Fall 2018 | PA 5752 Section 001: Material-Energy Flows & Sustainable Development (24339)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/04/2018 - 12/12/2018Thu 05:30PM - 08:15PMUMTC, West BankBlegen Hall 330
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (17 of 25 seats filled)
- Course Catalog Description:
- How do material and energy flows shape the development of a sustainable society? Part I introduces concepts of human wellbeing, sustainable development, the role of natural resources and key physical infrastructure in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Part II describes ways to measure progress toward SDGs, particularly those related to material and energy flows. Part III highlights pathways to work toward SDGs, emphasizing principles and concepts from environmental economics.
- Class Notes:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?anu+PA5752+Fall2018
- Class Description:
- How do material and energy flows shape the development of a sustainable society? Flows of energy fuels like coal and petroleum, bulk materials like sand, recyclable metals like copper and renewable resources like fish and timber - are the topic of this class. Such material-energy flows are important in supporting human development and well-being, but they are also often poorly managed, highly-polluting, and in some cases, finite and non-renewable, placing immense stress on our planet and its web of life.
We will discuss materials and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability, and, c) As a source of environmental pollution, with more than 4 million deaths globally attributable to fuel combustion.
The central questions addressed in this class are:
• How much and what types of material and energy resources support health, wealth and well-being in different parts of the world?
• How do different units of society - consumers, producers, infrastructure providers, and governments (ranging from cities to nations) - make decisions that shape society's material and energy flows?
• What actions and policies could support more sustainable use of energy and resources by these different units?
Students will use an inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology (resource sustainability assessments) and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
The course will be offered to graduate students and honors students (seniors and junior standing) from across the University. Active learning will be promoted through a hands-on case study with real-world data analysis pertaining to resource use, environmental footprinting, health impacts, and cost-benefit analysis, coupled with literature review to understand the various leverage points for action toward sustainable development by the following different actors:1. Producers - specific businesses or industries in the Twin Cities area
2. Infrastructure sectors - energy supply, water supply
3. Consumers - households
4. Governments at the metropolitan/city scales
In addition, graduate students will complete two term papers for graduate credit - one on synthesis across the 4 disciplines; the other on identifying key knowledge gaps in the sustainability science, and priorities to inform action.
- Grading:
30% for two quizzes (15% each) interspersed in the weeks; 30% for weekly homework (first 8 weeks) and group work; and 40% for a hands-on project (either in group or individually, TBD)
- Exam Format:
- No final exams, group project final presentations instead.
- Workload:
- Workload description and percentages are found in the syllabus. (Look at syllabus below for more information.)
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/24339/1189
- Past Syllabi:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/anu_PA5752_Fall2015.docx (Fall 2015)
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 17 November 2015
Fall 2017 | PA 5752 Section 001: Material-Energy Flows for a Sustainable Society (21300)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/05/2017 - 12/13/2017Thu 05:30PM - 08:15PMUMTC, West BankHubert H Humphrey Center 30
- Course Catalog Description:
- Material and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability; and c) As a source of environmental pollution. Inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology, and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
- Class Notes:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?anu+PA5752+Fall2017
- Class Description:
- How do material and energy flows shape the development of a sustainable society? Flows of energy fuels like coal and petroleum, bulk materials like sand, recyclable metals like copper and renewable resources like fish and timber - are the topic of this class. Such material-energy flows are important in supporting human development and well-being, but they are also often poorly managed, highly-polluting, and in some cases, finite and non-renewable, placing immense stress on our planet and its web of life.
We will discuss materials and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability, and, c) As a source of environmental pollution, with more than 4 million deaths globally attributable to fuel combustion.
The central questions addressed in this class are:
• How much and what types of material and energy resources support health, wealth and well-being in different parts of the world?
• How do different units of society - consumers, producers, infrastructure providers, and governments (ranging from cities to nations) - make decisions that shape society's material and energy flows?
• What actions and policies could support more sustainable use of energy and resources by these different units?
Students will use an inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology (resource sustainability assessments) and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
The course will be offered to graduate students and honors students (seniors and junior standing) from across the University. Active learning will be promoted through a hands-on case study with real-world data analysis pertaining to resource use, environmental footprinting, health impacts, and cost-benefit analysis, coupled with literature review to understand the various leverage points for action toward sustainable development by the following different actors:1. Producers - specific businesses or industries in the Twin Cities area
2. Infrastructure sectors - energy supply, water supply
3. Consumers - households
4. Governments at the metropolitan/city scales
In addition, graduate students will complete two term papers for graduate credit - one on synthesis across the 4 disciplines; the other on identifying key knowledge gaps in the sustainability science, and priorities to inform action.
- Grading:
30% for two quizzes (15% each) interspersed in the weeks; 30% for weekly homework (first 8 weeks) and group work; and 40% for a hands-on project (either in group or individually, TBD)
- Exam Format:
- No final exams, group project final presentations instead.
- Workload:
- Workload description and percentages are found in the syllabus. (Look at syllabus below for more information.)
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/21300/1179
- Past Syllabi:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/anu_PA5752_Fall2015.docx (Fall 2015)
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 17 November 2015
Fall 2016 | PA 5752 Section 001: Material-Energy Flows for a Sustainable Society (21503)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/06/2016 - 12/14/2016Thu 05:30PM - 08:15PMUMTC, West BankHubert H Humphrey Center 184
- Course Catalog Description:
- Material and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability; and c) As a source of environmental pollution. Inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology, and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
- Class Notes:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?tongx169+PA5752+Fall2016
- Class Description:
- This class will discuss of energy flows in the context of: economic and human development, resource scarcity, renewability, and recyclability, and as a source of environmental pollution. Core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology, and human health risk assessment will be integrated. Active learning will be promoted through hands on case study with real world data analysis. Graduate students will need to complete two term papers to receive graduate credit.
- Grading:
- 30% two quizzes (15% each)
30% weekly homework (first eight weeks) and group work
40% hands-on project (either individual or group) - Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/21503/1169
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 10 August 2016
Fall 2015 | PA 5752 Section 001: Material-Energy Flows for a Sustainable Society (36049)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Meets With:
- PA 5022 Section 004
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/08/2015 - 12/16/2015Thu 06:00PM - 08:45PMUMTC, West BankBlegen Hall 330
- Course Catalog Description:
- Material and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability; and c) As a source of environmental pollution. Inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology, and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
- Class Notes:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?anu+PA5752+Fall2015
- Class Description:
- How do material and energy flows shape the development of a sustainable society? Flows of energy fuels like coal and petroleum, bulk materials like sand, recyclable metals like copper and renewable resources like fish and timber - are the topic of this class. Such material-energy flows are important in supporting human development and well-being, but they are also often poorly managed, highly-polluting, and in some cases, finite and non-renewable, placing immense stress on our planet and its web of life.
We will discuss materials and energy flows in the context of: a) Economic and human development; b) Resource scarcity, renewability and recyclability, and, c) As a source of environmental pollution, with more than 4 million deaths globally attributable to fuel combustion.
The central questions addressed in this class are:
• How much and what types of material and energy resources support health, wealth and well-being in different parts of the world?
• How do different units of society - consumers, producers, infrastructure providers, and governments (ranging from cities to nations) - make decisions that shape society's material and energy flows?
• What actions and policies could support more sustainable use of energy and resources by these different units?
Students will use an inter-disciplinary approach, integrating core topics from environmental economics, industrial ecology (resource sustainability assessments) and human health risk assessment, in the context of public policy.
The course will be offered to graduate students and honors students (seniors and junior standing) from across the University. Active learning will be promoted through a hands-on case study with real-world data analysis pertaining to resource use, environmental footprinting, health impacts, and cost-benefit analysis, coupled with literature review to understand the various leverage points for action toward sustainable development by the following different actors:1. Producers - specific businesses or industries in the Twin Cities area
2. Infrastructure sectors - energy supply, water supply
3. Consumers - households
4. Governments at the metropolitan/city scales
In addition, graduate students will complete two term papers for graduate credit - one on synthesis across the 4 disciplines; the other on identifying key knowledge gaps in the sustainability science, and priorities to inform action.
- Grading:
30% for two quizzes (15% each) interspersed in the weeks; 30% for weekly homework (first 8 weeks) and group work; and 40% for a hands-on project (either in group or individually, TBD)
- Exam Format:
- No final exams, group project final presentations instead.
- Workload:
- Workload description and percentages are found in the syllabus. (Look at syllabus below for more information.)
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/36049/1159
- Syllabus:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/anu_PA5752_Fall2015.docx
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 17 November 2015
ClassInfo Links - Public Affairs Classes
- To link directly to this ClassInfo page from your website or to save it as a bookmark, use:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=PA&catalog_nbr=5752
- To see a URL-only list for use in the Faculty Center URL fields, use:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=PA&catalog_nbr=5752&url=1
- To see this page output as XML, use:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=PA&catalog_nbr=5752&xml=1
- To see this page output as JSON, use:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=PA&catalog_nbr=5752&json=1
- To see this page output as CSV, use:
- http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=PA&catalog_nbr=5752&csv=1
ClassInfo created and maintained by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
If you have questions about specific courses, we strongly encourage you to contact the department where the course resides.