MVZ460 Environmental Aspects of Energy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2011
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Břetislav Dančák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Vlček, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (assistant)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Břetislav Dančák, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Wed 10:00–11:40 U34
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce the environmental aspects of energy. The course reflects the development of public interest in energy security and environmental protection in the contemporary world. The course is divided into three parts. The first one consists of backgrounding information of the phenomenon, including global warming and its impact on energy security and world community. The second part deals with the Czech Republic and is dedicated to legislative, political and economical aspects of environmental measurements in energy sector and also to renewables. Finally, the last part deals with particular sectors of Czech energy industry, namely coal, oil and nuclear sector as well as electricity generation. There is also a field trip to Hostetin included to see renewables in practice. Thanks to successful graduation from the course, students will enjoy a good basis of information, which will help them navigate safely throughout extreme opinions of both knowledge poles in the field of environmental aspects of energy / energy security. Students will be able to critically evaluate information from this field, independetly analyze environmental issues of energy and also explain various phenomena of environmental aspects of energy.
Syllabus
  • 1) Introduction to the course 2) Environmental aspects of energy 3) Global climate changes 4) Environmental approach to energy in EU and other international organizations 5) Legislative and political aspects of environmental measures in energy sector 6) Reduction of energy consumption 7) Reading week 8) Renewables and their potential in the Czech republic 9) Field trip 10) Environmental aspects of coal sector 11) Environmental aspects of oil sector 12) Environmental aspects of electricity sector and nuclear energy sector 13) Model conference session
Literature
  • Polanecký, Karel et al. (2010): Chytrá energie: Konkrétní plán ekologických organizací, jak zelené inovace a nová odvětví mohou postupně proměnit energetický metabolismus české ekonomiky – a srazit znečištění, dovoz paliv i účty za energii, Hnutí DUHA /
  • Buchan, David (2010): Eastern Europe’s energy challenge: meeting its EU climate commitments, The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Paper EV 55, July 2010, pp. 3-43, 55-62.
  • Metelka, Ladislav - Tolasz, Radim (2009): Klimatické změny: fakta bez mýtů, Centrum pro otázky životního prostředí, Univerzita Karlova v Praze, on-line text (www.czp.cuni.cz/knihovna/publikace/klimaticke-zmeny-web.pdf).
  • Polanecký, Karel (2008, ed.): Energie NADOSAH: Bezpečnostní, sociální a ekonomické výzvy decentralizované energetiky, Praha, Zelený kruh a Hnutí DUHA.
  • GIDDENS, Anthony. The politics of climate change. Malden, MA: Polity, 2009, viii, 264. ISBN 074564693X. URL info
Teaching methods
Lectures involve class discussions and require active participation; position papers improve the ability of students to summarize an issue in the field of environmental aspects of energy and to evaluate it critically; model conference session improve the ability of students to use acquired information in practice and to experience the complicacy of negotiation; readings serve to broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge students acquire during lectures.
Assessment methods
Written test (midterm and final); composition of position papers; active participation in class.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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