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11.11.2013

 

Workshop “Sustainable Development and National Strategies”

by Dina Barbian, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany

 

General Information about the workshop:

This workshop is divided into two parts: the first part is from 3rd until 7th of March 2014, and the second is from 14th until 17th of April 2014.

Time of teaching for the first part is from 9.00 am to 10.30 am and from 10.45 am to 11.30 am (Monday to Friday).

Time of project presentation for the second part is from 9.00 am to 10.30 am and from 10.45 am to 12.15 am (Monday to Thursday).

Course material consists of the Lecture Notes provided to the students some weeks before the workshop starts, as well as a detailed list of the structure and the contents for the project presentation.

 

Location:
Sofia University "St Kliment Ohridski", Faculty of Economics and BA

 

Description:

In part one of this workshop students learn some theoretical aspects about the science of sustainable development and about recent researches on national strategies for sustainable development. The starting point is the history and the most often-quoted definition: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" by the Brundtland Commission with the report “Our Common Future” (1987). The term “Sustainable Development” has become worldwide popular after the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. With the Agenda 21 they outlined an important action plan for nations. It was adopted by more than 178 nations.

Our world is a complex and dynamic system; some natural processes and cycles are difficult to understand. Therefore in this workshop students will work with a reduced world model consisting of only five natural elements that are necessary to sustain life on earth: air, water, soil, the ozone layer and sun.

The concept of sustainable development (with the descriptors “anthropocentrism”, “nature conservation”, “justice and equity”, “comprehensiveness” and “long-term durability”) can contribute to finding strategies, principles and policies for a national sustainable development. Ecological and social incentives are as important as economic incentives.
Helping impoverished countries and combating against environmental degradation are the biggest challenges in our world. The main limit of our ecosystem is the carrying capacity for human influences controlled by the world population and satisfaction of needs. Suitable sustainable development strategies for nations can’t be implemented immediately. It takes time, maybe long time. But ultimately humans are responsible for a sustainable development and the implementation of strategies for world nations.

 

Second Part - Project Presentation:

For the presentation the student should work on a case study which consists of an analysis of a country in consideration of the concept of Sustainable Development described and explained in the first part of the workshop. The student can choose a favorite country and try to find out some feasible strategies for a sustainable development in this country.
The student’s output is an oral presentation (appr. 20-30 minutes) and a short written summary (maximum 10 pages, Arial 11pt) delivered latest until 17th of April 2014.

 

Grading:

The assessment consists of two parts: oral presentation (counting 50 %) and written paper (counting 50 %).

 

Prerequisites:

Students should have a basic understanding of economics and natural sciences.

 

Full information (pdf)