Anthropocene and Global Change

Code:

GEOGR093

Acronym:

AMG

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Geography

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
E-learning page:	https://moodle.up.pt/
Responsible unit:	Department of Geography
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geography

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GEOGR	52	study plan	2	-	6	41	162
			3

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students
Obs.: Also suitable for Spanish-speaking students

Objectives

The scale of the environmental and social challenges facing the world today has intensified in recent decades and will increase further in a world of scarce and unequal resources, a growing population, and unmet human development needs. The claim that we now live in the Anthropocene raises fundamental questions for and about humanity on a changing planet.

The objectives of the program are:

1) to develop in students a critical and well-informed understanding of the environmental and geopolitical context of the idea of the Anthropocene, and its challenge to reinterpret and re-imagine the relationships between humans, non-humans, and physical processes;

2) provide students with the opportunity to acquire or develop advanced knowledge and transferable skills relevant to their research interests and career aspirations;

3) to develop students skills in dealing with complex issues in both systematic and creative ways;

4) to foster in students abilities to evaluate contrasting theories, explanations, and policies, to collect, critically judge, evaluate, and interpret varied forms of evidence, and to combine and interpret different types of evidence to address specific problems.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the UC, students will be in a position to:

a) acquire a systematic understanding of knowledge about the idea of the Anthropocene, and a critical awareness of the challenges and creative potential of the idea;

b) deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;

c) exhibit proficiency in use of a range of software, knowledge of alternative ITG sources, understanding and introductory experience in survey methods, geostatistical methods and a range of qualitative concepts and methods;

d) demonstrate autonomy and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level to continue to advance their knowledge and understanding.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1 Introduction to the Anthropocene

1.1 Definition and origin of the concept.

1.2 Geological and environmental evidence of the Anthropocene.

2 Climate Change

2.1 Causes and evidence of climate change.

2.2 Impacts of climate change on different scales.

2.3 Strategies for adapting to climate change.

3 Loss of Biodiversity

3.1 Causes and consequences of biodiversity loss.

3.2 Relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

4 Land Use and Deforestation

4.1 Impacts of agriculture, urbanization, and deforestation.

4.2 Sustainable solutions for land use management.

5 Water Resources and Management

5.1 Challenges associated with water availability and quality.

5.2 Strategies for sustainable water management.

Mandatory literature

HAMILTON, C.; BONNEUIL, C.; GEMENNE, F. ; The Anthropocene and the Global Environmental Crisis: Rethinking Modernity in a New Epoch, Routledge, 2015
MURRAY-WALLACE, C.; WOODROFFE, C. ; Quaternary Sea-Level Changes: A Global Perspective, Cambridge University Press, 2014
STEFFEN et al. ; Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet., Science, 2015
HÖFELE, P.; MÜLLER, M.; HÜHN, L.; Introduction: The role of nature in the Anthropocene – Defining and reacting to a new geological epoch, The Anthropocene Review, 2022

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes for content exposition.
Seminars and discussions on case studies.
Group projects for analyzing specific problems.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	40,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	71,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Trabalho de investigação	50,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance to at least 75% of the teaching sessions.

Calculation formula of final grade

Presentation/discussion of a scientific paper - 40%
Written assignment - 40%
Practical activities carried out throughout the classes - 20%

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Presentation/discussion of a scientific paper - 50%
Written assignment - 50%

Classification improvement

To improve the grade, the student must resubmit the written assignment with the corrections indicated by the instructor.