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Energy and Resource Management

Vak
2018-2019

Tags

EES

Admissions requirements

None.

Description

Fossil fuel supplies are rapidly declining. About 60% of Earth’s ecosystem services are being degraded or used unsustainably. Fresh water availability is decreasing. Species are becoming extinct at a rate that has not been seen since the last global mass-extinction event. Carbon emissions are continuing to increase globally. How can we begin to effectively address these issues? This course will provide an introduction to the field of natural resource management and the concept of sustainable development. Natural resources include both renewable resources (such as water, forests, wildlife) and non-renewable resources (such as fossil fuels). This course adopts a systems framework that will allow us to explore the connections among different elements in the context of global environmental change, human needs and impacts, and the need to reframe and revitalize our current approaches to resource management. We will explore local and global resource and environmental issues such as the commodification of nature, the management of national parks and protected areas, ethics, and our ability to ensure sustainable energy supplies. Throughout the block, we will investigate practical solutions to address, or begin to address, these issues.

Course objectives

Skills:

  • Students will learn how to identify key evidence within complex planning documents related to an offshore wind farm.

  • Students will develop a research question and conduct a literature review.

  • Students will learn how to work together effectively in a group setting.

  • Students will learn to communicate effectively through oral and written assignments.

Knowledge:

  • Understand the importance of various natural resources to human existence, in both a historical and contemporary context.

  • Identify and understand the various frames by which we understand and value nature.

  • Identify and analyse the key issues in sustainable resource use/conservation in different geographical, cultural, and developmental contexts.

  • Analyse a natural resource management issue from a local and global perspective.

  • Understand the concepts, principles and practices discussed in class.

Timetable

Once available, timetables will be published here.

Mode of instruction

This course will proceed primarily as a seminar. Each class will include opening remarks/introductory lecture followed by a discussion of assigned readings, class activities, and student presentations. It is expected that students will engage actively in class discussions and debates.

Assessment

  • Class participation: 10%

  • Short quizzes on required readings: (10%)

  • Oral presentation: 15% (students do this once in the block)

  • Offshore wind energy planning and development hearing: 30% (written component [due week 6] and oral component [week 7])

  • Research project: 35% (work is due in week 4 and 8)

Blackboard

There will be a Blackboard site available for this course. Students will be enrolled at least one week before the start of classes.

Reading list

Reading list will be made available before the course starts. A book is not required for this course, journal articles are used.

Registration

This course is open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator. Interested non-LUC students should contact course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.

Contact

Dr. Bríd Walsh
b.m.walsh@luc.leidenuniv.nl