Large Scale Challenges to the Climate and the Environment
“Humanity is waging war on nature” - António Guterres, United Nations Secretary General
These words were spoken in February, 2021 at the release of a United Nations report that concluded that unsustainable development had triggered a “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
This course provides an introduction to the triple planetary crisis by exploring how human societies impact the natural environment through development and exploitation of natural resources. The entanglements between climate, biodiversity and pollution will be examined, and the contributing social, economic and political factors will be discussed. Students will gain an understanding of the nature of the multi-dimensional global environmental challenges that currently face humanity, and the transformative changes in environmental governance that are necessary to achieve effective solutions.
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Course structure
Teaching format
Participants in the course will meet with natural scientists who are experts on global pollution, climate change, and water & land-use, and social scientists and policy experts who are developing approaches to reduce humanity’s impacts on the global environment using sustainable investment, ecological economic theories and ecocide legislation. They will deepen their knowledge through independent readings, and in group discussions and workshops. Every participant will complete an independent project analyzing an aspect of the triple planetary crisis of their choice, and they will report back to the group on causes, effects, and potential solutions.
Assessment
Assessment will be based on presentation of the final project, and on critical and constructive dialogue with other students, guest speakers and course leaders.
Examiner
Matthew MacLeod, Matthew.MacLeod@aces.su.se
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Contact
Study counsellors
studeranu@aces.su.se
Course coordinatorsMatthew Salter, Matthew.Salter@aces.su.se
Department of Environmental Science, unit of Atmospheric Science
Matthew MacLeod, Matthew.MacLeod@aces.su.se
Department of Environmental Science, unit of Contaminant Chemistry
