95722 - GEOGRAFIA DELL'AMBIENTE E DELLO SVILUPPO SOSTENIBILE

Academic Year 2024/2025

  • Docente: Silvia Grandi
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: M-GGR/02
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Blended Learning
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in International Development and Cooperation (cod. 8890)

Learning outcomes

Al termine del corso lo studente conosce le principali prospettive della riflessione geografica con particolare riferimento alla relazione uomo-natura e a quella tra società e ambiente. E’ in grado di ragionare e sviluppare analisi a scala locale, regionale e globale nonchè in termini multiscalari. E’ in grado di mettere in relazione elementi di geografia fisica ed ecologia con quelli di geografia dello sviluppo ed è in grado di affrontare analisi in prospettiva sistemica per comprendere e ragionare in termini di sviluppo sostenibile. Ha gli strumenti per leggere in maniera critica le sfide globali del pianeta Terra tra cui: il consumo delle risorse naturali rinnovabili e non rinnovabili; il cambiamento climatico; l’economia circolare e la sicurezza alimentare. Conosce l’evoluzione storica del paradigma dello sviluppo sostenibile e le sue critiche nelle principali trasformazioni concettuali e declinazioni di policy promosse a livello internazionale e locale. Infine, è in grado di applicare le conoscenze e le metodologie acquisite per analizzare il dibattito internazionale e per affrontare progettualità per lo sviluppo e per la cooperazione internazionale in termini di sostenibilità a partire da una prospettiva geografico-ambientale integrata a quella economica e di sviluppo umano

Course contents

The lectures will cover the following topics:

  1. Introduction to geography and the evolution of geographical thinking and explorations;
  2. The concepts of: space, place, territory, landscape, environment, local-global scale;
  3. Landscape and its readings from deterministic to semiotic approaches. Visual analysis and semiotic cartography (with exercise at Palazzo Poggi);
  4. The evolution of thinking about the human-nature relationship, systems theory and ecosystems. Biosphere, Ecosystem, Habitat and Ecological Niche. Ecosystem Services. biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity and natural capital, nature protection and enhancement;
  5. Renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Energy resources*. Localizations and geopolitical determinants.
  6. Critical raw materials. Extractivism and the resource curse. Waste and the circular economy;
  7. Representing the environment: environmental indicators and indices, PSR and DPSIR models, EIA and SEA;
  8. The Anthropocene. Metabolisms of industrial societies and tertiarized and urban societies. Analysis of contemporary challenges of Planet Earth: climate change and its impacts in world geographies; biodiversity loss; pollution.
  9. The evolution of the relationship environment-development. The conceptions of development and the evolution of the sustainable development paradigm. The 2030 Agenda and the Development Goals/SDGs. 
  10. Development and its critiques. Globalization, deglobalization and reglobalization.
  11. Deconstructing communication to analyze sustainability discourses vs and green/socialwashing (with exercise*).
  12. Crises.Conflicts and Just Transition. Alternative and post-development development.



Readings/Bibliography

slides and handsouts in Virtuale

 

reading list 

Bagliani M., Dansero E. (2011) Politiche per l'ambiente. Dalla Natura al Territorio. UTET

Padoa Schioppa E. (2021), Antropocene, Il Mulino, Bologna (capp. 1, 2, 3, 4)

Grandi S., 2018, Viaggio tra le concezioni dello Sviluppo, Editrice La mandragola, Imola (capp. 1, 2, 5, 6)

UN, 2015, Risoluzione adottata dall’Assemblea Generale Trasformare il nostro mondo: l’Agenda 2030 per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (A/70/1) (scaricabile al link: https://unric.org/it/agenda-2030 [https://unric.org/it/agenda-2030/] /

Cartomà C., Conti S., Giaccaria P., Rossi U., Salone C., 2022, Geografia economica e politica, Pearson, Milano-Torino (capp. 1, 7)

 

during lectures the most important chapter will be indicated

Teaching methods

Classroom traditional lessons and via Teams, video-tutorials and workshops.

The course participates in the Unibo 2024/25 'Blending' type experimental programme 

Assessment methods

Examination for students that attended lectures:



- written test on the entire program (6/8 open and/or closed questions) throughout the first exam session


+ Bonus points on blended experimental activities* (3 points max).




For non-attenders:


- written test on entire program (6/8 open and/or closed questions) throughout the first exam session


From the second exam session oral for all.


Bonuses on experimental blended activities* for  attendees remain valid until September 2025.


In special cases (e.g., international exchange students, Erasmus, etc.) a term paper or other formulas can be arranged by prior arrangement with the lecturer.

Teaching tools

Slides in Virtuale

Videotutorials

Selfevaluation test

Filmography

Link to facebook page

Workshop

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Grandi

SDGs

Climate Action Oceans Life on land Partnerships for the goals

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.