Course detail

Sustainable Development

FCH-BA_TURAcad. year: 2025/2026

Basic principles of sustainable development concepts, history, the concept of sustainable development principles, main objectives, values and principles, strategies. Effects of threatening natural sphere. Assessment of the criticality (probability of damage to the affected system). The influence of human activities on the ecosystem (energy, mining, metallurgy, chemical and food industry, agriculture and forestry, transport). Indicators of sustainable development. Environmentally affected areas of the world. Global problems of mankind ( increasing population, climate change, ozone hole, pollution of air, water, oceans, soils, biodiversity change. Significant declarations and conventions (Bruntland Report, Rio Earth Summit, Agenda 21, the Kyoto Protocol, Johannesburg 2002 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, etc.). Indicators of sustainable development, methods for measuring and achieving sustainable development, the implementation of sustainable development. Ecological footprint. Activities at national and international levels to achieve sustainable development.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Mgr. Helena Doležalová Weissmannová, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection (ÚCHTOŽP)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Entry knowledge

Basic knowledge of general chemistry.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The exam is awarded on the basis of submitting a suitable seminar paper on selected issues of sustainable development and its presentation.
Attendance at lectures is recommended but not checked. For students of the combined form, consultations are organized in the scope of lectures for students of the day form of study.
Consultations are also provided to students of daily study on demand.
An integral part of the teaching and the combined form of teaching is the e-learning course, divided into blocks within which students are available to support learning, including electronic textbooks, presentations, lectures and other supplementary materials.

Aims

The course aims to provide students with basic information and explain of the principles of sustainable development, explanantion of anthropogenic impacts on the ecosystem assessment criticality territory, enlightement of global problems, the significant declarations and conventions, environmental assessment via indicators of sustainable development. The basic activities within the European Union and the Czech Republic will be presented in the field of sustainable development.
Students will obtain new knowledge and understanding in the following areas

1st Students will increase their knowledge and understanding of sustainable development issues and will be able to apply their knowledge to assess the criticality of the area (probability of damage to the affected system).
2nd Students will know and understand the impact of anthropogenic activities on ecosystems and will be able to determine the individual effects of anthropogenic activities on ecosystems.
3rd Students will be able to understand the current methods and activities to achieve sustainable development at the national and European level.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Doležalová: Studijní opory.https://www.vutbr.cz/elearning/course/view.php?id=122069 (EN)
Chiras D.D. Environmnetal science, Creating a sustanaible future. Jones and Bartlett Publisher, 2006, pp.1-730 (EN)
Manahan S.E. Environmental science and Technology, Sustainable Approach to Green Science and Technology. Tailor & Francis group. 2007, pp. 1-646, (EN)
Manahan S.E. Environmental science and Technology, Sustainable Approach to Green Science and Technology. Tailor & Francis group. 2007, pp. 1-646, (EN)
Ming-Ho Yu, Humio Tsunoda, Masashi Tsunoda , 2011, Environmental Toxicology: Biological and Health Effects of Pollutants, CRC Press (EN)

Type of course unit

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Helena Doležalová Weissmannová, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Terms of sustainable development.
2. Characteristic aim o sustainable development.
3. Content of sustainable development.
4. The aims of plans to achievement of sustainable development.
5. Indicators of sustainable development.
6. Threat natural sphere, probability of dengerous site.
7. Assessment of critically site (probability of dangerous).
8. Impact antropogenic activities of nature, ecosystems.
9. Global human problems ((impact of population growth, climate change, ozone hole, air pollution, water, oceans, soil, biodiversity change, environmentally affected areas of the world.
10., 11. Significant Declarations and Conventions (Bruntland Protocol, Earth Summit in Rio, Agenda 21, Kyoto Protocol, Johannesburg 2002, etc.).
12. Sustainable development indicators, methods for measuring and achieving sustainable development, environmental footprint. Activities at national and transnational levels to achieve sustainable development.
13. Activities at national and transnational levels to achieve sustainable development.