Course syllabus for Environmental management and science for bioengineers

1. describe different kinds of human impact on ecological systems
a. describe basic concepts in ecology
b. explain examples of how different species affect each other and their ecosystems
c. use simple calculations based on nutrient ratios
d. distinguish between four ecosystem services and explain examples of them
e. describe how biodiversity supports ecological system services
f. describe major threats to ecosystems and their dynamics
g. explain relationships between species and ecosystems and cascading effects

2. describe trends for and mechanisms behind regional and global environmental problems
a. explain the causes of global warming and the effects on human society
b. describe the reasons behind the thinning of the ozone layer and the effects on human society
c. describe the causes of the formation of ground-level ozone and explain why this is unrelated to the depletion of the ozone layer
d. describe how interventions against global environmental effects require simultaneous consideration of ecological, economic and social dimensions

3. describe and apply simple fate models for pollution
a. Explain chemical characteristics that determine the environmental fate of contaminants
b. Describe different methods for modelling contaminant fate in the environment
c. Apply simple box models for fate modelling

4. describe the risk assessment process and the effects of chemicals on human health and perform simple quantitative risk assessments
a. describe the function of structures and processes in the body that are relevant to toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics
b. describe the effects of some chemicals on human health
c. Describe and apply simple qualitative risk assessment methods
d. Describe methods for quantitative chemical risk assessment
e. perform simple quantitative risk assessments

5. perform a simple life cycle analysis in four steps
a. Be able to define “functional unit” and other key terms used in a "goal and scope", in line with the ISO standard for LCA
b. Describe different types of system boundaries/delineations for an LCA
c. Describe how allocation should be handled according to ISO
d. Perform classification and characterization in a simple LCA
e. Explain aspects of LCA result reporting

6. describe how different tools, instruments and management systems are used for sustainability purposes at company, national and EU level
a. describe principles and information tools linked to sustainable development
b. describe how Sweden coordinates environmental management nationally
c. describe which actors exist in the field of chemical legislation
d. describe how advocacy work is carried out within the EU
e. describe how chemicals are regulated in the EU by REACH with several pieces of legislation
f. Describe the Swedish Environmental Code and its various parts
g. Explain the Rules of Consideration
h. Describe how international law affects Swedish environmental law
i. Describe what an environmental management system is, its components and how it can be used to follow up an organization's environmental work

7. discuss different ethical principles in decision-making
a. Know and be able to apply Sweden's code of ethics for engineers
b. Know and be able to apply the ethical decision-making model described in the course book
c. Know and be able to apply the three basic normative theories

8. perform simple multicriteria analyses
a. give an overview of the scope of the concept of "multi-criteria analysis"
b. describe principle alternative methods in MCA
c. apply MCA in simple cases
d. describe how human values ​​are reflected in MCA