GEOG 310 Environment and Sustainability

Description

This interdisciplinary course covers cutting-edge concepts in environmental management, providing students with an inspiring survey on the future of environmental sustainability which integrates perspectives from the social and natural sciences. After introducing general concepts related to environmental management and sustainability, we focus on the management of resources that are central to contemporary environmental debates, including those with particular relevance to British Columbia and Canada.

As we examine sustainability throughout the course, we will also be drawing on the following concepts: political ecology; resilience; regenerative sustainability; technological innovation; environmental history; regulation and governance; neoliberalism; human impacts on the environment; the role of cultural and perception of human-environment relations; digital innovation and environmental governance. The course is taught in an accessible, non-technical manner; it is designed to be accessible for students from all disciplines

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire knowledge on historical and contemporary approaches to environmental management and sustainability, including the roles of political, historical, economic and cultural contexts in shaping these.
2. To develop critical geographical thinking skills, including the ability to integrate scientific and social perspectives into analyzing contemporary environmental concerns.
3. To acquire the foundation of knowledge and familiarly necessary for the analysis and evaluation of potential actions for advancing sustainability.