Course discusses the current issues in development geography by introducing environmental changes and megatrends in the Global South. Megatrends are population growth, migration and urbanization and their effects in sustainability, role of technological development in development, democracy development, and climate change. The course discusses the causes and consequences of climate change from land cover and land use change to impact of climate change to ecosystem services, such as water provision, habitats, biodiversity and pollination. The lecturers are scientists and experts in global change and environmental issues in the Global South. Geographically the course has its focus in sub-Saharan Africa.

Lecturers are: Dr. Petri Pellikka (Prof. of Geoinformatics, Director of Taita Research Station, University of Helsinki), Dr. Leena Vastapuu (Tampere Peace Research Institute), Dr. Werner Kutsch (DG, ICOS ERIC), Dr. Emma Hakala (Finnish Institute of International Affairs), Dr. Mikael Mattlin (University of Turku), Dr. Matti Nummelin (Environmental Research), Dr. Timo Vesala (Prof. Atmospheric Sciences, University of Helsinki), Dr. Matti Kummu (Prof. Water Resource Engineering, Aalto University), Dr. Olavi Luukkanen (Prof. emeritus Tropical Forestry, University of Helsinki), James Mwangombe (Kenya Forest Service), Dr. Enrico Di Minin (Prof. Conservation Geography, University of Helsinki).

Students should take part in TAITASMARTGIS seminar on October 1, 2019 (9.30 - 17.00) organised at Kumpula campus. The seminar "Environmental sensing and geoinformatics for climate smart landscape framework development for food security in East Africa" presents the current research activities related to course content carried out in Taita Taveta County in Kenya. registration to the seminar is at: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/99358/lomake.html

The course material in addition to lectures are IPCC report and IPBES reports from 2018-2019. There will be an exam at the end of the course.

Course material

Students should download the following material from the Internet (more to come later):

Climate and Development Knowledge Network: What is in for Africa, 79 p. (report)
What’s in it for Africa presents key findings from the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) for Africa. The report extracts Africa-specific data, trends and analysis directly from AR5, summarising it in a short volume to make it accessible to all audiences, and highlights key opportunities to achieve adaptation, mitigation and development.
https://cdkn.org/resource/highlights-africa-ar5/?loclang=en_gb

Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change: Climate Change and Land (report)
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/srccl/

Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services, 39 p.
https://www.ipbes.net/news/ipbes-global-assessment-summary-policymakers-pdf

Lectures
Tuesdays 10-12, Physicum, E204
Wednesdays 16-18, Physicum, E207
Thursdays 16-18, Physicum, E207

12.11 Petri Pellikka: Introduction to environmental changes and megatrends
13.11 Matti Nummelin: Environmental issues in development
14.11 Timo Vesala: Carbon and water cycles
19.11 Leena Vastapuu: Population growth, migration, technological development
20.11 Emma Hakala: Urbanization in Global South
21.11 Mikael Mattlin: China and Africa
26.11 Olavi Luukkanen: Role of trees and forests in supporting food security on drylands in Africa
27.11 Werner Kutsch: Carbon in sub-Saharan Africa
28.11 Matti Kummu: Water and development
03.12 James Mwangombe: Forestry in Kenya’s development agenda
04.12 Enrico Di Minin: Conservation and development
10.12 Petri Pellikka: Impact of environmental changes in ecosystem services in Taita Taveta, Kenya
11.12 To come later
12.12 Exam