AKTU Global Environmental Issues (BMN063) Syllabus PDF – B.Tech 3rd Year

Course Outcomes

1. Students will be able to identify and explain the causes, mechanisms, and global impacts of major environmental issues such as climate change (greenhouse effect, global warming, sea-level rise), acid rain, ozone depletion, biodiversity loss, and ocean pollution.
2. Students will understand various environmental protection strategies, including the conservation of natural resources, the application of economic instruments like carbon taxes, and the implications of international environmental summits on industrial activities, particularly mining.
3. Students will gain knowledge of national and international environmental standards for various parameters, enabling them to assess compliance and environmental performance.
4. Students will comprehend the Indian legal framework for environmental protection, including key acts and regulations, and their relevance to managing environmental challenges.

UNIT- 1: Introduction to Global Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development:

Defining Global Environmental Issues: Scope and scale of environmental problems, Historical Perspective of Environmental Concerns: Industrial Revolution and its environmental consequences, Major environmental movements and milestones, Sustainable Development:

Definition and principles of sustainable development (Brundtland Report), Three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, Social, and Economic, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – overview and relevance, Drivers of Environmental Change: Population growth, consumption patterns, technological advancements, Poverty and inequality as environmental stressors.

UNIT- 2: Climate Change and Global Warming:

Science of Climate Change, Evidence of climate change, Impacts of Climate Change, Mitigation Strategies: Energy efficiency and conservation, Renewable energy sources, Adaptation Strategies:

Building resilience, early warning systems, Water management, climate-resilient agriculture, Coastal protection, International Climate Governance: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement: Principles, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Role of IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

UNIT- 3: Biodiversity Loss and Ecosystem Degradation:

Understanding Biodiversity: Levels of biodiversity: Genetic, Species, Ecosystem, Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat loss and fragmentation, Pollution, Overexploitation of resources, Invasive alien species, Ecosystem Services: Provisioning services (food, water, timber), Regulating services (climate regulation, flood control), Cultural services (recreation, spiritual), Supporting services (nutrient cycling, soil formation), Valuation of ecosystem services, Biodiversity Conservation Strategies: In-situ conservation: Protected areas , Ex-situ conservation: Zoos, botanical gardens, seed banks, Restoration ecology, Role of international conventions (e.g., Convention on Biological Diversity - CBD).

UNIT- 4 Resource Depletion, Pollution, and Waste Management:

Water Scarcity and Pollution, Water pollution sources, Water quality parameters and treatment technologies (brief overview), Integrated water resource management, Air Pollution, Major air pollutants and their sources (industrial, vehicular, domestic), Smog, acid rain, ozone depletion (stratospheric and tropospheric), Transboundary air pollution, Health impacts of air pollution, Land Degradation and Desertification, Causes, Impacts, Waste Management, Types of waste: , Principles of waste management, Waste treatment technologies, Energy Resources and Environmental Impact, Environmental impacts of fossil fuel extraction and combustion, Nuclear energy: Benefits and risks (waste disposal, safety), Hydropower: Benefits and ecological impacts.

UNIT-5 Environmental Policy, Governance, and Sustainable Solutions:

Environmental Law and Policy, Principles of environmental law, National environmental policies and legislation (with focus on India: e.g., Environmental Protection Act, Water Act, Air Act), Role of environmental agencies and regulatory bodies. International Environmental Governance, Role of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Bank, NGOs, Major international environmental agreements and treaties, Global environmental conventions and their effectiveness.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Purpose and process of EIA, Stages of EIA, Green Technologies and Innovation, Renewable energy technologies (revisited), Sustainable agriculture and organic farming, green building concepts, Eco-friendly materials and processes, Circular Economy and Sustainable Consumption, Principles of circular economy vs. linear economy, Corporate social responsibility and environmental ethics.

Recommended books:

1. "Global Environmental Issues" Editor: Frances Harris o Publisher: John Wiley & Sons o
2. "Environmental Science: Towards a Sustainable Future" Authors: Richard T. Wright, Dorothy F. Boorse o Publisher: Pearson o
3. "Sustainable Development: Concepts, Issues, and Challenges" Author: P.K. Jha o Publisher: Nova Science Publishers (or similar academic publishers) o
4. "Environmental Economics: An Introduction" Author: Barry C. Field, Martha K. Field o Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education o
5. "Environmental Policy and Politics" Author: Michael E. Kraft o Publisher: Pearson / Routledge o
6. "Environmental Law in India" Author: P. Leelakrishnan o Publisher: LexisNexis / Bharat Law House o
7. "Environmental Law and Policy in India" Author: Shyam Divan, Armin Rosencranz o Publisher: Oxford University Press / Routledge o LAB