Postgraduate Course: Human dimensions of environmental change and sustainability (PGGE11130)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Geosciences |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
20 |
| Home subject area |
Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences) |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None
|
Taught in Gaelic? |
No |
| Course description |
The course will provide an introduction to a range of important environmental change issues from a human and societal perspective. This will provide students with the necessary background to understanding the policies, politics, governance and ethics, and the human decision processes that underpin environmental change. The course will adopt a thematic approach covering the following issues:
- climate change and energy;
- agricultural production and world food trade;
- land use and land cover change, ecosystems and biodiversity;
- land degradation and desertification;
- urban development and sustainable cities;
- water resources and quality. |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
None
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Central | Lecture | Human dimensions of environmental change and sustainability | 1-11 | | | | | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| First Class |
Week 1, Friday, 09:00 - 13:00, Zone: Central. Lecture Theatre 2.13 Geography, Drummond St |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
Stationery Requirements |
Comments |
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Human dimensions of environmental change and sustainability | 2:00 | 2 x 8 sides | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
- insight into real world environmental change issues.
- ability to critically appraise the arguments surrounding such issues and be able to communicate to others the reasons for and against a particular course of action in response to different environmental problems.
- ability to use library and other desk-based sources of information in understanding these issues and in supporting their arguments. |
Assessment Information
Coursework assessment (50%)
Exam (50%) |
Special Arrangements
| If the course is over-subscribed, students for whom it is a core course will have priority. |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Middleton, N. (2003). The Global Casino: An Introduction to Environmental Issues. 3rd Edition, Arnold, London. ISBN: 0340809493.
IPCC (2007). IPCC Summary for Policy makers, Cambridge University Press. (www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf)
Roberts & Thumin (2006). A Rough Guide to Personal Carbon Trading. Centre for Sustainable Energy, DEFRA (Nov 06).
Scrase, I. & Ockwell, D. (2009). 'Energy Issues: Framing and Policy Change', ch.3 in I Scrase & G MacKerron (eds.), Energy for the Future: A New Agenda, Palgrave, Basingstoke.
Galloway, J.N., Townsend, A.R., Erisman, J.W., Bekunda, M., Cai, Z., Freney, J.R., Martinelli, L.A., Seitzinger, S.P. Sutton, M.A. (2008). Transformation of the Nitrogen Cycle: Recent Trends, Questions, and Potential Solutions. Science, 320, 889-892
Reay, D.S., Dentener, F., Smith, P., Grace, J. and Feely, R.A. (2008). Global nitrogen deposition and carbon sinks. Nature Geoscience, in press
O&©Meara, M. (1999). Exploring a New Vision for Cities. In: State of the world 1999 - a Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society. Chapter 8, pp. 133-150. Norton & Company, New York.
Palumbi, S.R., et. al. (2008). Ecosystems in Action: Lessons from Marine Ecology about Recovery, Resistance and Reversibility. Bioscience 58, 1
Jackson, J.B.C., et. Al. (2001). Historical over-fishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems. Science, 293, 27 July 2001.
|
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords |
Environment, climate change, sustainability, politics, ethics, society |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Prof Mark Rounsevell
Tel: (0131 6)51 7165
Email: mrounsev@staffmail.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Ms Caroline Keir
Tel: (0131 6)50 2543
Email: caroline.keir@ed.ac.uk |
|
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13 January 2011 6:28 am
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