Course Overview
The course Ecosystem thinking: green policies, human wellbeing and missing links” has the objective to equip the students with knowledge, and more important with methodological ability, to analyze for themselves the changes in the ecosystem management and future perspectives.
In the first class, the students will be presented the Time Axis, an exercise that reminds us of our current situation in terms of technological, economic and social picture by giving a view on the progress rhythms. Thus, students will visualize the interdependence links between systems and their vulnerability. Since one of the best approaches to tackle collective challenges is to increase the individual sustainability and human wellbeing. Thus, as a practical exercise (main project group), students will design a sustainable farm that can feed a household. Students will be placed in groups and given the task to design a Permaculture Farm, working together at this project for the entire 2-week course and present their ideas in the final presentations.
Work over group project will be done parallel with the course. However, some seminars will be reserved solely for this task, to allow less time consumption outside the course and help with mid-supervision.
Continuing with the course, the urban green infrastructure and general ecological design patters will be examined briefly. As the course is focusing on ecosystem concept, we will dare to research about the impact of solar activity on Earth, in contrast with popularized anthropogenic impact over global climate oscillations. Here, will be presented the concept of Grand Solar Minimum, for theoretical comparison purposes. Further, we will look upon the forestry and biodiversity situation in European Union and around the world, the percentage coverage, the conservation measures, the management system of protected areas, benefits for the economy and other curiosities. As planting activities in national programs are often associated with climate change adaptation measures, and climate change discussions mostly lead to emission regulations, we will further look into what Emission Trade System means, particularly focusing on the balance between „advantages of the ETS for the environment versus disadvantages of the ETS for the economy and national interest”.
The innovative component of this course is introduction of Weather Modification Technologies and Geoengineering. These concepts, programs and regulations have been in place for decades; however, the reach of public awareness has begun only recently. Students will be encouraged to search and discuss about various patents, reports and papers on artificial manipulation of weather. Water issues are one of the rise, thus offering an additional attention to this subject is also recommendable. In this lecture we will look on water management systems, treatment and regulations to ensure its protection.
Lastly, with acquired knowledge, we will continue to analyze the future perspectives of social ecosystems starting from the Integral Theory of Ken Wilber, Map of Consciousness developed by David Hawkins and discuss the chances of New Ethics. In the final lecture, we will watch students’ presentations about the Permaculture Farms they designed.
The students will be encouraged to share their views during the classes and have an active participation.
Learning Outcomes
This is an introductory course in Ecosystem thinking with great emphasis on International Green Policies, which will benefit students from any major. The general outcomes are the following:
Course Content
Time Axis (Technological, Economic and Social development: past, present, future hypothesis)
Main exercise of the course: Designing a small self-sustainable farm
The impact of solar activity over climate change reflected in science and policy reports and its perspectives upon the future of agriculture
General overview of official mentions for geoengineering and weather modification (including patents), their social threats and potential framing within International Public Law
Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory (Organizational development vs. personal and interhuman development)
David Hawkins Map of Consciousness (Power vs. Force)
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Principles of Permaculture Design.
Measures for improving the water quality, planting activities, biodiversity conservation, efforts in promoting energy efficiency, waste management activities – are all interconnected. Here will be presented the concept of Permaculture (organic agriculture – less efforts with more harvest). The practical instruments presented in this class will give rather a personal added value for the students who desire to volunteer or establish in future their own (self-sustainable) garden that is supported by the ecosystem itself. Students will also increase their understanding about the modalities to grow food and ways sustainability can be improved across the current value chain.
Students will design a small self-sustainable farm through the entire 2-week course and present their designs in the final presentation.
Solar Activity and Climate Change Policies. In the context of an increasing normative rigurosity upon nitrogen usage in EU, a vocal campaign to increase the carbon tax and a high bankruptcy rate in EU, the agricultural sector will most likely face new challenges. However, the declared rationality of imposing such tights measures rely on the premise of „anthropogenic impact over climate change”. As the mainstream campaigns on ecology are successful on promoting this line of ideas, we will detach from it and examine the scientific research of the Solar Activity and its impact over the climate (unexplored in public policy documents yet well presented in research upon geodynamics, astrophysics etc.). We are all concerned with the future oscillations in the natural cycles (implicitly over agriculture), but in this context is more reasonable to also examine How will Sun Activity impact us in the future (in contrast with human-induced impact). And are we crafting the right policies for the future of our economy? Research from natural sciences will be presented addressing questions for students and encourage system thinking.
The concept of ETS System. IMF proposed at COP27 to increase the tax for a tone of carbon from $3 to $75, which is a significant increase and huge impact over SME sector (while SMEs represent 99% of business sector in EU). The class will deconstruct the premise of ETS system: general administrative and financial management, operation impact over the environment on one hand and the economy on another & most important – we will recalibrate our understanding about the environmental narrative with addressing again the basic questions that should remain the fundamentals of any proposed environmental-economic measure on carbon: What is the % of carbon in the total atmosphere? What % of this is human emitted versus natural factor (volcano, ocean etc.)? What are the emissions by source, region? What is the greenhouse gas actually made of? Beyond official materials, conceptual and strategic questions/discussion will be encouraged and addressed. This information will challenge students to further research ESGs through new perspectives.
Weather Modification Technologies and Geoengineering. At the Moldova Environmental NGO Forum 2023 the subject of „weather modification technologies” (WM technologies) was presented for the first time. However, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has been publishing both research materials as well as reports with guidance for operational implementation of WM programs. Regulations (legislature and policies) upon WM exist since 1967, 1976, 1985 etc. Those will be also examined as it indicates the recognition by the state of its implementation capabilities in this area. WM technologies can be divided in 3 main categories: cloud seeding, weather manipulation and geoengineering. Geoengineering appeared as a conceptual solution in the latest UNEP report on atmosphere from February, 2023 (thus – high relevancy). This class will briefly offer an introduction upon the phenomenon of artificial weather modification and the material presented will consist mostly of international official documents, patents and published research articles.
*The course will not cover detailed explanation of the International Conventions; will not address animal rights; will not explore waste management system.
Instructional Method
Instructional materials: Power Point Presentations, Video materials, fragments from reports for reading and in-class analysis
Instructional approach: lectures, seminars, group projects.
At lectures will be presented the main information (theoretical line).
At seminars will be encouraged several activities:
Required Course Materials
Reading: All reading materials (presentations, reports) and sources (online) will be provided.
Researching: As this course is examining the current issues and conceptual analysis for future perspectives, the access to internet is highly recommended. The most frequent links to check are the official websites of international organizations (UN, UE, WMO), intergovernmental agents (IPCC), public register of patents, national „gov” sources and various other websites. The students will be granted the trust to research the information upon their reasoning, the results being compared afterwards through a group analysis.
Assessment
Assessment will be composed of:
*For essay evaluations it will not be required to memorize technical details, either, it will be offered the open-book option for search.
No final exam will be held.
Designs elaborated and presented by the group will substitute the final exam.
Homework will be minimal.
Most of the work is expected to be performed during the class in a productive manner. However, if the student decides to prepare and study more outside of the class, the efforts will also be appreciated.
Feedback will be offered along the way (for some assessments) and upon individual request. The purpose of the course is to discover the beauty of Ecosystem Thinking.