Environment & Tourism
Aim of the course:
This model aims:
1. To provide students with a basic by understanding of the major
contemporary environmental challenges
2. Discuss the min interactions between these environmental
challenges and tourism
3. Convince students to consider the (global) environmental
implications of their actions throughout their future careers as
tourism professionals.
Please note: course is mainly problem-orientated, not solution-orientated
Learning outcomes:
After completing this course students should be able to:
- Explain and discuss the background and meaning of the concepts of
“Anthropocene’ and ‘Planetary boundaries’
- Explain and discuss at an introductory level the main aspects of the
following environmental issues:
o Climate (change)
o Emissions of greenhouse gasses and pollutants
o Biodiversity (loss) and ecosystem services (Ecosystem
services: what nature does for us.)
o Water resources and pollution
o Land use
o Health
- Explain and discuss how the global environmental challenges relate
to tourism with concrete examples
Course structure:
The course consists of the following components:
1. Self-study; reading material and presenting
2. Lectures on environmental issues; background information,
discussion
3. Tutorials on the links between tourism and the environment:
environment-tourism links, assignment assistance
4. Group assignment: understand environment and tourism relations
and learn to develop a written argument in academic style.
Exams and grades
- Written examination (60%), 24-01, content:
o Mandatory literature
o Lectures - also by guest lecturers (PowerPoints available from
Blackboard)
o Tutorials
- Group assignment (40%), presentations 17-01, deadline handing
in 20-01
- Presentation of course material (pass/fail)
, o Weekly presentations in pairs
o No pass means no final grade
Lecture 1: 15/11/2016
Learning outcomes for today:
- Describe the meaning and relevance of the Anthropocene concept
- Explain the drivers behind the emergence of the Anthropocene (i.e.
human dominance)
- Describe the meaning and relevance of the Planetary Boundaries
concept
- Explain how the Anthropocene concept is related to the Planetary
boundaries concept
- Discuss the relevance of (Anthropocene and) Planetary Boundaries
concept
- Discuss the relevance of (Anthropocene and) Planetary Boundaries
for Tourism.
The Anthropocene www.tubechop.com/watch/8540542
Course Learning Objective: describe the background and meaning of
the concepts of “Anthropocene”. What links to tourism do you see?
Article: “A man-made world” The Economist
“Why did Paul Crutzen no longer believe he was living in the Holocene”
- Because people started to change the nature. Humans were
changing the Earth
What does “Anthropocene” mean?
- The recent age of man
“How does embracing the Anthropocene reverse the trend in science to
advance by making people peripheral? “
- It means treating humans not as insignificant observes of the natural
world …
Part 2: Sous la plage, les paves
What is meant by “a planetary ecosystem homogenised through
domestication”?
- They do not get a good view of the area. Plants and animals are
used for human purposes. Like only one crop for agriculture, or
sheep and horses. So, in these areas you have less of the original
plants and animals
What is needed to declare a new geological epoch?
- You need to see a clear shift of climate between the eras. You need
to see that humans are really changing the whole system of the
Earth. Also, where people have been (footprint).
What is the clearest evidence for the Earth system working differently?
, - Carbon cycle:
- Water cycle
- Nitrogen cycle
How can the human addition to the carbon cycle matter, even though
natural fluxes are ten times larger?
- It disrupts the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
- Financial: if you start spending more even though your income
doesn’t change, every little expenditure can have major effects.
Eventually you will go bankrupt.
Part 3: The fix is in
Which are the two main environmental effects of the very large increase
in nitrogen fixation?
- Expansion of agriculture could grow more food to grow
Increase in population
-
Why is the increase in nitrogen fixation presented as a case of
geoengineering?
- First time that humans do something to help the Earth. It was
deliberately change in process. They change the working of the
whole cycle. It was planned, also the effects.
How are planetary boundaries related to the Anthropocene?
- They are there to show he conditions of the Holocene and beyond
that.. They show what we should do the cycles and how we should
limit our input in order to stay close to the Holocene.
Why do we want to stay close to the Holocene boundaries?
- Everything worked out well in the Holocene. There was a better
climate in the Holocene, it was stable and there were no ice ages. It
is better to be safe than to be sorry. It is better to stay with what
works for sure.
Part 4: Dreams of a smart planet
Why do you think energy is central in the large transitions in the way the
world works?
- Energy is fundamental, because without energy we cannot achieve
anything (organisms and humans)
How can the growing availability of renewable energy present new
opportunities to change for the better?
- If you use renewable energy you can reuse the energy and so there
doesn’t have to be more energy to be created in factories. You can
get your materials back also when they are scarce.
Why can the lamentation of vanity be false modesty?
- A force that we can use that can help our problems for
environmental change. We can change things for the better.
Links to tourism:
, - The domestication: tourists want to see pure nature, so this is
contradicting.
- Emissions
- Nitrogen cycle: burning fossil fuels (transportation at destination).
Proposed Anthropocene starting points
- Neolithic revolution: 8000 years ago, from hunting/ gathering to
agriculture and settlement
- Industrial Revolution: 1750 or so, new sources of energy: fossil
fuels, much more energy to do work
- Great Acceleration: 1950, rapid acceleration of socio-economic
development and environmental impact, humans are influencing
biosphere on a planetary scale.
Great Acceleration: why most plausible?
- Only since 1950, humans have become a dominant force in the
biosphere. We change environmental processes on a planetary
scale.
Need for a new paradigm
- From:
o A small world on a large planet
o Infinite natural environment
o Zero-sum game between society and environment
- To:
o A large world on a small planet
o Biosphere reshaped by humanity
o Non-zero-sum game between society and environment
o Humans are an integral part of biosphere change
New paradigm:
- Humans are planetary stewards
- Paradise lost
- How to manage the Earth system?
- Looking for synergies between economic and ecosphere
development
Full world or empty world
Aim of the course:
This model aims:
1. To provide students with a basic by understanding of the major
contemporary environmental challenges
2. Discuss the min interactions between these environmental
challenges and tourism
3. Convince students to consider the (global) environmental
implications of their actions throughout their future careers as
tourism professionals.
Please note: course is mainly problem-orientated, not solution-orientated
Learning outcomes:
After completing this course students should be able to:
- Explain and discuss the background and meaning of the concepts of
“Anthropocene’ and ‘Planetary boundaries’
- Explain and discuss at an introductory level the main aspects of the
following environmental issues:
o Climate (change)
o Emissions of greenhouse gasses and pollutants
o Biodiversity (loss) and ecosystem services (Ecosystem
services: what nature does for us.)
o Water resources and pollution
o Land use
o Health
- Explain and discuss how the global environmental challenges relate
to tourism with concrete examples
Course structure:
The course consists of the following components:
1. Self-study; reading material and presenting
2. Lectures on environmental issues; background information,
discussion
3. Tutorials on the links between tourism and the environment:
environment-tourism links, assignment assistance
4. Group assignment: understand environment and tourism relations
and learn to develop a written argument in academic style.
Exams and grades
- Written examination (60%), 24-01, content:
o Mandatory literature
o Lectures - also by guest lecturers (PowerPoints available from
Blackboard)
o Tutorials
- Group assignment (40%), presentations 17-01, deadline handing
in 20-01
- Presentation of course material (pass/fail)
, o Weekly presentations in pairs
o No pass means no final grade
Lecture 1: 15/11/2016
Learning outcomes for today:
- Describe the meaning and relevance of the Anthropocene concept
- Explain the drivers behind the emergence of the Anthropocene (i.e.
human dominance)
- Describe the meaning and relevance of the Planetary Boundaries
concept
- Explain how the Anthropocene concept is related to the Planetary
boundaries concept
- Discuss the relevance of (Anthropocene and) Planetary Boundaries
concept
- Discuss the relevance of (Anthropocene and) Planetary Boundaries
for Tourism.
The Anthropocene www.tubechop.com/watch/8540542
Course Learning Objective: describe the background and meaning of
the concepts of “Anthropocene”. What links to tourism do you see?
Article: “A man-made world” The Economist
“Why did Paul Crutzen no longer believe he was living in the Holocene”
- Because people started to change the nature. Humans were
changing the Earth
What does “Anthropocene” mean?
- The recent age of man
“How does embracing the Anthropocene reverse the trend in science to
advance by making people peripheral? “
- It means treating humans not as insignificant observes of the natural
world …
Part 2: Sous la plage, les paves
What is meant by “a planetary ecosystem homogenised through
domestication”?
- They do not get a good view of the area. Plants and animals are
used for human purposes. Like only one crop for agriculture, or
sheep and horses. So, in these areas you have less of the original
plants and animals
What is needed to declare a new geological epoch?
- You need to see a clear shift of climate between the eras. You need
to see that humans are really changing the whole system of the
Earth. Also, where people have been (footprint).
What is the clearest evidence for the Earth system working differently?
, - Carbon cycle:
- Water cycle
- Nitrogen cycle
How can the human addition to the carbon cycle matter, even though
natural fluxes are ten times larger?
- It disrupts the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
- Financial: if you start spending more even though your income
doesn’t change, every little expenditure can have major effects.
Eventually you will go bankrupt.
Part 3: The fix is in
Which are the two main environmental effects of the very large increase
in nitrogen fixation?
- Expansion of agriculture could grow more food to grow
Increase in population
-
Why is the increase in nitrogen fixation presented as a case of
geoengineering?
- First time that humans do something to help the Earth. It was
deliberately change in process. They change the working of the
whole cycle. It was planned, also the effects.
How are planetary boundaries related to the Anthropocene?
- They are there to show he conditions of the Holocene and beyond
that.. They show what we should do the cycles and how we should
limit our input in order to stay close to the Holocene.
Why do we want to stay close to the Holocene boundaries?
- Everything worked out well in the Holocene. There was a better
climate in the Holocene, it was stable and there were no ice ages. It
is better to be safe than to be sorry. It is better to stay with what
works for sure.
Part 4: Dreams of a smart planet
Why do you think energy is central in the large transitions in the way the
world works?
- Energy is fundamental, because without energy we cannot achieve
anything (organisms and humans)
How can the growing availability of renewable energy present new
opportunities to change for the better?
- If you use renewable energy you can reuse the energy and so there
doesn’t have to be more energy to be created in factories. You can
get your materials back also when they are scarce.
Why can the lamentation of vanity be false modesty?
- A force that we can use that can help our problems for
environmental change. We can change things for the better.
Links to tourism:
, - The domestication: tourists want to see pure nature, so this is
contradicting.
- Emissions
- Nitrogen cycle: burning fossil fuels (transportation at destination).
Proposed Anthropocene starting points
- Neolithic revolution: 8000 years ago, from hunting/ gathering to
agriculture and settlement
- Industrial Revolution: 1750 or so, new sources of energy: fossil
fuels, much more energy to do work
- Great Acceleration: 1950, rapid acceleration of socio-economic
development and environmental impact, humans are influencing
biosphere on a planetary scale.
Great Acceleration: why most plausible?
- Only since 1950, humans have become a dominant force in the
biosphere. We change environmental processes on a planetary
scale.
Need for a new paradigm
- From:
o A small world on a large planet
o Infinite natural environment
o Zero-sum game between society and environment
- To:
o A large world on a small planet
o Biosphere reshaped by humanity
o Non-zero-sum game between society and environment
o Humans are an integral part of biosphere change
New paradigm:
- Humans are planetary stewards
- Paradise lost
- How to manage the Earth system?
- Looking for synergies between economic and ecosphere
development
Full world or empty world
