Universität Wien

280223 VU Profound environmental problems humanity is currently facing (2024W)

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. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 29.10. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 31.10. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Tuesday 05.11. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 07.11. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Tuesday 12.11. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 14.11. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Tuesday 19.11. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 21.11. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Tuesday 26.11. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 28.11. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Tuesday 03.12. 14:00 - 16:15 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II
  • Thursday 05.12. 13:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum Paläontologie 2B311 3.OG UZA II

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course presents the most pressing environmental issues and the scientific methodologies used to quantify them, evaluate their risks and mitigate their outcomes.

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: two meeting per week for six weeks, five hours of lecture followed by discussion according to the time table outlined below. The discussion is based on the lectures and the reading assignments.

Module content:

Introduction & Population growth: Tuesday 29.10.2024
Population growth & agriculture: Thursday 31.10.2024

Energy: Tuesday 05.11.2024
industry: Thursday 07.11.2024

Bio-geochemical cycles: Tuesday 12.11.2024
Global Warming: Thursday 14.11.2024

Ecology and open space management: Tuesday 19.11.2024
Ecology and open space management: Thursday 21.11.2024

Water resources and water pollution: Tuesday 26.11.2024
The marine environment: Thursday 28.11.2024

Atmospheric pollution: Tuesday 03.12.2024
The urban environment and course summary: Thursday 05.12.2024

Assessment and permitted materials

Project work and weekly summaries of readings

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Project work – 85% of the grade. The report is due on December 15th 2024 at midnight.
Weekly summaries of readings – 15% of the grade. Reading summaries are due on every Wednesday during the six weeks of the course.

The grade is as follows: > 87 = 1; 76-87 = 2; 63-75 = 3; 50-62 = 4; 0-49 = 5 (fail)
A student needs at least 50% to pass

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).

Reading list

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 (listed on Moodle)

Association in the course directory

MES-5

Last modified: We 16.10.2024 00:02