GEOS2121/2921 Environment and Resource Management
Environment and Resource Management
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GEOS2121/2921 Environment and Resource Management
Conditional commitments': the diplomatic strategy that could make Australia do its fair share
on climate change (theconversation.com)
1. Introduction
We are in the midst of an unprecedented global environmental and climatological crisis. As a result, we
will need to transform our social, political, and economic systems. This crisis – its causes, its effects
and its solutions – are geographically unevenly distributed and situated. GEOS2121/2921 explores
environmental change, and the management of environmental change and natural resources, from a
geographical perspective. This means unravelling the political, economic, and social processes that are
formative of environmental and resource management. We will explore: 1) Complexity in environmental
and resource management; 2) an extended case study on managing carbon and climate change; and
3) alternative modes of governing environments through collaboration, integration and regeneration.
Concepts and principles are reinforced through case studies from your local area, throughout Australia
and around the world.
Advanced students enrolled in GEOS2921 will receive the same core lecture materials as for
GEOS2121 but will be required to complete an alternative written assessment.
1.1 Assumed knowledge
Pre-requisites for GEOS2121 are 24 credit points of 1000-level units of study, including 6 credit points
of GEOS1X01 or GEOS1X02 or ECOP1X01 or SIEN1000.
Pre-requisites for GEOS2921 are 24 credit points of 1000-level units of study, including a mark of 75 or
above in GEOS1X01 or GEOS1X02 or ECOP1X01 or SIEN1000. This requirement may be varied and
students should consult the unit of study coordinator.
Prohibitions for GEOS2121: GEOS2921
Prohibitions for GEOS2921: GEOS2121
2. Learning objectives and outcomes
In GEOS2121/2921 Environmental and Resource Management we aim to create an open and
accountable space for students to develop their ideas, knowledge, and critical thinking skills, while
learning about important topics and developing useful skills for their employment and life.
We have developed the following list of key learning outcomes and graduate qualities. Graduate
qualities are generic qualities identified by the University of Sydney to develop discipline specific
knowledge and critical thinking, problem solving, communication and teamwork skills.
You can use this list to monitor your own progress throughout the semester.
After successfully completing this unit, you should be able to:
Learning outcomes
LO1 Articulate different constructions of nature and key concepts in environmental thought, and how
these are socially and culturally specific
LO2 Demonstrate the social, political, economic constitution, and outcomes, of environmental
processes, change, and management
LO3 Identify the uneven distribution of environmental ‘goods’ and ‘bads’ and the reasons for this
outcome
LO4 Critically interrogate different environmental and resource management theories and practices
and outline their assumptions
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LO5 Describe key environmental and resource management challenges and their causes,
particularly climate change
LO6 Demonstrate skills in analysing and interpreting primary research data
LO7 Present analysis of an environmental or resource challenge in a Report (rather than essay)
LO8 Organise and communicate a coherent argument in written, oral and inter-personal forms
LO9 Demonstrate a sense of responsibility, and an ability to think critically and independently as a
future scientists and global citizen
Graduate qualities
GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise
GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving
GQ3 Communication (oral and written)
GQ4 Information & digital literacy
GQ5 Inventiveness
GQ6 Cultural competence
GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness
GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical and personal identity
GQ9 Influence
3. Class times
Lectures will be held face-to-face. If circumstances change, we will notify you via canvas
announcements so please keep abreast of these. Two 1 hour lectures are scheduled for:
• Tuesday 12:00-13:00 @ Chemistry Building. Chemistry Lecture Theatre 1 (F11.01.145)
• Wednesday 12:00-13:00 @ Chemistry Building. Chemistry Lecture Theatre 4 (F11.02.236)
If you are unable to attend in person or have enrolled as a remote student, you will be able to watch
recordings of the lectures in your own time, but we strongly recommend you develop a strong learning
routine, including engaging with the lecture material weekly.
Tutorials begin in Week 1 and finish in Week 12. Students are expected to attend their timetabled
tutorial each week. It is our goal that tutorials go ahead face to face as much as possible, but there are
two timetabled online Zoom tutorials for those who have enrolled as remote students. If the public
health situation dictates that we move all face-to-face tutorials to online Zoom tutorials, we will do that.
The on-campus, face-to-face tutorials will be held:
• Tuesday 13:00-14:00 F09.03.331. Madsen Building. Madsen Seminar Room 331 – MM
• Tuesday 14:00-15:00 F09.03.315. Madsen Building. Madsen Tutorial Room 315 – MM
• Tuesday 15:00-16:00 F09.03.315. Madsen Building. Madsen Tutorial Room 320 - EK
• Wednesday 13:00-14:00 F09.03.331. Madsen Building. Madsen Tutorial Room 315 - RC
• Thursday 13:00-14:00 F09.03.331. Madsen Building. Madsen Seminar Room 331 - SL
• Thursday 14:00-15:00 F09.03.315. Madsen Building. Madsen Tutorial Room 315 – SL
One remote tutorial for remote students only will both be held via zoom on Thursdays 15:00-16:00 (EK)
Tutorial participation is assessed. If participation in your tutorial is compromised – for instance, you
require an online tutorial but your internet is poor – please speak to your tutor and the UoS coordinator
to arrange alternative assessment. If, on occasion, you cannot attend at your regular time, please talk
to your tutor about attending another tutorial that week. At a minimum, students are expected to have
read the prescribed readings as listed below (only supplementary readings are optional) and come
prepared to discuss the readings in class. Tutorial readings are assessable in the exam.
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Practicals will be held in computer labs in weeks 10,11,12 ONLY. If, on occasion, you cannot attend at
your regular time, please talk to your tutor about attending another practical that week (although keep in
mind available computers are limited in each computer lab). Students in the online Zoom tutorial will be
given instructions on accessing the remote desktop to complete this task.
• Tuesday 16:00-18:00 H69.01.145. Business School Codrington Building. Computer Lab 145
(EK)
• Tuesday 16:00-18:00 H69.01.139. Business School Codrington Building. Computer Lab 139
(MM)
• Wednesday 15:00-17:00 H69.01.139. Business School Codrington Building. Computer Lab 139
(SL)
• Wednesday 15:00-17:00 H69.01.145. Business School Codrington Building. Computer Lab 145
(EK)
• Thursday 16:00-18:00 F09.03.300. Madsen Building. Computer Lab 300 (EK)
• Thursday 15:00-16:00 H69.01.139. Business School Codrington Building. Computer Lab 139
(SL)
The remote practical will be held via zoom on Thursday 13:00-15:00 for remote students only (MM).
In addition to the hours listening to lectures and attending tutorials, an additional six hours per week of
independent study is expected in order to pass the items of assessment. This independent fieldwork or
study will include reading and preparation for tutorials, the essay, the field trip and report, the practical
report and for exam revision.
4. Lecture and tutorial schedule
Listening to the lectures is required to pass this Unit of Study. The lecture material will be made
available on the Canvas site, including video recordings, lecture slides, revision questions, and
additional links/readings. The Canvas site will indicate which lectures are live and which are pre-
recorded. The lecture schedule is as follows:
Week Date Lecture
mode
Topic Lecturer Tutorial Practical Assessment
Due
Module 1: Complexity in environmental and resource managemen