Geography

Environmental Management and Sustainable Development

Module code: L7003
Level 4
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Distance exam

This module explores contemporary debates on environmental management and sustainable development from a perspective that bridges physical and human geography. It examines the development of core scientific and social theories and discourses that underpin contemporary management of the environment and sustainable development. In particular, it explores the trade offs between the three different pillars of sustainability:

• economics
• environment
• society.

These trade offs are explored in relation to a range of real world problems, including climate change, biodiversity loss and energy use. The module explicitly deals at a range of geographical scales – from the global to the local – as well as considering different approaches to the management of natural resources.

Module learning outcomes

• Understand key conceptual perspectives on the relationship between, and the potential to achieve environmental, social and economic sustainability.
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of potential trade-offs and complementarities between achieving environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability.
• Articulate the implications of climate change and biodiversity loss for humanity’s potential for achieving sustainable development.
• Apply key module concepts to a range of ‘real world’ and practical applications.