After successful completion of the course, students are able to describe concepts and systems in the field of environmental science and society. These will be illustrated by relevant, current questions and content:
1. There are resources with different characteristics. Use and protection are complementary. Resources may, e.g., be limited, renewable, essential.
2. There are cycles, linear flows and stores of substances. These can be estimated by balance equations. One needs to know transformation / transition processes in order to understand and quantitatively represent systems.
3. Models and process understanding are needed to translate data into information and insights. Data and models are therefore required as a basis for decisions (case-specific).
4. What we want to achieve depends on the risks accepted by society; Risks can be quantified using data and models.
5. There are different protection targets for humans and the environment. These are partly accepted by society, partly they are discussed controversially. There are different methods for deriving administrative requirements from defined protection goals.
6. Structures and infrastructure are embedded in and influence a wider domain of people and the environment. Technologies can be used to shape this domain; a good understanding of the system is needed for applying these technologies purposefully.
Introduction
1. Monitoring and models
Measurement, hydrometry, sampling, laboratory analysis, satellites, material flow analyzes and balance equations, life cycle assessments, dynamic models, forecasts
2. Resources: Use and Protection
Soil, water, air, space, energy, biodiversity, raw materials.
Why are they important (functions), which threatens them?
3. Circuits, sales, linear flows, balance equations, sinks
Water, C, N, P, energy, soil, water, air,
4. Risk and society
Statistics, histograms, estimation, economic aspects, assessment procedures, safety, scenarios
5. Protection targets and limits
Growth, growth restriction, dose-response, toxicity, determination of limits, emission and immission principle
6. Environmental ethics, politics and law
