E1000 Environment & Health I - Global Environmental Challenges and their Solutions

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Mgr. Michal Bittner, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jakub Urík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Peter Šebej, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Klára Hilscherová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. Ing. Blahoslav Maršálek, CSc. (lecturer)
RNDr. Ondřej Mikeš, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Kateřina Šebková, Ph.D., M.A. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Vašíčková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Ing. Branislav Vrana, PhD. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D.
RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D.
Supplier department: RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 13:00–14:50 D29/252-RCX1
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
Course objectives
The course aims to provide the knowledge to the students about major environmental problems, their origins and consequences, wider aspects and also possible solutions at different levels.
Learning outcomes
After this course, the student will be able to:
- to have an overview of the consequences of human activities for the environment
- to identify and summarize key environmental issues at global and regional levels
- to identify and describe their causes and consequences and understand the wider context of
- to describe and discuss possible solutions from individual level to internationally coordinated action
- to interpret and discuss the results of successful or unsuccessful solutions to environmental issues
- to link the presented problems to the experts dealing with it
Syllabus
  • Can be changed - please check regularly the webpage of seminar program on the link sent by teacher
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Environment, human and society
  • 3. Introduction to chemical pollution problem
  • 4. Air quality
  • 5. Global change and climate change
  • 6. Quality of water
  • 7. Soil quality
  • 8. Effects of pollution on organisms
  • 9. Ecosystem services
  • 10. Agriculture and landscape
  • 11. Urban environment
  • 12. Waste management and circular economy
  • 13. Local, regional and global solutions
Literature
  • https://www.recetox.muni.cz/student/literatura-a-odkazy
Teaching methods
Regular seminars every week. Individual topics are presented by invited experts from both RECETOX and other relevant institutions. Each environmental problem is not only introduced and explained, but also the latest research areas are presented and possible solutions discussed. Students' participation in the seminars is not passive, they are actively involved in the form of surveys, questions, group work, etc.
Assessment methods
Students must attend a minimum of 11 seminars to be eligible for the exam. Participation must be active (the student responds to the lectured topics, asks questions, is not "mind-absent" ...).
The exam consists of three compulsory parts:


1) meeting the minimum attendance requirement


2) Drawing a thesis and writing an argumentative essay at the end of the semester (0-30 points)


3) short presentation of essay (max 5 min) + 1-2 questions in discussion - evaluation by instructors (0-10 points from instructors + 0-10 points from students)


Detailed instructions for the essay and its presentation will be communicated towards the end of the semester.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2023/E1000