ENS124 Global environmental problems + seminar

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2020
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Mikuláš Černík (lecturer)
Mgr. Tomáš Chabada, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ing. Jan Malý Blažek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Ľuboš Slovák (lecturer)
Ing. Zbyněk Ulčák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Zbyněk Ulčák, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Bc. Petra Burišková
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
each odd Monday 14:00–15:40 U33; and Thu 20. 2. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 27. 2. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 5. 3. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 12. 3. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 19. 3. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 26. 3. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 2. 4. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 9. 4. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 23. 4. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 30. 4. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 7. 5. 12:00–13:40 U33, Thu 14. 5. 12:00–13:40 U33
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! ENSb1124 Global enviro problems &&!NOW( ENSb1124 Global enviro problems )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to explain the context of global environmental problems (lectures) and at the same time open a space for common build-up knowledge of alternatives and visions of the problem solutions, based on the presented and discussed case studies (seminars). At the end of the course, the student will be able to understand the context, impacts and links between the particular global environmental problems. Students will continuously search, evaluate and critically reflect case studies of environmentally sustainable alternatives, as well as debate the future visions and tools, that are promoted by different agents (academics, institutions, as well as civic society). The structure of the lectures represents the frame of a interconnected net of environmental problems, in which we can point out the main focus on a certain issue (main topic of the lecture), at the same time this topic must be applied on the other nods of the net (connection to other problems). In the end of the course, students will be able to understand the problems and their relationships, but also the context of risks, potential solutions and agents of these solutions. The structure of the seminars corresponds with the lecture topics, students will thus apply chosen case studies on information base provided by the foregoing lectures. The collective and also individual work will result in the capability to search, interpret and critically discuss particular topics (problems) from the view of the solutions (alternatives and visions).
Learning outcomes
After completing the course student will be able to: - describe individual global environmental issues • - identify the causes and impacts of specific global environmental problems • - discuss and explain the context and interdependence of global environmental problems • - formulate and characterize solutions to global environmental problems • - critically evaluate and compare proposed solutions
Syllabus
  • LECTURE: Introduction; Selected concepts for studying and mitigating the global environmental problems; Information about the course • LECTURE: Food resources • LECTURE: Water resources • SEMINAR: Visions & alternatives: food & water resources • LECTURE: Energetics • LECTURE: Inorganic resources • SEMINAR: Visions & alternatives: energetics & inorganic resources • LECTURE: Population • LECTURE: Consumption • SEMINAR: Visions & alternatives: population & consumption • LECTURE: Air pollution • LECTURE: Climate change (expert) • SEMINAR: Visions & alternatives: air pollution & climate change • LECTURE: Soil degradation, deforestation • LECTURE: Loss of biodiversity (expert) • SEMINAR: Visions & alternatives: soil degradation, deforestation, loss of biodiversity • LECTURE: Summary
Literature
    required literature
  • HITE, Kristen A. a John L. SEITZ. Global issues : an introduction. Fifth edition. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2016. xviii, 335. ISBN 9781118968857.
  • MYERS, Norman a Scott SPOOLMAN. Environmental issues & solutions : a modular approach. International edition. Australita: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2014. 509 stran. ISBN 9781435462328.
  • MIDDLETON, Nick. The global casino : an introduction to environmental issues. Fifth edition. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2013. xxiii, 614. ISBN 9781444146622.
  • MOLDAN, Bedřich. Podmaněná planeta. Druhé, rozšířené a upra. 511 stran. ISBN 9788024629995.
Teaching methods
lectures, seminars with active participation, group presentation, individual activity, output reflection - discussions of student proposals, expert lecture(s)
Assessment methods
The evaluation of the course will be based on continuous work over the semester. Attendance on seminars is obligatory, with one absence allowed. Active participation in form of critique and discussion on the alternatives and visions is expected. In preparation for the seminars, it is essential to get familiar with the texts for each presentation. • • Evaluation comprises of: • 1) Presentations in seminars • A compulsory condition for attending a course is one group presentation (will be specified according to the number of students enrolled in the course). It is necessary to prepare a short list of presentation´s content (150-300 words). For presentation and prepared text you can get a total of 20 points. • 2) ROPOT tests througout the semester • The ROPOT tests will be filled in before each seminar through an IS application. For one test a maximum of 4 points can be achieved, i.e. 20 points for the whole semester. • 3) Final exam • The final exam will be in the exam period and you can achieve 60 points. • • Classification: • A - 93 - 100 • B - 85 - 92 • C - 77 - 84 • D - 69 - 76 • E - 61 - 68 • F - 0 - 60
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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