Introduction
As the introductory module to Forest Sciences, Global Environmental Change (GEC) will introduce you to some of the most important environmental problems on a global scale, such as water and air pollution, acid rain and forest decline, global warming, and the loss of forests and biodiversity. At the same time, this module is designed to familiarize you with the research process in the environmental and social sciences.
Based on the reading of different and contradictory sources of information about the state of the environment you will be challenged with the difficulty of assessing the magnitude of environmental problems. Against this background, research ethics, the quality and reliability of scientific information and the role of science in the public discourse will be discussed.
The primary goals of the GEC module are that you develop the capacity to assess scientific information critically and that you’re then able to use this information to better understand and formulate environmental situations.
