive groups2.5Climate impact chains2.6Composite risk indices2.7Remote sensing of surface temperature with Landsat2.8Risk in green and grey infrastructure2.9Prioritising neighbourhoods and districts2.10Workshop: urban heat island map using satellite imagery
3.1General plans and strategic environmental assessment3.2Law 7/2021 on Climate Change and planning3.3Climate and energy action plans (PACES)3.4Covenant of Mayors and its commitments3.5Zoning and risk-based use restrictions3.6Urban regulations for thermal comfort3.7Coastal setback and planned retreat3.8Municipal drought plans3.9Spanish Urban Agenda and its objectives3.10Case study: climate review of a general plan
4.1Urban green and blue infrastructure4.2Ventilation corridors and urban morphology4.3Tree planting and shading of public spaces4.4Cool materials and surface albedo4.5Climate shelters in public facilities4.6Sustainable drainage for torrential rainfall4.7Urban design at the forest interface4.8Microclimate simulation with ENVI-met4.9Outdoor thermal comfort: UTCI and PET indices4.10Laboratory: microclimate simulation of a square
5.1Economic evaluation of adaptation measures5.2European funds and Next Generation EU for adaptation5.3Multilevel governance and participation5.4Adaptation monitoring indicators5.5Adaptive management and adaptation pathways5.6Integration with emergency plans5.7Communicating climate risk to citizens5.8Experiences from Barcelona, Rotterdam and Copenhagen5.9Procurement of adaptation works5.10Case study: adaptive roadmap for a neighbourhood
6.1Selection of the urban study area6.2Climate diagnosis and projections6.3Vulnerability and risk assessment6.4Selection of adaptation measures6.5Integration into the current planning framework6.6Funding plan and timeline6.7Monitoring indicator system6.8Mapping of proposals6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is QGIS, ENVI-met, Google Earth Engine, ArcGIS Urban, Ladybug Tools, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case work is based on real assessment procedures: urban heat island evaluation of a district, climate review of a general urban plan, and design of climate shelters in public spaces. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Interpret climate scenarios and projections at urban scale.
Assess climate vulnerability and risk in accordance with ISO 14091.
Integrate climate adaptation into planning instruments.
Design urban solutions for heat, flooding and drought.
Simulate urban microclimate to evaluate design alternatives.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course works with QGIS, ENVI-met, Google Earth Engine, ArcGIS Urban, Ladybug Tools. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Participation in Urban Resilience Course
Online 300-hour course in Citizen Participation in Urban Resilience. 6 modules covering the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Aarhus Convention on access to…
Urban Mobility Apps and User Experience Course
Online course of 300 hours in urban mobility apps and user experience. 6 modules covering the mobility app ecosystem, user research, interface and interaction design, data…
Pedestrian Mobility Course in Urban Spaces
Online course of 300 hours in pedestrian mobility in urban spaces: 6 modules covering pedestrian mobility dynamics, measurement and modelling, pedestrian network design, safety and comfort,…
More in Civil, Rail & Smart Cities
All Civil, Rail & Smart Cities programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships