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GE3210

Natural Resources: Policy and Practice

This module examines important geographical, ecological and political concepts and approaches to natural resources management. In particular, we focus on ownership regimes, access, exploitation and conservation in different social, economic and cultural contexts. Detailed cases of fisheries, forestry, freshwater and agriculture conflicts and problems are discussed.

Natural hazards result in high losses in human life and welfare, property, resource productivity, and infrastructure. Often human activities interact with the landscape to exacerbate the risks associated with potentially hazardous areas. Various types of natural hazards, including tropical cyclones, floods, drought, wildfire, storm surges, rapid mass movements, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunami will be highlighted with respect to their origins, geographical distribution, forms and processes. The module will also describe some of the links that exist between natural hazards and environmental change. Recent and historical examples will be presented from the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide. Societal vulnerability, awareness, preparedness and similar challenges are mentioned, particularly within the context of the Pacific Rim. Hazard mitigation and adaptation strategies will also be discussed.

Growing concerns about environmental issues dictate the need for citizens to be able to sort and critically evaluate environmental information. This modules focuses on the complex interactions between environment, resources and society and the way those interactions are mediated by cultural perspectives on environment. Sustainable solutions require understnding of human-environment interactions drawing upon knowledge from both sciences and social sciences. This module is part of a sustainability teaching alliance with IARU universities and will involve some novel sharing of web-based resources and student interaction between IARU universities. Several guest lecturers from public and private sector will offer perspectives on sustainability.

This module provides an understanding of the tropical coastal ecosystems and evaluates various approaches and techniques to achieve sustainable coastal management. The issues for discussion include sea level rise, beach erosion, coral reefs degradation, mangroves depletion, small-scale tourism development, and coastal management strategies of small island states. Case studies are taken mainly from Southeast Asia. The module should appeal to all geography students taking an applied approach to coastal management.

This module adopts a catchment-based approach to discussing fluvial and hydrological processes and their application to water management issues, with emphasis on Asia. A detailed analysis of the changes that occur to these processes as a result of the degradation and urbanisation of catchments is a particular focus of the module, as is the use of Asian and local examples.

This module, concerned with the relationships between development and the environment in the region, includes both the negative and positive impact of development on the environment. Specifically, it addresses the problems of environmental-friendly development policies and programmes. The management of the environment and possible solutions of associated problems are explored with specific reference to various countries in the region. Some of the eco-development themes involved are natural resources, forestry and energy development. Case studies will be reviewed on to sustainable development.

This module introduces techniques through which dynamic environmental conditions can be measured and monitored and provides a basis for reasoned debates about issues related to environmental change. Students following the module can expect to be tutored in a number of techniques that may include (depending upon expertise of staff who are available to teach the module) geomorphic hazard mapping, micro-meteorology, palaeoecology and remote sensing. The module goes on to discuss the implications to humans of past and present environmental dynamism and of predicted environmental changes. Among the topics for student-led discussions in this part of the module are the dialectic of global climate change; the contribution of urban areas to global climate change; possible relationships between biodiversity and environmental instability; and inequalities in the degree of human vulnerability. A seminar presentation focusing on the relevance of the module to their thesis or on thesis topic is expected.

The growth and development that has taken place not only in the Southeast Asian region but also in the rest of the world is commonly viewed to have a negative impact on the environment in the region. Is it necessarily true? Are there positive effects as well? This module will evaluate the link between the developmental process and the environment including an analysis of the problems, the proposed solutions, and the actual policies implemented. The module provides not only a Southeast Asian perspective on the environmental and the developmental issues facing the region, but also a geographical outlook. This emphasises the sharing of natural areas and resources among nation-states and their peoples in Southeast Asia given the historical background of the region with its impact on national borders and the composition of both the population and society. The outcome on nature and society relations seen in Southeast Asia reflect conditions specific to the region and its geography. This module is aimed at understanding both these specific conditions and the wider as well as external factors that have an impact on environment in Southeast Asia.

This course is intended to provide an introduction to integrative aspects of earth environmental sciences, varying from climatology, geomorphology, hydrology to ecology, at the research level. Environmental systems are studied at several scales and research design is examined within the context of experimental methods in physical geography. The course includes lectures, reading assignments and seminars. Students are expected to participate actively throughout. This course is for all graduate students during the first semester in which they are registered in the department of geography. A formal research proposal for beginning graduate students (MA and PhD level) is expected at the end.