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GV3CCR: Climate Change and the Geographies of Responsibility

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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: 

  1. Critically evaluate an individual companies’ approach to climate change and decarbonisation
  2. Calculate a companies’ carbon footprint and assess its credibility
  3. 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

Please note that the hours listed above are for guidance purposes only.

 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.

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