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GV3CCR: Climate Change and the Geographies of Responsibility
Module code: GV3CCR
Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science
Credits: 20
Level: 6
When you’ll be taught: Semester 2
Module convenor: Mr Jim Ormond, email: j.k.ormond@reading.ac.uk
Pre-requisite module(s):
Co-requisite module(s):
Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):
Module(s) excluded:
Placement information: NA
Academic year: 2026/7
Available to visiting students: Yes
Talis reading list: Yes
Last updated: 27 March 2026
Overview
Module aims and purpose
With the window to limit global warming to 1.5°C rapidly narrowing, climate change represents a profound governance, economic and societal challenge. But what role does business play? On one hand, it is a major contributor to global emissions, yet companies are also central actors in shaping the global response.
Drawing on the course convenor’s experience as Head of Sustainability at a global life sciences company, this module enables students to:
- Analyse the role of business and its response to climate change
- Develop practical skills in corporate carbon accounting (Scope 1–3) and climate disclosure
- Critically evaluate what companies are saying and doing around climate change, from net-zero claims and science-based targets to the use of carbon offsets
- Apply geographical perspectives on power, governance and global production networks to understand the politics of corporate climate action.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:Â
- Critically evaluate an individual companies’ approach to climate change and decarbonisation
- Calculate a companies’ carbon footprint and assess its credibility
- Understand and discuss the positive and negative role of companies in addressing climate change
Module content
The course is structured around students identifying and studying an individual company’s approach to climate change in depth.
Each week there is an activity for students to undertake relating to their company’s approach to climate change, which is then discussed in the following week class.
Topic covered within the module include
- The governance of climate change: counting, accounting and measurement
- Calculating and interpreting a company’s carbon footprint (Scope 1–3)
- Corporate climate targets and net-zero strategies
- Carbon offsetting and the politics of compensation
- Climate communication: framing, green labels and greenwashing
- Corporate lobbying and climate politics
- Corporate influence on consumer behaviour and low-carbon transitions
- Geo-engineering: technological solution or moral hazard
- Climate justice and the ‘Just Transition’
Corporate climate activism — leadership, branding or performative politics
Structure
Teaching and learning methods
The course is designed to be practical and engaging
- Students study one company and analyse its approach to climate change in depth.
- Teaching draws on academic literature and real-world corporate practice to critically explore the role and responsibilities of companies in relation to climate change.
Each week, students’ complete industry-focused activities, which are then discussed and developed in the following class.
Study hours
|  Scheduled teaching and learning activities |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 22 | ||
| Seminars | |||
| Tutorials | |||
| Project Supervision | |||
| Demonstrations | |||
| Practical classes and workshops | |||
| Supervised time in studio / workshop | |||
| Scheduled revision sessions | |||
| Feedback meetings with staff | |||
| Fieldwork | |||
| External visits | |||
| Work-based learning | |||
|  Self-scheduled teaching and learning activities |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directed viewing of video materials/screencasts | |||
| Participation in discussion boards/other discussions | |||
| Feedback meetings with staff | |||
| Other | 10 | ||
| Other (details) | Weekly directed worksheets feeding into both wider independent learning and each week’s classroom ba | ||
|  Placement and study abroad |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement | |||
| Study abroad | |||
|  Independent study hours |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent study hours | 168 |
Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.
Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.
Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.
Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.
Assessment
Requirements for a pass
Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.
Summative assessment
| Type of assessment | Detail of assessment | % contribution towards module mark | Size of assessment | Submission date | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral assessment | Screencast | 25 | 8 slides, max 5 minute presentation | Semester 2, Teaching Week 5 | |
| Written coursework assignment | Essay | 75 | 2,500 words | Semester 2, Teaching Week 11 |
Penalties for late submission of summative assessment
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:
Assessments with numerical marks
- where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
- where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
- where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
- where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.
Assessments marked Pass/Fail
- where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
- where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.
Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.
The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.
Formative assessment
Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.
Each week, students undertake a short activity relating to their chosen company – for instance, ‘research how your company has approached carbon offsets’ – this is then discussed in the following week’s class, with peer-discussion and commentary from the lecturer. This feedback supports the subsequent oral presentation and written assignment.
Reassessment
| Type of reassessment | Detail of reassessment | % contribution towards module mark | Size of reassessment | Submission date | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral reassessment | Screencast | 25 | 8 slides, max 5 minute presentation | During the University resit period | |
| Written coursework assignment | Essay | 75 | 2,500 words | During the University resit period |
Additional costs
| Item | Additional information | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Computers and devices with a particular specification | ||
| Printing and binding | ||
| Required textbooks | ||
| Specialist clothing, footwear, or headgear | ||
| Specialist equipment or materials | ||
| Travel, accommodation, and subsistence |
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT’S CONTRACT.