Environmental Studies

This course examines water as a resource. It covers the hydrologic cycle and quantification of the water balance, water use and supplies and the human impact upon water including runoff amount and quality.

This course explores the intersection of climate change and other contemporary global environmental challenges and the future of the Mediterranean. Students gain an understanding of Mediterranean geographies, environments, and societies, along with past and future climate trends. The course examines the potential impacts of 21st-century climate change on ecosystems, human well-being, and social systems. The course provides an analysis of similar ecosystems across the globe that face climate-related challenges, and of the national and transnational policies that are or are not in place not only in the Mediterranean basin but also in locations such as in California, Australia, Chile, and South Africa.

Key topics include the fundamentals of climate science, relationships between human and natural systems (such as water supplies, agriculture, public health, and biodiversity), and the law, politics, and societal debates as pertain to possible solutions to reduce the magnitude and impacts of climate change. By studying these issues in the context of Sicily, students develop insights into global climate challenges and localized responses. The course also provides a historical perspective on Sicily’s environmental and social changes over time. Students explore how the region's long history of cultural and political shifts has shaped its environmental practices and adaptation strategies. Additionally, the course addresses the growing issue of climate-induced migration to Sicily, examining its impacts and the region’s ability to adapt to these growing population movements.

This course provides an interdisciplinary exploration of sustainable agriculture, food systems, and ecological practices within the context of the Mediterranean, with a specific focus on Sicily. Students engage with ecological concepts and principles fundamental to designing and managing sustainable agroecosystems, with a whole systems approach encompassing the multiple dimensions of sustainability. Local engagement is aimed at enhancing students’ critical thinking about global food systems, the SDGs and sustainable agricultural practices.

In addition to the core focus on sustainable agriculture and food systems, this course provides a deeper historical and environmental framing, exploring the long-standing cultural overlays that have shaped Sicily’s agricultural practices. Students examine the island's ecological history and agricultural evolution under indigenous, Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman and Spanish influences, while gaining insight into how historical globalization has impacted local food systems. Special attention is given to the role of commodity trade over time and its influence on current agricultural structures.

Pollution prevention solutions are attractive both to society in general and to industry but require knowledge in the fields of processes, products, and management in modern business organizations. The course explores solutions that use technical as well as managerial tools and methods. The course reviews the key aspects of process integrated environmental protection, including technical strategies to increase efficiency in water- energy- and material flows (exploring methods such as monitoring, maintenance, cleaner technology, process modification, on-site recycling, good housekeeping) and environmental management (including supply chain management and an introduction to current environmental management standards such as ISO 14000). Product related issues constitute a central part of the course looking into life cycle analysis, eco-design, and eco-labeling. The course also takes a wider perspective at industrial development and the engineer’s role and responsibility to work with industry to reduce environmental impacts. The course consists of lectures in combination with seminars, exercises, and a major assignment.

This course explores the relationship between the history, culture, animals, and physical environment of Japan over the twentieth century, particularly topics often overlooked in history, such as forests, mines, pollution, animals, birds, and protest. The course covers important events, issues and texts related to the environmental history of modern Japan. 

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, with its diverse landscapes — ranging from Mt. Etna’s volcanic geology and coastal marine biodiversity to rural agricultural practices and conservation areas — offers a unique and comprehensive setting for immersive ecological and environmental field studies. This course will engage with key topics such as the natural history and ecology of Mediterranean island environments, the geological processes that shape the landscape, perspectives on human-environment interactions, and the oceanographic dynamics that influence coastal and marine habitats.

This course consists of practical project work or audit and an evaluation field stay including technologies and background information necessary to develop sustainable community-based projects, e.g. PV training, CO2compensation, household biogas plants, clean cooking, biogas, income generation. International student hybrid working groups develop CO2 compensation projects for climate and SDGs tackling the needs of the local partner communities together with the partner NGOs. The course offers research and innovation opportunities to deepen the development and application of sustainable technologies and methodologies. It also includes cooperation with local community organizations, NGOs, international universities, and other partners.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by permission of the instructor.

Climate change is no longer an abstract future threat. Human population is at the center of the climate system. A demographic perspective is hence critical for understanding, on the one hand, the impact of human activities on the global climate, and, on the other hand, the impacts of climate change on human population. Upon successful completing of this course, students have the knowledge and skills to: 1) demonstrate an understanding of how human population contributes to anthropogenic climate change taking into account demographic heterogeneity; 2) demonstrate an understanding of how anthropogenic climate change differentially affects human health, wellbeing and livelihoods; 3) critically evaluate and explain different scientific and statistical evidence employed to study the links between population dynamics and climate change; 4) conduct research through the consultation of academic literature and/or through the collection and analysis of data; 5) work in groups and develop class discussions. The course topics include:

• Introduction to population and climate change interactions
• Climate change and demographic heterogeneity (e.g. age, gender, education, income, locations)
• Population and energy consumption/carbon emissions
• Population, water, and food
• Climate change and health and mortality
• Climate change and family and fertility
• Climate change and migration
• Climate change and future population dynamics
• Date and methods for the study of population and climate change