Certificate course in Environmental Sustainability
By 1. Dr. M. Rajesh 2. Dr. Sindhu P Nair, 3. Dr. Jalajakumari VT, 4. Dr. P Unnikrishnan   |   IGNOU Regional Centre, Vatakara

The course is an unique effort to provide awareness about environmental issues from the perspective of social  sciences, technology,  education and law. It is expected that after going through the course, learners will have a comprehensive idea about the issue areas.

Course layout

Week 1

1.      Introduction to environment and society

2.      Factors affecting environment and society-1

3.      Factors affecting environment and society-2

4.      Our Common Future

5.      Introduction to Terms of Significance -1

6.      Introduction to Terms of Significance -2

Week 2

1.      Trade & Environment- Concepts, issues and recent developments- part 1

2.      Trade & Environment, Part2- The Doha Round

3.      Legal Edifice of Environmental Protection

4.      Environmental Impact Assessment Norms and their application in India

5.      The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972

6.      Environmental Law and Coastal Regulation Zones

Week 3

1.      The Case of Western Ghats- The Gadgil Report

2.      The Kasturirangan Report

3.      The Forest Conservation Act, 1980

4.      The Water Act

5.      The Air –Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1981

6.      Seminal Cases in Environmental Protection

7.      The Environment Protection Act, 1986

Week 4

1.      Environmental Friendly Technologies- Concept and Need

2.      A Consumer Behaviour perspective to Environmental Sustainability

3.      Managing our environment for sustainability- Solar Energy part1

4.      Managing our environment for sustainability, Solar Energy part 2

5.      Managing our environment for sustainability, Wind Energy

6.      Managing our environment for sustainability- Geothermal, Hydro and Tidal Energy

7.      Sustainable Development and Environment friendly practices

Week 5

1.      Waste Management for Sustainable Development

2.      Environment Friendly practices and the use of Environment Friendly products

3.      Live Examples of Environment Friendly Technologies-1

4.      Live Examples of Environment Friendly Technologies-2

5.      Case Studies on environment and society-1

6.      Case Studies on environment and society-2

7.      Changing Interactions

Week 6

1.      Environment and the Constitution of India

2.      International Conventions and Treaties

3.      Sanitary and Phyto- Sanitary Agreement of the WTO

4.      Convention on biological Diversity

5.      Clean Development Mechanism

6.      Bonn Guidelines

Week 7

1.      Environmental Education- An Introduction

2.      Sensitivity towards environment and environmental issues-1

3.      Sensitivity towards environment and environmental issues-2

4.      Awareness through knowledge- part 1

5.      Awareness through knowledge- part 2

Week 8

1.      Attitude towards protection of the Environment

2.      Critical thinking, utilization of skills and reflective solutions

3.      Local strategies and innovations in Environmental Protection- Part 1

4.      Local strategies and innovations in Environmental Protection- Part 2

5.      Active Participation in the resolution of Environmental  Challenges-part 1

6.      Active Participation in the resolution of Environmental Challenges-part 2

Week 9

1.      Motivational Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability – the conclusion