Learning objectives
<br />Sheding light on the meaning of sustainability through the study of human system metabolism and comparison with the metabolism of natural ecosystem. Using this comparative approach to think about criteria for sustainable development.
Course unit content
<br />Human system versus natural ecosystems: similarities and differences.<br /><br />Human systemms and excosystems and their processes: representing them as networks. <br /><br />The ecosysytem as an energy and matter flow network: building representative models.<br /><br />The huiman ecosystems as exchange networks: water and energy as currency. <br /><br />How to analyze ecosystems. Network analysis. <br /><br />Input/output analysis, system level indices. <br /><br />growth and development in natural and human ecosystems.<br /><br />A broader perspective: the metabolism of the anthroposphere.<br /><br />Material flow analysis.<br /><br />Sustainable development and eco-efficiency.<br /><br />
Bibliography
Ulanowicz R.E. 1986. Growth and Development. Springer-Verlag, Berlin pp. 203.<br /><br />Ulanowicz R.E. 1996. Ecology, the ascendent perspective. Columbia University Press, pp. 201.<br /><br />Baccini P., Brunner P.H., 1991. Metabolism of the anthroposphere. Springer-Verlag, Berlin pp. 157.<br /><br />Bleischwitz R., Hennicke P., 2005. Economia leggera. L'ecoefficienza dal Fattore 4 al business sostenibile. Edizioni Ambiente, pp. 216.<br />
Teaching methods
<br />Lectures organized as power point presentation. Working groups on the themes treated during the lectures.
