E0250 Environmental Protection Policy and Strategy against Chemical Pollution

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Ing. Kateřina Šebková, Ph.D., M.A. (lecturer)
RNDr. Mgr. Michal Bittner, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Ivan Holoubek, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Kateřina Šebková, Ph.D., M.A.
RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Ing. Kateřina Šebková, Ph.D., M.A.
Supplier department: RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
This course is useful in particular for students in environment and health major as well as those focussed on chemicals management, environment protection and environment protection technologies in the last year of their bachelor studies and beyond (i.e. including students in master and doctoral studies).
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
Aim of the course is provide students with an introduction to structure, opportunities and tools of the existing environmental policy at the national, EU and international levels in the field of management of chemicals. In addition, they will be able to work with further information sources including legislation, global reports and policy decisions that may be very useful in their further work.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to:
• understand difference between policy and tools for chemicals management
• explain development, goals and structure of chemical management at national, regional/EU and global levels including different strategies and approaches
• determine main actors/stakeholders at all levels (global, EU, national) in the field and have an overview where is a potential to use the acquired knowlege by employment
• make use of information sources pertaining to global instruments and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) as well as EU chemicals policy
• understand and explain links to health protection, research and development, food safety and other crosscutting horizontal issues
• work with related instruments at global, EU and national levels
• describe and interpret involvement of the Czech Republic in the global chemicals management such as capacity building, technology transfer
• use correct terminology related to the chemicals management in both Czech and English
Syllabus
  • Course curriculum:
  • • Aims and focus of the course, Sustainable development strategy as a response to industrial development and resulting chemical pollution in the 19th and 20th century - History of sustainable development strategy, Limits to growth (1972), Oil crisis (1973), Our Common Future (1987), UNCED Rio de Janeiro (1992), Millenium Summit New York (2000), World Summit Johannesburg (2002), Rio+20 (2012), UN projects Millenium Development Goals (2000-2015) and Sustainable development goals (2015-2030)
  • • Introduction to the global chemicals and waste management, terminology, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and its portfolio and instruments - global multilateral environmental agreements, SAICM - international chemicals management - tools, framework approach, consequences
  • • Activities of OECD and WHO related to environment and health protection
  • • GEO - Group on Earth Observation and its activities
  • • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants - framework and contents, effects; activities in the Czech Republic, case studies
  • • Basel Convention on transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent and synergies among chemicals and waste conventions
  • • VIenna Convention and Montreal Protocol - management of ozone depleting substances, Financing chemical management - GEF and MLF - comparison of financial mechnaism and technical assistance tools
  • • Activities of the UN Economic Committee for Europe - agreements on industrial accidents, long range transboundary air pollution, pollution and release transfer registers, right to information
  • • Czech Republic and EU chemicals policy - EU legal framework, hierarchy of tools, principal acts (REACH) I+II
  • • International activities of the Czech Republic related to the environment and health and official development aid
Literature
    recommended literature
  • LACINA, Petr, Otakar Jiří MIKA and Kateřina ŠEBKOVÁ. Nebezpečné chemické látky a směsi. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013, 131 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6475-1. info
  • BITTNER, Michal. Úvod do udržitelného rozvoje: souvislosti environmentálního pilíře. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013, 250 pp. Edice RECETOX. ISBN 978-80-210-6622-9. info
  • Late lessons from early warnings : science, precaution, innovation. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the European Union, 2013, 760 stran. ISBN 9789292133566. info
  • CARSON, Rachel. Silent spring. Edited by Edward O. Wilson - Linda J. Lear. Boston: Mariner Books, 2002, xix, 378. ISBN 061825305X. info
  • Silent spring revisited. Edited by Conor Mark Jameson. New York: Bloomsbury, 2012, 281 p. ISBN 9781408157602. info
  • Late lessons from early warnings I: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/environmental_issue_report_2001_22
  • Global Chemical Outlook II, online https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/chemicals-waste/what-we-do/policy-and-governance/global-chemicals-outlook
  • HLAVÁČEK, Jiří. Mezinárodní environmentální právo a ochrana životního prostředí. 1. vyd. Praha: Oeconomica, 2007, 231 s. ISBN 9788024512969. info
  • CHUDÁREK, Tomáš. Odpadové hospodářství v praxi. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013, 157 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6601-4. info
    not specified
  • film Architekt Odpadu
  • film Dark Waters
  • film Minamata (2020)
  • film Erin Brockovich
Teaching methods
The course is carried in 10/11 lectures. Interactions comprise work with specific materials, brief online tests or quizzes or panel discussion to related topics.
Assessment methods
Evaluation consists of several components - participation in the lectures (at a minimum 60%), participation in tests and quizzes ("plus points"), work with documents and discussion and performance at oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/E0250