AB-203 Arctic Environmental Management (15 ECTS)
ID:
AB-203
CREDITS:
15 ECTs
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
October 01, 2024
START DATE:
January 08, 2025
END DATE:
June 06, 2025
COURSE PERIOD:
Spring semester. Teaching Block 1-3
AB-203 and AB-204 excursion to Tempelfjorden. Photo: Steve Coulson/UNIS.
| Grade: | Letter grade (A through F) |
| Course Cost: | None |
| Course Capacity Min/Max: | Min/Max: 10/20 students |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Examination support material: | Bilingual dictionary between English and mother tongue |
Course requirements:
60 ECTS within general natural sciences, of which 30 ECTS within the field of biology. The applicant must be enrolled in a programme at Bachelor level, or document that the course is approved into the applicant’s current study programme.
The course can only be combined with AB-202 Marine Arctic Biology (15 ECTS) and the courses are designed to complement each other.
Academic content:
The course offers an introduction to environmental management in the Arctic, using the Svalbard Region as an example. Students are introduced to management strategies and practice through the following highly interlinked themes;
1) Ecosystems and biodiversity, including the geographical environment, selected case study species and natural resources
2) Challenges and conflicts, including climate change, pollution, harvesting, tourism, cultural values and international relations
3) Institutions and legal framework, including law and conventions, international organizations and fields of responsibilities for institutions involved in the management of Arctic natural resources at local to international scales
The course aims to enhance understanding of the interplay between managed species, the combined challenges they face from natural and human influences and which procedures, methods and technologies are in place to monitor and manage their populations and environment. An integrated approach is used where lectures and seminars are complemented by fieldwork, excursions, problem-based projects, student-led teaching and role-playing workshops. A range of guest lecturers from management-related organizations and institutions complement UNIS staff, to present a multi-facetted view of Arctic environmental management.
Learning outcomes:
Upon completing the course, the students can:
Knowledge
- describe the structure, legal basis and fields of responsibility for institutions involved in the management of Arctic natural resources
- explain the key Arctic environmental issues and evaluate their respective influences on biodiversity and populations of selected Arctic species
- understand the concept of sustainable management, and explain the processes that lead to protection, harvesting or exploitation of natural resources
- understand negotiation procedures and weight the strengths and weaknesses of international treaties and conventions
Skills
- understand and organize an environmental impact assessment
- investigate a management based theme and present the findings to an audience
- demonstrate basic monitoring-related fieldwork under Arctic winter conditions
- analyze collected management relevant data and debate findings
General competences
- critically read, evaluate and discuss scientific literature
- communicate own findings orally
- execute interviews
- organize and develop a group project
Learning activities:
The course extends over a full semester. Initially, students attend one week of compulsory Arctic survival and safety training (AS-101).
The course is based around lectures and seminars, role-playing workshops, student-led teaching, field work, excursions and oral presentation sessions. The lectures outline the various aspects of the environment and human activity including exploitation of resources and governance. Student-led teaching and workshops/seminars under the guidance of expert lecturers achieves deeper content knowledge and experience of group-work, presentation and debating.
The workshops illustrate in a practical manner the complexities of international negotiations, and the process of writing a comprehensive and inclusive environmental impact assessment. Students will also present a discussion of data obtained during field work, as well as a student-selected local environmental management case study. Research for the latter presentation includes executing interviews to gain first hand views and opinions of people living and working in Longyearbyen.
Summary
- Lectures and other classroom activities: ca. 70 hours
- Excursions and fieldwork: 2–4 days
Compulsory learning activities:
- All workshops
- Excursions
- Fieldwork
- Group presentations.
All compulsory learning activities must be approved in order to sit the final oral exam.
Assessment:
All assessments must be passed in order to pass the course.
Each assessment is graded, and subsequently combined into a single grade. Partial grades for each assessment will be available.
| Method |
Percentage of final grade
|
| Oral presentation of case study (group) | 40 % |
| Oral exam (individual) | 60 % |
Student life
