Sustainable Development: Human Impact on the Earth System

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Today it is acknowledged that achieving sustainable development at the global scale is one of the greatest challenges for the 21st century. However, sustainable development means different things to different people. This course is aimed at developing the students' understanding of sustainable development as a complex and fluid concept, which will continue to evolve over time. But common characteristics underlie the many streams of thought. Main concepts, ideas and theories related to the complex and ambiguous term of sustainable development will be illuminated, using present-day cases. Key ideas/concepts discussed include the Tragedy of the Commons, ecosystem services, biogeochemical cycles, carrying capacity, planetary boundaries and uneconomic growth. Furthermore, sustainable development requires an understanding that inaction has consequences. Students will learn about some of the contemporary ideas about how to achieve a more sustainable society, However, there is no detailed plan of action or a formula that we can all blindly follow. There is no one solution.