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 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

mentcourse

In the barren Easter Island landscape the glorious past is clearly present. 1a. Stories of societies which succeeded or collapsed

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 SörlinEaster Island Watch the film with Sverker Sörlin on Easter IslandEaster Island Read the European Forest Crisis and the origin of the sustainability conceptEuropean Forest Crisis See Jared Diamond introduce his book Collapse on collapsing societies Jared Diamond

Medium level (widening) View a presentation by Lars Rydén on: Climate existence seminar on resources Climate existence seminar on resources Read chapter 25, pages in Environmental Science: The Prospect of Sustainable DevelopmentThe 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.Mayan deforestationMayan and modern farming

Advanced level (deepening) Study in some detail an example of change from collapse to prosperity: Paolo Lugari, founder of Las Gaviotas (Colombia)Las Gaviotas

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 inStories of societies which succeeded or collapsedThe UN processUnderstanding sustainable developmentWhat 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 strategiesEnergy supply and useEnergy use and Climate changeClimate policiesEnergy management strategies 3. Resources and limits to growth