Courses for the Environment
List of educational courses to save the planet
In 2015, the Paris treaty asked the countries to do their best to reduce emissions to keep global temperatures to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels-and preferably no more than 1.5°C in the hopes of avoiding the worst consequences of climate change.
Though the treaty was signed by all the major countries of the world, still the efforts are falling short.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the IPCC, which consists of more than 200 scientists, published a summary report of climate science in 2021 after combing over 14,000 research papers.
The message from the latest IPCC report is clear — the heatwaves and thunderstorms will get worse. Natural disasters will be more common. The ocean will rise, and so will the insurance rates. Climate change will have a devastating effect on our lives if we don’t stop it soon.
The question is, what can we do about it?
The issues like global warming, pollution, and deforestation will require a large number of scientists and engineers to tackle as they arise. The global community will need engineers and scientists and they need to be educated and trained on environmental issues.
If you are a student and looking to make an impact, here are the courses that you can explore.
Courses for the Environment
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering is one of the popular courses for the environment and its protection. It is the branch of engineering that deals with ecological issues and environmental changes. Environmental engineers utilize the knowledge of engineering to find solutions related to air pollution, waste disposal, water management, sanitation, global warming, etc.
Good knowledge of chemistry and biology will prove to be handy to develop solutions to environmental problems. In the current times, leveraging data to build mathematical models and perform computer analysis is widely used to evaluate and design environmental solutions.
Environmental Science
Environmental science is the study of the natural environment and how it affects people, animals, and other organisms. The scope of environmental science is wide and covers a wide range of topics, from geology to biology and chemistry. It also includes the study of environmental policies and of the impact of human activity on the environment.
Geoscience
Geoscience is the field of science dealing with the solid Earth, its composition & structure, the processes by which they change, and the materials derived from them. It is both a physical science, in that it deals with matter, and historical science, in that its data consists of the preserved evidence of events that took place in the past.
Atmospheric Science
The atmosphere of Earth is a complex system, involving many different gases, and has four major layers, which are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.
- The troposphere is the lowest layer of our atmosphere and is where our weather occurs.
- The stratosphere is higher up in the atmosphere and is where most routine air travel is conducted. It is where the ozone layer is located.
- The mesosphere is even higher up in the atmosphere and is where meteors eventually land.
- The thermosphere is the highest layer of our atmosphere and is where the auroras can be seen.
Atmospheric science is the study of the chemical and physical properties of the atmosphere and the impacts it has on the Earth.
The field is also commonly known as weather science, as atmospheric researchers also use instruments such as weather balloons, radar systems, and satellites to screen the climate and gather information.
Ocean Science
Ocean science is concerned with the study of the ocean, its lifeforms, and their interactions with each other and the environment. Ocean science is the study of the physical, chemical, geological, and biological properties of the ocean. It encompasses a broad range of topics, including marine life and ecosystems, ocean circulation, plate tectonics, and the geology of the seafloor.
Marine scientists study life in the oceans by collecting and analyzing different forms of biological and chemical data. These data are used to build a better understanding of how the oceans function, which in turn helps us to better understand how we can protect and preserve them.
If you want to take a glimpse of the life of a marine geologist and the use of the latest technologies, watch the documentary series, Drain the Oceans. The 10 episodes series uses innovative technology to allow the audience to experience what lies on the floors of large bodies.
Forest Science
Forest science includes the study of all types of forests, both temperate and tropical. The forest is a complex ecological system; its study includes the examination of the interactions of organisms and their environment and the effects of human activity on the forest.
Conservation Science
Conservation science is the scientific study of nature and the interactions between humans and the biophysical environment. Conservation scientists work to understand the complex relationships between biodiversity, people, and the use of natural resources, with the goal of explaining and predicting how changes in one will affect the others. Conservation science differs from ecology in that ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.
Preservation scientists work with different stakeholders to oversee, improve, and protect the country’s natural reserves. For example, scientists can work with farmers and local administration on how they can improve a specific region for agricultural purposes and to control erosion.
Originally published at https://changestarted.com on September 21, 2021.
