scholarly journals A framework for teaching socio-environmental problem-solving

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 467-477
Author(s):  
Cynthia A. Wei ◽  
Michael L. Deaton ◽  
Teresa J. Shume ◽  
Ramiro Berardo ◽  
William R. Burnside
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Educational Framework ◽  
The Social ◽  
Problem Solvers ◽  
Interdisciplinary Environmental Education

Abstract The urgent environmental challenges we now face, from climate change to biodiversity loss, involve people and the planet, the social, and the environmental. Teaching students to become effective socio-environmental problem-solvers requires clarity about concepts and competencies needed to understand and tackle these challenges. Here, we propose an educational framework that describes what students should learn and how they should apply this knowledge to address socio-environmental problems. This framework emphasizes the process of problem-solving and is based on socio-environmental (S-E) synthesis, an integrative, transdisciplinary approach to understanding and tackling complex socio-environmental problems. In addition to identifying the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practices necessary for S-E problem-solving at the undergraduate and graduate levels, we clarify how one draws on such competencies to inquire about problems and generate solutions for them. Our primary goal is to provide a useful tool to help guide development of curricula, teaching materials, and pedagogies for S-E synthesis and interdisciplinary environmental education more broadly.

scholarly journals Losing Hope? The Environmental Crisis Today

ANVIL ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. Hodson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
General Public ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
The State ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
State Of The Environment ◽  
Global Water

Abstract Environmentalists and scientists who study the environment often give a pretty bleak picture of the future. Surveys of secular views on the environment suggest that the general public in the developed West are concerned about the state of the environment. After considering all of the environmental problems that are causing scientists to worry, this paper then concentrates on four: climate change; biodiversity loss; global water supply; and the increase in our human population. Finally we will see what scientists have to say about hope in a time of environmental crisis

scholarly journals On Embracing the Concept of Becoming Environmental Problem Solvers: The Trainee Perspective on Key Elements of Success, Essential Skills and Mindset

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.P. Gale ◽  
J.O. Chapman ◽  
D. E. White ◽  
P. Ahluwalia ◽  
A.K.J. Williamson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Training Environment ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Learning From Failure ◽  
Thinking Ability ◽  
Essential Skills ◽  
Problem Solvers

Life in the Anthropocene is characterized by many environmental problems, and, unfortunately, more continue to emerge. Although much effort is focused on identifying problems, this does not necessarily translate to solutions. This transcends to the training environment where students are often adept at understanding and dissecting problems but rarely are explicitly equipped with the skills and mindset to solve them. Here a group of undergraduate students and their instructors reflect on embracing the concept of becoming environmental problem solvers. We first identify themes associated with historical and contemporary environmental successes that emerged from our reading – or more specifically, we identify the recipe elements that underlie environmental success stories. Key elements of success involved setting clear objectives, identifying the scale of the problem, learning from failure, and consulting diverse knowledge sources. Next, we reflect on the skills and mindset that would best serve environmental problem solvers and enable future successes. Essential skills include innovative and critical thinking, ability to engage in collaborative teamwork, capacity to work across boundaries, and resilience. In terms of mindset, key attributes include the need for courage, enthusiasm and commitment, optimism, open mindedness, tenacity, and adaptability. We conclude with a brief discussion of ideas for revising training and curriculum to ensure that students are equipped with the aforementioned skills and mindset. The ideas shared here should contribute to ensuring that the next generation of learners have the ability to develop solutions that will work for the benefit of the environment, biodiversity, and humanity. Solving environmental problems will increasingly fall to the next generation so it is time to ensure that they are prepared for that task.

1. Making Sense of Earth’s Politics: A Discourse Approach

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Dryzek
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Environmental Politics ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Basic Structure ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Environmental Discourses ◽  
The Way

This edition examines the politics of the Earth through reference to discourses based on the argument that language matters, that the way we construct, interpret, discuss, and analyze environmental problems has all kinds of consequences. The goal is to elucidate the basic structure of the discourses that have dominated recent environmental politics, and to present their history, conflicts, and transformations. The text discusses four basic environmental discourses: environmental problem solving, limits and survival, sustainability, and green radicalism. This introduction provides an overview of the changing terms of environmental politics, questions to ask about discourses, the differences that discourses make, and the uses of discourse analysis.

scholarly journals CARBON TRADING AND CARBON CREDITS HELP IN CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM SOLVING

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (9SE) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Diwakar Singh Tomar
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Carbon Trading ◽  
The World ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Change Problem

Climate change remains the most burning environmental problem at the present time. Green houses are the most responsible for climate change. Green house gases include gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone. Carbon dioxide is the most dangerous in this. The more developed the country, the greater its participation in carbon emissions.According to a report by the World Resource Institute, India, despite being the fourth largest carbon emitting nation in the world, is far behind the top three carbon emission nations in per capita carbon emissions.Top 05 nations producing greenhouse gas emissions वर्तमान समय में जलवायु परिवर्तन सबसे ज्वलंत पर्यावरणीय समस्या बनी हुई है। जलवायु परिवर्तन के लिए सबसे अधिक जिम्मेदार ग्रीन हाऊस गैसें है। ग्रीन हाऊस गैसों के अन्तर्गत कार्बनडाई आक्साइड, मिथेन, नाइट्रस आक्साइड, ओजोन जैसी गैसें आती हैं। इसमें कार्बनडाईआक्साइड सबसे खतरनाक है। जो देष जितना ज्यादा विकसित है कार्बन उत्सर्जन में उसकी भागीदारी उतनी ही ज्यादा है।वल्र्ड रिसोर्सेृज इंस्टीट्यूट की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भारत विष्व में चैथा सबसे बड़ा कार्बन उत्सर्जक राष्ट्र होने के बाबजूद प्रतिव्यक्ति कार्बन उत्सर्जन में भारत ष्षीर्ष तीन कार्बन उत्सर्जन राष्ट्रों से काफी पीछे है।ग्रीन हाऊस गैस उत्सर्जन करने वाली शीर्ष 05 राष्ट्र

scholarly journals A review in Southeastern Nigeria: environmental problems and management solutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-240
Author(s):  
Nwankwo Nnabueze Kalu ◽  
Yulia L. Zakirova
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Southeastern Part ◽  
Southeastern Nigeria ◽  
The Social ◽  
Crucial Part

This article aims at understanding the environmental problems in the Southeastern part of Nigeria and how they affect public activities and values. It is meant to highlight the standard of living, environmental conditions, and the possible solutions with challenges to sustaining the environment. The Southeastern part of Nigeria is becoming heavily influenced by climate change. Problems and difficulties are stretching from persistent flooding to destruction of natural habitat and environmentally related health issues. In other words, this article answers questions related to environmental problems and reveals the reason why there are frequent occurrences of these problems. Another crucial part is in the explanation of the social behaviour and complex risks associated with ignorance of indirect human activities, focusing more on the issues which could be in the water, soil, and air. In concerns towards environmental problems in Southeastern Nigeria, this article will lay more emphasis on the most persistent environmental issues and concerns affecting these areas and how to manage them.

Global Religion

1994 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 113-128
Author(s):  
Stephen R. L. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World

The social and environmental problems that we face at this tail end of twentieth-century progress require us to identify some cause, some spirit that transcends the petty limits of our time and place. It is easy to believe (or to pretend to ourselves that we believe) that there is no crisis. We have been told too often that the oceans will soon die, the air be poisonous, our energy reserves run dry; that the world will grow warmer, coastlands be flooded and the climate change; that plague, famine and war will be the necessary checks on population growth. But here we are: sufficiently healthy and well-fed, connoisseurs of far-off catastrophe and horror movies, confident that something will turn up or that the prophecies of doom were only dreams. We are the descendants, after all, of creatures who did not despair, who hoped against hope that there would still be life tomorrow. We no more believe in the world's end than we believe that soldiers could break down the door and drag us off to torture and to death: we don't believe that they could even when we know that, somewhere altogether elsewhere, they did. Even if we can force ourselves to remember other ages, other lands or other classes, we are content enough.

Towards the comprehension of fasciolosis (re-)emergence: an integrative overview

Parasitology ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Annia Alba ◽  
Antonio A. Vazquez ◽  
Sylvie Hurtrez-Boussès
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Political Awareness ◽  
Livestock Management ◽  
Environmental Perturbations ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Epidemiological Surveys ◽  
The Social ◽  
Current Circulation

Abstract The increasing distribution and prevalence of fasciolosis in both human and livestock are concerning. Here, we examine the various types of factors influencing fasciolosis transmission and burden and the interrelations that may exist between them. We present the arsenal of molecules, ‘adjusting’ capabilities and parasitic strategies of Fasciola to infect. Such features define the high adaptability of Fasciola species for parasitism that facilitate their transmission. We discuss current environmental perturbations (increase of livestock and land use, climate change, introduction of alien species and biodiversity loss) in relation to fasciolosis dynamics. As Fasciola infection is directly and ultimately linked to livestock management, living conditions and cultural habits, which are also changing under the pressure of globalization and climate change, the social component of transmission is also discussed. Lastly, we examine the implication of increasing scientific and political awareness in highlighting the current circulation of fasciolosis and boosting epidemiological surveys and novel diagnostic techniques. From a joint perspective, it becomes clear that factors weight differently at each place and moment, depending on the biological, environmental, social and political interrelating contexts. Therefore, the analyses of a disease as complex as fasciolosis should be as integrative as possible to dissect the realities featuring each epidemiological scenario. Such a comprehensive appraisal is presented in this review and constitutes its main asset to serve as a fresh integrative understanding of fasciolosis.

scholarly journals Curating climate change: The Taipei Biennial as an environmental problem solver

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenifer Chao ◽  
Panos Kompatsiaris
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Problem Solver ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Thinking ◽  
Relevant Role ◽  
Institutional Relations ◽  
Socially Relevant

This article analyses the curatorial practices behind the 2018 Taipei Biennial by considering its ethos of public engagement that fostered a merging of artistic means and civic aims. Entitled ‘Post-Nature: A Museum as an Ecosystem’, the biennial confronted the timely theme of environmental precarity and positioned itself as a substantive stakeholder in the public debate on climate change. It mobilized the biennial platform to marshal artists, community groups, conservationists and others to spur on new thinking and, perhaps more importantly, to create solutions. By adopting this new role as an environmental problem solver, the biennial expanded itself from the ensconced space of aesthetic inquiry and sought to generate new forms of institutional relations and to nurture in its audience an ecological consciousness. These exhibition strategies underscore many international biennials’ self-assigned mandates to claim a socially relevant role and to adopt an interventionist posture. But while the biennial showcased multifaceted ecological visions of the present, it also delimited its range of critique and the possible modes of collective action. In this way, the exhibition becomes a valuable searchlight into the social and political relevance of global biennials, as well as their contention for legitimacy and significance as agents of social transformation.

scholarly journals Unearthing the myths of global sustainable forest governance

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Izabela Delabre ◽  
Emily Boyd ◽  
Maria Brockhaus ◽  
Wim Carton ◽  
Torsten Krause ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Forest Governance ◽  
The Social

Non-technical summary Despite efforts to address the global forest crisis, deforestation and degradation continue, so we need to urgently revisit possible solutions. A failure to halt the global forest crisis contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss and will continue to result in inequalities in access to, and benefits from, forest resources. In this paper, we unpack a series of powerful myths about forests and their management. By exposing and better understanding these myths and what makes them so persistent, we have the basis to make the social and political changes needed to better manage and protect forests globally.

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