ESS411 Environmental Aspects of Energy

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2017
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Lehotský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Vlček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Tue 8:00–9:30 Studio 527
Prerequisites
None.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Abundance of cheap and accessible energy from coal, oil and gas helped to create modern society. At the same time combustion of these sources compromised the local and global environment, with the climate change being currently the biggest threat. In the course we follow the development of the modern energy systems based on fossil fuels. We observe the relationship between these systems and environment. We analyze the governmental efforts to limit negative impacts of these industries on environment and assess the efficiency of different measures. And we evaluate on the ongoing energy transition to the low carbon economies. The course builds on the theoretical concepts of environmental science applied on energy sector. Also political science, governance science, and economics are employed.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course students should be able to approach current energy-environmental debate critically, having necessary background from different academic fields.
Syllabus
  • Ecosystem and population ecology, consumption of fossil fuels - local and global pollution, neoclassical and environmental approach to the environmental services, scarcity of energy resources, renewable energy, nuclear energy, energy efficiency, theory of technological and societal transition, energy transitions in the 21st century.
Literature
  • WRIGHT, Richard T. Environmental science : toward a sustainable future. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005, xxiii, 712. ISBN 013144204X. info
Teaching methods
Lectures and class discussions, reading, seminal project.
Assessment methods
Final written test, seminal work.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2017, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2017/ESS411