SASA10153U Animals and Sustainability

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc Programme in Animal Science - compulsory
MSc Programme in Environment and Development - restricted elective

Content

Content

The course will address the following subjects and issues relating to the use of animals in a sustainability context at the enterprise and farm level

 

Introduction – sustainability and decision making

-The three aspects of sustainability (environmental, social, economic).

-The importance of studying how the three aspects of sustainability are related and impact each other.

-Decision case studies and the importance of stakeholder roles

-Decision making in complex situations, when different aspects of sustainability should be considered

 

 

Environmental sustainability

-Animal husbandry and interactions with the environment and impacts on the atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial environment

-Technological opportunities for minimizing negative environmental impacts of animal activities

-Natural resource and nutrient flows perspectives of international trade with fodder, animal derived food, live animals and other products related to the animal sector

-Methods for assessing environmental impacts and sustainability of different animal production systems or uses, with a main focus on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

 

Social sustainability

-Social sustainability in a historical perspective and the relation between animal related activities and social sustainability

-Mapping: Determining contextually relevant dimensions of social sustainability such as material wellbeing, health, animal welfare, cultural vitality etc.

-Operationalization: Determination of the level of social sustainability of a given activity at farm, regional or national level, using relevant indicators.

 

 

Economic sustainability

- Definitions of economic sustainability.

- The concepts of weak and strong sustainability.

- Differences between sustainability and economic optimization at farm versus societal levels 

- Measures to increase sustainability (regulatory and market-based)

- Economic methods to assess sustainability (marginal trade-off, profit maximization, non-market valuation, cost-benefit)

 

Classroom teaching, group work, and guest lectures will take place in the first 7 weeks of the course. The students will complete and submit group reports in the 8th week and take exams in the 9th week.

Learning Outcome

Learning Outcome

The objective of the course is to enable students to independently perform a scientifically sound and holistic analysis and evaluation of sustainability in its widest sense (economical, environmental and societal) of industries, farms and other animal husbandry enterprises pertaining to the animal sector.

 

Furthermore, the course provides students with knowledge to understand the external (international) factors and the instruments that can be applied to develop a sector in a given direction to enhance sustainability of its products, activities or services.

 

At the end of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:

- Understand sustainability aspects, dimensions and indicators,

- Understand multi-criteria and methods for analyzing sustainability

- Explain the mechanisms leading to environmental consequences of animal husbandry and the factors controlling environmental impacts

- Understand methods for analyzing environmental impacts and the theory and principles behind life cycle assessment

- Understand social sustainability and how it relates to the given context and other aspects sustainability

Skills:

- Map relevant dimensions of each of the three aspects of sustainability for a given animal related activity

- Identify relevant indicators measuring relevant dimensions of the three aspects of sustainability for a given animal related activity

- Apply relevant methods for analysis and evaluation of relevant dimensions of sustainability

- Interpret and integrate the result of environmental, economic and social sustainability assessments of various production chains or animal related activities.

 

Competencies:

- Scientifically analyze the level of sustainability of a given animal (production) system

- Elaborate sustainability considerations for a given animal related activity and development trends influencing these

- Discuss and suggest appropriate measures to improve sustainability of a given animal sector or activity, and how these can be implemented, based on a given stakeholder role

Literature


New scientific articles and book chapters will be identified and links provided during the course.

Academic literature identification, interpretation and evaluation are core elements due to the project nature of the course.

BSc in Animal Science (husdyrvidenskab) or equivalent.
• Lectures and exercises
• Group work with defined case studies of relevance to the animal sector, illustrating all aspects of sustainability

Evaluation model: Survey-based model
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 10
  • Exam
  • 10
  • Guidance
  • 10
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 22
  • Project work
  • 124
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes under invigilation
Written assignment
Case report and oral exam.
Case study report; Weight: 34%.
Oral examination 20 minutes preparation for an unknown question chosen by the student, thereafter 20 minutes oral exam: Grade will be based on answer to the question and questions about the course curriculum. Weight: 66%.
Exam registration requirements

The case study report must be submitted, presented and receive a passing grade.

Aid
Only certain aids allowed

No computers, No access to intenet; no telephones

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal Censorship. More than one eksaminer.
Criteria for exam assesment

In order to obtain the highest grade (12), the student should be able to:  

In order to obtain the highest grade (12), the student should be abel to :

*

Knowledge:

- Understand sustainability aspects, dimensions and indicators,

- Understand multi-criteria and methods for analyzing sustainability

- Explain the mechanisms leading to environmental consequences of animal husbandry and the factors controlling environmental impacts

- Understand methods for analyzing environmental impacts and the theory and principles behind life cycle assessment

- Understand social sustainability and how it relates to the given context and other aspects sustainability

Skills:

- Map relevant dimensions of each of the three aspects of sustainability for a given animal related activity

- Identify relevant indicators measuring relevant dimensions of the three aspects of sustainability for a given animal related activity

- Apply relevant methods for analysis and evaluation of relevant dimensions of sustainability

- Interpret and integrate the result of environmental, economic and social sustainability assessments of various production chains or animal related activities.

 

Competencies:

- Scientifically analyze the level of sustainability of a given animal (production) system

- Elaborate sustainability considerations for a given animal related activity and development trends influencing these

- Discuss and suggest appropriate measures to improve sustainability of a given animal sector or activity, and how these can be implemented, based on a given stakeholder role