James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2024

EV2011 - The Case for Sustainability

Subject Description

This subject will consider some of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing the world today. Using a range of case studies from Australia and around the world students will come to understand the complex and interdisciplinary nature of sustainability problems. The case studies will demonstrate the inter-dependency of ecosystem functions and services (e.g. climate, soils, biodiversity) and humanity's interactions (and impacts) with these. Case studies, involving different approaches supporting sustainability, will be drawn from a variety of contexts including: policy development, technology, manufacturing, energy, community, resource management, conservation, biodiversity management, urban development and living. The practical activities will provide students with additional insights to these and introduce some of the techniques utilised by sustainability practitioners involved in sustainable development initiatives e.g. working in complex urban systems, sustainability indicator development and data identification, management and interpretation, education and training for sustainability, 'triple-bottom-line' (ecological, social, economic) accounting and reporting.

Learning Outcomes

• critically appraise the role and relevance of sustainability and sustainable development in local, regional and global society
• retrieve, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information from a range of sources
• plan and conduct reliable, evidence-based desktop and fieldwork sustainability investigations, by selecting and applying methods, techniques and tools as appropriate to one or more disciplines
• organise, analyse and interpret sustainability data using mathematical, statistical, technological and/or interpretivist skills
• convey ideas, arguments and conclusions clearly and coherently through well-developed written and oral communication skills and a variety of media
• demonstrate a broad understanding of problem-oriented sustainability approaches, including stakeholder analysis, values clarification, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems and futures thinking oriented sustainability approaches, including stakeholder analysis, values clarification, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems and futures thinking

Subject Assessment

• Written > Test/Quiz 1 - (20%) - Individual
• Written > Research report - (25%) - Individual
• Field Trip Report (25%) individual; & Presentation (10%) group - (35%) - Group & Individual
• Performance/Practice/Product > Practical assessment/practical skills demonstration - (20%) - Group & Individual

Note that minor variations might occur due to the continuous subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.

Availabilities