Content
The course "Land Use. Impacts. Responses." provides an overview of different land use sectors, their drivers and environmental impacts, as well as methods and instruments used for impact management. The sectors discussed in class can include, for example, the mining industry, forestry, agriculture, fossil and renewable energies, urbanization and the water (e.g. supply, dams, reservoirs, etc.) and transport sectors. The DPSIR (Drivers, Pressure, State, Impact, Response) indicator model, initially introduced by the OECD, serves as a framework for the exploration of these sectors on a global, national and regional/local scale: The driving forces of the land use sectors, such as relevant private and public actors and policies, will be discussed. Various pressure indicators, that is affected environmental resources (e.g. erosion, eutrification) and social implications (e.g. resettlement, noise) will be identified. The current state and the vulnerability of affected resources will be scrutinized next. Students will study symptoms of environmental and social impacts, and explore relevant methods and assess their significance. Such methods include, amongst others, life-cycle assessments, models, multi-criteria analyses, and the scope and relevance of environmental objectives and thresholds. The course then adresses responses to environmental and social impacts of land use sectors on policy, plan, program and project levels. The potential of environmental planning and assessment, of adaptation strategies, collaborative approaches and trading models to contribute to a sustainable land management also constitute a major learning outcome, and will be discussed critically.
