Environmental Studies

What are the consequences of increasing processes of globalization and individualization for mobility and transport? Which problems occur from these developments in the field of health, social equity, and sustainability? How relevant is daily mobility for the performance of individuals and households? How can transport geography contribute to solve and mitigate mobility related problems? In view of constantly diversifying spatial-temporal relations and interdependencies, the course answers these questions by explaining trends and aspects of mobility in an urban and global context. Students acquire basic knowledge of processes and factors that lead to the demand for and development of mobility. This enables the identifying effects occurring from current transport developments and to evaluate strategies and measures targeting related problems. The set of lectures focuses on characteristics of different types and modes of travel, theoretical approaches, and practical concepts in the field of transport geography. Combined with a GIS practical and group work to apply these approaches and related knowledge, the course delivers insights into topical issues in the field of transport policy and planning. Note that an early exit for international students is possible. However, to receive 5 ECTS the students must attend the written exam and hand-in an additional individual assignment to compensate not attended tests, practicals, lectures or group assignments. 

As the planet’s land use and human population become increasingly urban, environmental problems and politics of cities are evermore critical for improving socio-environmental relationships and outcomes. Thus, this course explores the urban political conflicts of environmental issues like climate change, air pollution, water quality/quantity, resource and energy use, waste disposal, and more. Using a range of case studies from around the world and beginning with some of the contested material flows of resources that both transform and comprise cities, the course then moves to address politicized ideas of nature, conservation, and habitats in the city while concluding with discussions of human agency and responses to the uneven social impacts of urban environmental problems.

This course is intended for students with knowledge of basic ecology. The focus is on oceanography, with investigation on interactive biological, chemical, and physical processes in the ocean. The discussions range from physical effects on the biology to biological effects on biogeochemical cycling; the spatial scale ranges from individual organisms (e.g. viscosity and turbulences on plankton feeding and nutrient uptake) to ecosystem (e.g. remote sensing and circulation modeling); the organism ranges from virus to whales. The objectives are to cover environmental effects such as ocean physics and chemistry affect organisms, across temporal and spacial scales. Further, the course explores how biological activities feedback to Earth environments, such as biogeochemical cycling and carbon flux and global climate changes.

This course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to critically evaluate how an ecosystem is managed, through rigorously adopting methods from ecological sciences to develop an understanding of ecosystem health and environmental change, and interdisciplinary approaches to explore the multiple dimensions and trade-offs emerging from human-environment interactions. Through a mixture of case studies and real-life examples, students consider the challenges of and solutions for maintaining and supporting healthy ecosystems.

This course introduces the science of Physiological Plant Ecology with a strong focus on plant water relations and how recent climate change is affecting these. Plant Physiological Ecology teaches how plants function, grow, and survive in their ecosystems and how it underpins food security, ecosystem restoration, and the understanding of water as a resource. The course is set to inspire students to learn and think about how terrestrial ecosystems work and function, and what challenges they will be facing in the future.

The course discusses environmental studies as an interdisciplinary field, exploring their intersection with other disciplines. The core of the course is focused on the current environmental issues in a global context, primarily within the conceptual framework of Anthropocene and Post-Anthorpocene. The Czech context is presented through an analysis of the most burning environmental issues, including brown coal mining, air pollution, carbon emissions, waste management, landscape transportation, soil erosion, and energy production. The interconnection of social, economic, and ethical contexts of environmental issues is stressed throughout the course. The course consists of lectures, discussions, student presentations, group work, quizzes, and an excursion.