Environmental Studies

The course focuses on international and global environmental issues related to sustainable development. Lectures and seminars present the issues through selected literature. The course covers the concept of sustainable development, environmental history, climate change, environmental impacts in connection with the use of natural resources, and energy issues. The course also discusses consumption patterns and the environment, environmental economics, the role of international institutions, policy making, and cultural and ethical aspects on environment.

This course connects the fundamental wood science concepts to primary and secondary wood processing. Specifically, the course provides advance knowledge in processing of solid wood, wood-based composite, and modified wood products from the theoretical and practical aspects highlighting production yield, product evaluation, quality control management, manufacturing technology, and environmental impacts.

This course aims to understand the fundamentals of environmental physics, micrometeorology and relating disciplines so as to develop the ability to conduct a research on forest meteorology, forest hydrology, or related fields. This course also aims to develop critical thinking by providing the mathematical explanations of the theories. 

This course focuses on the use of market based instruments (MBIs) for environmental management and sustainable development. It compares the regulatory approaches of environmental management to those employing MBIs at different special scales and examines the types of policy instruments that can be utilized for environmental management (e.g. EU Emissions Trading Scheme, Environmental Tax Reform etc.). It examines the institutional and agency frameworks necessary for the successful implementation of MBIs.

 

This course discusses how innovations and transitions are embedded in larger processes of social and geographical change. The first module outlines the need for deep seated sustainability transitions in a context of accelerating global climate and environmental change. Theories on sustainability transitions and innovation are presented. A distinction between traditional, social and sustainable innovations is introduced. The Multi-Level-Perspective, which analyzes how niche innovations sometimes scale up and transforms larger sectors in the economy, is presented together with perspectives on power and geography. The second module discusses the role of wind energy in sustainability transitions. The history and current status of wind technology is emphasized. The preconditions and challenges connected with a further upscaling of wind energy are highlighted. The third module discusses the role of solar energy. Current institutional and policy potentials and barriers in the Global South and North towards a further upscaling of solar energy are discussed. The fourth module presents and discusses the role of a more circular economy as part of sustainability transitions.

This course focuses on environmental issues and sustainable development. The course covers three themes: the historical roots of and current discourses on sustainable development; the theories of managing common pool resources and their implications for sustainable development; and connections to specific environmental challenges. The course introduces students to the multidimensional aspects of sustainable development and their link to environmental challenges on global, national, and local levels. A special focus is put on the sustainable management of common pool resources. In addition, specific environmental challenges are used to illustrate the complexity of the issues and their implications for sustainability.

The curriculum of this course includes: interdisciplinary understanding of fundamental issues in climate change and sustainable development, professional skills and knowledge in climate change and sustainable development from a global perspective, oral and written presentation and communication skill. Some sample discussion topics are climate change, nuclear energy, and microplastics. Students are graded on leading the seminar about a specific environmental topic and a final paper.

The course investigates a variety of topics including the concept of global environmental governance, the development of institutions and norms governing the protection of the environment. It places special focus on key principles of international environmental law, multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), cooperation among States and the growing significance of non-State actors (subnational governments, nongovernmental organizations, business and corporations), and the diversity of regulatory approaches and related policy tools. The course includes guest lecturers who share their experience working in international institutions.

The course provides a study on environmental economics in order to evaluate environmental consequences of economic activity, as well as to interpret market-based instruments of environmental regulation. It examines the economics of renewable and non-renewable natural resources; concepts for the valuation of non-market amenities; environmental cost- benefit analysis; techniques of valuation of environmental impacts; and theory of optimal management of renewable and non-renewable resources.