Environmental impact analysis and management

• Environmental context and frameworks
  • DPSIR framework: introduction to the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response causal framework for environmental analysis.
  • Societal impacts: overview of the background of environmental problems and their broader socio-economic effects
• Material Flow Analysis (MFA): core concepts, methodological clarification, and practical application tracking materials at substance, product, company and territory levels.
• Footprinting methodologies: quantification metrics covering carbon, land, water, biodiversity, ecological, material, and waste footprints
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Theoretical principles and industrial applications of attributional LCA (static modelling and allocation methods) and consequential LCA (market-driven system alterations).
• Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis (EEIOA): macro-economic modelling linking economic activities to environmental impacts.
• Corporate sustainability standards: deep dive into CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards), corporate ESG ratings, and environmental labelling.
• EIA & SEA: operational frameworks for Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Environmental sustainability is more and more important for decision-takers, be it politicians, entrepreneurs, consumers, research, etc. All those stakeholders are confronted with sustainabiltiy questions on the developments and evolutions that they create or support. Consumers want to be informed on the environmental performances of products. Entrepreneurs and politicians are often confronted with their responsability towards the environment. At different stages and levels of decision taking, decision support in the form of information is necessary on these environmental sustainability issues.

This course aims to familiarize the students with the concepts and tools often used to evaluate and manage environmental impacts of products, projects, organisations, startegies, policies, etc.

Learning objectives

• Get a good knowledge of environmental management concepts, tools and practices in the area of private companies and public authorities

• Attain an overview of the plurality of possible analyses to evaluate environmental impacts
• Attain an overview of the different procedures and techniques: which environmental impact questions can be handled, which data is needed, which methodological choices can to be made, ... ?
• Attain an overview of the strength, weaknesses and risks of different techniques

• to identify the concepts, tools and technique suitable for a certain problem or question in relation to environmental impact management
• to advise on a suitable management or impact assessment approach for environmental impact management questions or problems
• to critically analyze and evaluate the value and quality of a study or report on a given environmental evaluation or management study 

The basis of the course (theoretical explications) will be offered in digital packages (powerpoint video clips, other videos, reading material, self tests, ...) which the students have to listen, read, work on individually at home prior to the on-campus course. During the on-campus course session the prepared material will be discussed, with extra examples, exercises, question/answers, invited speakers, etc... 
After each on-campus course-session the next on-line package will be put on-line for the student to prepare for the next on-campus session.
 

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

Will be communicated during the course via UV

Support(s) de cours

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Edgar Towa

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen écrit

Examen écrit

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

Written exam:

• Questions on the fundamental knowledge covered in the course: 6/20
• Questions requiring the application of knowledge: 6/20
• Question assessing analytical skills: 8/20

(Examples will be provided during the course and in the final class session.)

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais
• français