Transcript Web Based Educational Material for

The Baltic University Rectors Preconference
Workshop 31 March 2014
Web based educational
material for
Sustainable Development
The ”old” course SBR
- The course A Sustainable Baltic Region, SBR,
was introduced in 1997; during a number of
years it registered 4000 students at about 100
universities.
- At its introduction it was rather unique. Not
so many were well acquainted with the
concept of sustainable development.
- The material consisted of 10 thematic books
each 50 pages and 10 45 minute videos.
The ”new” course SBR
- Even if much of the original material is still valid very
much has happened on the topic over the 15 years
which has passed.
- A team of 13 BUP enthusiasts gathered at Hel Marine
Station in August 2011 to put together an updated
course, long due.
- A structure was decided on and a beginning of the new
course was made.
The design of the new SBR course
- The basic lay-out is small introductory texts with
pictures and links. About 30 parts.
- What now exists on the Internet is not a course – it is
a material to be used for a course, like the series of
books and videos we had.
- It is much more comprehensive than before. It should
be useable for all kinds of students, from humanities
to technologies.
- Links are from existing material on the Internet and
our own publications.
All BUP material has
been made available
on the Internet has
part of the process
Why web-based?
Students, especially in the East, are less willing
to study by reading physical books. They want
material on the Internet, films and lectures (my
prejudice?).
The topic of Sustainable Development is since
some time in very rapid development. It is more
easily updated on the Internet.
Material on the Internet can be used for
distance education mode not only on campus.
What to include in a course on
Sustainable Development?
 Sustainable development itself.
 The politics of Sustainable Development,
UN conferences etc.
 Science and technologies for sustainable
development.
 The management of sustainable
development
www.balticuniv.uu.se/sustainabledevelop
mentcourse
1a. Stories of societies
which succeeded or collapsed
In the barren Easter Island landscape the glorious past is clearly present.
Text in one of 40 parts
Sustainable development deals with the long-term prosperity or
collapse of societies. Why is this a concern for us? The societies and
countries we live in have a long history, thousands of years. Should we
expect a collapse in the near future? Nevertheless it is a threat that many
are concerned with when it comes to the global society, all countries in
the world. Collapse then does not mean eradication but rather that there
will be fundamental changes in the way things work. The reasons are that
basic resources for us are coming to an end. Thus fossil fuels, coal, oil and
gas, become more difficult to find and prices are mounting. The so called
“peak-oil”, the time of maximum production, has already passed for
conventional oil and the peak approaches rapidly for other kind of fossil
resources. At the same time the climate change caused mostly by the
human combustion of fossil carbon and its
Material for session 1a

Basic level
 Read the story of the Easter Island by Sverker Sörlin
 Watch the film with Sverker Sörlin on Easter Island
 Read the European Forest Crisis and the origin of
the sustainability concept
 See Jared Diamond introduce his book Collapse on
collapsing societies
Medium level (widening)
 View a presentation by Lars Rydén on:
Climate existence seminar on resources
 Read chapter 25, pages 767-771 in Environmental
Science: The Prospect of Sustainable Development
 Study the Mayan deforestation and the consequent
collapse of the Mayan society. Study also Mayan and
modern farming in central America .
Advanced level (deepening)
 Study in some detail an example of change from
collapse to prosperity:
 Paolo Lugari, founder of Las Gaviotas (Colombia)
Content
1. Historical background and concepts
1a. Stories of societies which succeeded or collapsed
1b. The UN process
1c. Understanding sustainable development
1d. What we believe in
2. Energy use and climate impact
2a. Energy supply and use
2b. Energy use and Climate change
2c. Climate policies
2d. Energy management strategies
3. Resources and limits to growth