Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Energy and the Environment

Code

722041081

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Department

Geografia e Planeamento Regional

Credits

10

Teacher in charge

Fernando Ribeiro Martins

Weekly hours

3 letivas + 1 tutorial

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

a) Knowing the contribution of various sources of energy for the development of societies;
b) Understand the energy dependence of current societies, as well as the uncertainty / instability in supply and prices resulting from the current geopolitical;
c) Relate environmental problems with the various energy sources and technologies used in the production of energy, especially fuel;
d) Understanding the diversity and complexity of the interrelationships between energy and environment.
e) Shaping future growth scenarios of energy consumption and substitution of fossil fuels with alternative energy sources;
f) Understand the challenges of energy sustainability and compatibility between energy and the environment.

Prerequisites

None.

Subject matter

1 - General information on energy
Concepts, origin, measurement, types of resources, forms of classification, conversion of energy forms, principles and laws.

2 - The energy and the development of societies
The energy use over the past centuries.

3 - The energy dependence of the current corporate
Production and energy consumption at national, European and World.
Biomass, coal, oil, natural gas.
Nuclear power.

4 - Energy / Environmental Problems
The transport sector in Portugal and the European Union.
The sector of electricity production.
Renewables.

5 - The emergence of environmental issues
The improvement of living conditions of the population and the degradation of the planet.
The awareness of the problems and their extent on a global scale.
Policies and action programs.
Environmental protection in the European Union and Portugal.

6 - Energy policy in the European Union and Portugal.
7 - Global perspectives and uncertainties.

Bibliography

AMARAL, M., Indústria e energia: as apostas do fim do século, Venda Nova, Bertrand Editora, 1997, 646 p.
ARAGÃO, M. A., O princípio do poluidor – pagador. Pedra angular da política comunitária do Ambiente. Coimbra, Coimbra Editora, 1997, 255 p.
JACCARD, M., Sustainable fossil fuels. The unusual suspect in the quest for clean and enduring energy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2005, 381p.
RODRIGUES, J., A geopolítica do petróleo. Anatomia dos conflitos, diplomacias, seguranças, soberanias, Lisboa, Atelier dos Livros, 2000, 254 pp.
SMIL, V., Energy at the crossroads, London, The MIT Press, 2005, 427p

Teaching method

Explanation of the contents using various resources, including PowerPoint presentations, discussion of texts, exploring web pages, etc.. Then, to foster reflection, dialogue and active participation of the students who have the opportunity to express their opinions and compare them with those of their colleagues and the teacher himself.
At the end of the sessions devoted some time to the discussion and follow-up research that students are developing. Use of the computing platform Moodle allows substantially improve the undergraduates, who will now have an opportunity outside the classroom to request information and ask questions to the teacher.
Reading a set of thematic texts, which will be assessed in a written test in person.

Evaluation method

Assessment: written test and research work in groups, resulting from independent research in the form of article and its oral presentation.

Courses