Urban Environment

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of Environment and Sustainability, Urban Planning, Cartography.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical-practical classes for the i) detailed exposition of the fundamental concepts, principles and theories of the topic of this course and ii) solving of some elucidative practical exercises that help the students to understand the theoretical exposition. Illustrative examples will be discussed, towards the development of an integrated view of urban environment issues, solutions and adaptation and reformulation measures, for tackling different national or international contexts. Group work and written and oral communication will be encouraged.

Learning Outcomes

Students should master fundamental concepts and methodologies that allow them to i) read and understand the urban environment (from urban spaces to urban ecosystems), in a specific geographical and biophysical context, and the relevance of the efficient use of resources, pertinent to the design and management of sustainable cities; ii) understand the different types of scales inherent to the assessment of the urban environment, and of the relationships between the city and global issues (climate change, demographic pressure, health, poverty); iii) distinguish the environmental impacts and risks arising from pressures on the environment related to city life, in particular those related to atmospheric, water and soil pollution, and noise pollution; iv) understand the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment and comprehend the development of the processes and respective legal and institutional framework; v) adequately communicate results.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Urban environment: basic concepts; geographic and biophysical context of the urban environment; Earth system and natural resources, and interactions of the terrestrial subsystems.

2. Specifics of the urban environment: resources (growing demand, availability, pressures, conflicts and opportunities); particularities of the water resources; the urban water cycle; risks, sustainability and resilience.

3. Different types of scales in the urban environment; relationships between cities and global issues; climate change, risk of aggravation of extreme meteorological and hydrological events, and environmental degradation; droughts, heat waves, urban floods; fluvial and coastal environments.

4. Environmental impacts. Anthropic actions and the phenomena of air, water, soil and noise pollution; concepts, characterization and measures.

5. Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment: institutional and legal frameworks; objectives and processes' development.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Isabel Mendes Leal Pereira Pedroso de Lima

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 15.0%
Synthesis work: 15.0%
Exam: 70.0%

Bibliography

Agência Europeia do Ambiente, 2015. Viver num clima em mudança. Sinais da AEA 2015. Copenhaga, Dinamarca.

Canter, L.W., 1996. Environmental Impact Assessment, McGraw-Hill.

Carroll, B., T. Turpin, A. Boyden, A. Carroll, R. Thomas, 2009. Environmental impact assessment handbook, A practical guide for planners, developers and communities, 2nd ed. Thomas Telford Publishing,

European Environment Agency, 2009. Ensuring quality of life in Europe's cities and towns: Tackling the environmental challenges driven by European and global change. EEA Report No 5/2009, Copenhagen, Denmark.

European Environment Agency, 2019. The European environment — state and outlook 2020: Knowledge for transition to a sustainable Europe. Luxembourg: Public.s Office of the European Union.

Partidário R. 2012. Guia de melhores práticas para Avaliação Ambiental Estratégica - orientações metodológicas para um pensamento estratégico em AAE. Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente.