Course Syllabus
Sustainable Development in Northern Europe |
 |
| Semester & Location: |
Summer Session 2 2019- DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
3 |
| Major Disciplines: |
Environmental Studies, Public Policy, and Sustainability |
| Faculty Member: |
Emmanuel Gentil |
| Program Director: |
Neringa B. Vendelbo - nb@dis.dk |
| Program Assistant: |
Shannon Schooley |
| Time & Place: |
Nørregade 7-B11 10:00-14:00 |
Description of course
Sustainable development is one of the most complex, yet necessary, approach to address our pressing societal challenges, such as climate change, dramatic loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation in general.
The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), signed by 195 countries in 2015, provide an essential framework and road map for addressing these societal challenges. Sustainability practitioners are expected to understand the multidisciplinary nature of these challenges. They are also expected to communicate and implement effective opportunities across all levels of society (cities, corporations, civil society, policy makers and citizens).
Students will get a deeper understanding of strategies and solutions for changing course from a wasteful linear economical model towards a more renewable and circular system without exceeding our planetary boundaries. This course explores practical and concrete opportunities to move towards a more sustainable society with a combination of lectures, in-class activities, study tours and field studies.
The course aims are
- To understand the growing urgency of global societal challenges, such as climate change, and identify new alternatives for actions with a wide range of stakeholders.
- To provide a framework that will bridge the gaps between academic learning and applications
- that can be links knowledge with practice and bridges the gap between the classroom and the outside world;
- To examine real world strategies for change.
Learning objectives of the course
By the end of this course you will be able to …
- Identify a broad range of movers and shakers and activities currently shaping the sustainability agenda;
- Comprehend the underlying concepts, debates, and issues informing various actors, agencies, and activities working to implement and disseminate sustainability goals;
- Understand the necessary transition of societal prosperity within planetary boundaries;
- Locate a broad range of sources of information on sustainability and to be able to engage in critical and reflective thinking on a number of sustainability issues; and
- Articulate your own values and strategies for a more sustainable society.
Instructor: Emmanuel Gentil
Ph.D. in environmental engineering, DTU, Denmark, 2011. Independent environmental consultant. Senior Consultant at Copenhagen Resource Institute, for the European Environment Agency and for the European Commission on waste management policy in EU. Ph.D. School Manager and Ph.D. researcher at DTU, Denmark 2006-2011. Master of business strategy and environmental management, Bradford. With DIS since 2013.
Reading List
There is no textbook for this course and most readings are found exclusively on Canvas.
WWF (2018). Living planet report Summary.
WWF (2018). Living planet report
European Commission (2016). Sustainable Development Policy in the EU
European Commission (2016). Thematic Sustainable Development Policy in the EU
Norden (2013). A Good Life in a Sustainable Nordic Region?
Skene & Murray (2015). Sustainable Economics: Context, Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century Practitioner. 480 pp. Greenleaf. (Available on Canvas)
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2013) Towards the Circular Economy
Sovacool (2013). Energy policymaking in Denmark: Implications for global energy security and sustainability (Available in Canvas)
World Economic Forum (2012) Sustainable Transportation Ecosystem (summary)
SloCat (2018) Transport and climate change. Global status report
Lockton (2013) Design for sustainability: making green behaviour easy
Additional reading
Science Env Policy (20 environmental topics covered from "Agriculture" to "water". Great resource of emerging scientific papers)
Field studies
Field studies are visits or workshops lasting half a day. These field studies are an important, and mandatory, part of the course in order to experience a real life situation or to interact with external experts. 2 field studies are scheduled for our summer course.
Summer Study Tour to Norway (Sunday, June 16 – Friday 21, 2019)
The study tour is an integral part of the course as we take the classroom on the road and see how theory presented in the classroom translates into practice in the field. You will travel with your classmates and DIS faculty/staff on a study tour to Norway.
On our five-day tour, we will be exploring sustainability strategies in Oslo and rural Norway while experiencing Norwegian landscapes and cultures.
Visits will include:
- Learning about Oslo's urban development
- Innovative startup companies
- Oslo Municipality (Sustainability strategy)
- Experiencing the mountainous regions of Telemark
- Visit to the National park
- Museums in Rjukan and Oslo
Expectations for the study tour
- Participate in all activities
- Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives
- Respect the destination, the speakers, DIS staff, and your fellow classmates
- Represent yourself, your home university, and DIS in a positive light
While on a program study tour, DIS will provide hostel/hotel accommodation, transportation to/from the destination(s), approx. 2 meals per day, and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.
Travel policies: You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office prior to departure.
Approach to Teaching
The course consists of a diversity of teaching formats, including formal lecturing, discussion and debates. The teaching material will include videos, book chapters, articles and reports. Each day is separated in two parts.
We will also use Virtual Reality and Serious Gaming as a learning and communication tool for some of our classes.
In order to facilitate active participation in class, each of you will be asked to talk about news articles relevant to the subject during the first 10 minutes of each class. A list of sources will be provided. It is your responsibility to do the requested reading and watch the videos. This exercise will benefit the whole class by allowing us to have more informed discussions and thereby learn from each other.
Grading
You will receive written instructions in class regarding individual assignment details.
| Article presentation (Groupme) | 15% |
| Traveling week essay |
30% |
| Quiz | 20% |
| General Participation | 20% |
| Final presentation |
15% |
Participation will be based on the following criteria:
- Attendance
- Active participation in class discussions
- Preparation for each class
- Reading all assigned texts
- On-time submission of all class assignments
- Active participation in study tours and field studies
-To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.-
Disability and Resource Statement
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Academic Support (acadsupp@dis.dk) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.
Academic Regulations
Laptop and phones policy: You are allowed to use computers in class unless specified by the instructor. Phones are not to be used during class, field studies, or during visits when on study tour.
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
-Schedule of classes, readings to be done for each class, and assignment in due dates.-
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|