Universität Wien
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280223 VU Profound environmental problems humanity is currently facing (2023S)

2.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 28 - Erdwissenschaften, Meteorologie - Geophysik und
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

The course will be taught 2 times a week (2 hours each time) for 7 weeks, starting in the week of April 17th and ending on May 24th. Exact dates, times and course locations will be announced.

  • Monday 17.04. 14:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 19.04. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Monday 24.04. 14:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 26.04. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 03.05. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Monday 08.05. 14:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 10.05. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Monday 15.05. 14:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 17.05. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Monday 22.05. 14:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Wednesday 24.05. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The profound environmental problems humanity is currently facing
The course presents the most pressing environmental issues and the scientific methodologies used to quantify them, evaluate their risks and mitigate their outcomes. The environmental issues to be discussed are: demography and population growth, agriculture practices, energy sources, bio-geochemical cycles of nutrient and toxic elements and circular economy, climate change, air, soil, and water pollution, soil erosion and degradation, ecosystems and their functioning, bio-diversity and extinctions.

Aims: Describing and quantifying the major processes which affect the global environment

Learning outcomes: (1) Describe and quantify the major threats to the global environment; (2) Evaluate mitigation strategies, (3) Apply the concepts developed in class to one country and analyze its environmental-quality status.

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: 20 hours of lecture and 10 hours of flipped classroom based on reading assignments.

Module Content:
A survey of the major environmental problems on earth and the methodologies applied in environmental research
Demography and food to the people including agriculture practices
Energy sources – fossil fuels and renewables
Biogeochemical cycles – nutrients and toxic elements & circular economy
Climate and atmosphere – climate change and air pollution
Water – quantity, quality, salinization, algal blooms, water treatment methods
Soil, land-use, forestation and deforestation
Oceans – over-fishing, acidification, coral bleaching, pollution
Ecology – biodiversity and extinction rates
Ethics of environmental protection

Assessment and permitted materials

Project work and weekly summaries of readings

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Project work – 85% The report is due on Thursday, May 26th at midnight.
Weekly summaries of readings – 15% : Reading summaries are due on every Tuesday on the seven weeks of the course.
A student needs at least 50 % to pass and the grade is as follows: > 87 = 1; 76-87 = 2; 63-75 = 3; 50-62 = 4; 0-49 = 5 (fail)

Examination topics

Project work: A report evaluating the environmental status of one country (to be selected from a list given by the teacher) following the course outline (demography, agriculture practices, energy sources, mining activities, circular economy, management of open areas, ecosystems and forests, water availability, pollution and cycling, air pollution, mitigation of climate change, marine/lake environment: management, pollution, fishing, and development).
Weekly summaries of readings (see reading list)

Reading list

Required Reading:
Botkin D. B., Keller E. A., Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet, 5th/6th/7th/8th Edition (B&K), John Wiley & Sons, 2003/2005/2007/2008/2011

Weekly readings and watching:
i. TED movie: Why we should believe Science - (https://www.ted.com/talks/naomi_oreskes_why_we_should_believe_in_science/transcript?language=he).
ii. The mistrust of science – by Atul Gawande, the commencement address at Caltech, on Friday, June 10th 2016.
iii. The CLAW hypothesis
iv. The Tragedy of the Commons
v. The danger in population control
vi. Energy choices by Socolow & Pacala
vii. Circular economy
viii. The Great Lakes are over flowing
ix. Global Warming IPCC- 2021 Report (summary for policy makers)
x. Freshwater Crisis – Rogers
xi. Five Environmental Consequences of Australia’s Fires - EOS 2020
xii. Niger Delta still waiting for Big Oil to clean up devastating pollution
xiii. Ocean acidification – Orr 2009
xiv. TED movie: How to fight desertification and reverse climate change: holistic management and grazing in large herds – Alan Savory (http://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change)
xv. IPBES summary 2019 sections A1-A8

Association in the course directory

MES-5

Last modified: Th 13.04.2023 13:08