Societal Challenges - Environment

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic knowledge in Biology (Physiology, Ecology and Environmental sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology).

Teaching Methods

Master classes, discussion of articles and pieces published in the media, in both individual and group exercises.

Learning Outcomes

Students should acquire skills in identifying and decoding relevant contemporary biological challenges in Ecology, environmental sciences and biological natural resources and how they can be framed from various points of view (social, ethical, legal, economic). They should be able to formulate and test hypotheses or propose activities that address different types of biological problems and acquire the tools to discuss and communicate biological issues for different types of audiences. They should be able to acknowledge how a professional in the field may participate in different types of activities, and how to help meet contemporary societal challenges, for example related with food safety, water management, sustainable development, management of endogenous resources and their relation to global changes, agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and other marine and freshwater resources.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

General framing of some of the challenges and problems and challenges in contemporary Biology, focusing on Biotechnology and Health, and ongoing projects with in international relevance. Topics may include:

1.management of Agroflorestal resources in a changing planet. From sustainability to food safety.

2.sustainable management, exploitation and maintenance of aquatic resources (marine and freshwater) by maximizing the socioeconomic benefits but preserving the biodiversity

3.Climate change (understanding the phenomenon, associated risks, extreme events, impact evaluation, vulnerabilities preventions and attenuation strategies) and global risks in the ecosystems.

4.Sustainable and competitive bioindustries (efficient resources utilisation and competitive)

5.Environmental protection as a natural and economic advantage in a changing society

6.Legal, Ethical and science communication issues (to be discussed transversely in all topics)

Head Lecturer(s)

Helena Maria de Oliveira Freitas

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Mini Tests: 25.0%
Apresentação de trabalho: 75.0%

Bibliography

COMMITTEE ON A NEW BIOLOGY FOR THE 21rst CENTURY (2009) A New Biology for the 21rst Century. National Research Council; The National Academies Press.

H. KUHSE, P. SINGER (2006) Bioethics: An Anthology (2nd Ed.). Blackwell Publishing.

HERBERT G (2007) Surviving the Century: Facing Climate Chaos and Other Global Challenges.

HERBERT G, MENDONÇA M (2009) A Renewable World: Energy, Ecology, Equality.

ENGLES E, GLIESSMAN S. R. (2015) Agroecology: the ecology of sustainable food systems.

Outra bibliografia relevante e atual em diferentes tipos de formatos (artigos científicos, livros, relatórios)/Other relevant recent bibliography in different formats (scientific articles, books, reports).