UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Course and Code: Environmental Science - HGG1006 (12 course credits)

Instructor: Mr. H. Ndaimani

Office: B7, Department of Geography & Environmental Science Building

Venue: Department of Geography & Environmental Science Building

Course Description

This course aims to explore the relationships between nature and settlements and thinking

deeply about environment humanity relationships. Central issues are substantive knowledge

relating to land systems, water systems, air systems, life systems and the related design and

planning implications. Ecology, holism and a systems understanding are powerful tools for

understanding ourselves and our world which are fundamental to the course. It is an attempt

to teach the basics about living Earth communities and to cultivate a living understanding of

the natural world

Course Outline

 Urban systems and human

 Pollution, Ocean Acidification, Land use change, Stratospheric Ozone depletion,

Biogeochemical Flows, Global Fresh Water Use and Atmospheric Aerosol Loading

 Concepts on quantifying the human impact

 The Human Footprint concept (human population, biodiversity and land use)

1|Page
 Human Impacts on Earth Systems

 Environmental impact assessment

Course materials

Course materials including handouts will be provided to registered students. Scientific

reading material relevant to topics outlined in the course outline will be provided during

lectures.

Some key reading materials

1. E-library materials http://www.uz.ac.zw/index.php/library/

2. Ernst W.G. (2000) Earth systems: processes and Issues, Cambridge University Press,

Cambridge, New York

3. Theodore Chamberlain (2003) Earth system science: syllabus and study guide,

Pearson Custom Publishing, Boston, MA.

4. Bohle, H., Downing, T. and Watts, M. 1994. “Climate Change and Social

Vulnerability.” Global Environmental Change 4 (1): 37 – 48.

5. Burton, I. 1997. “Vulnerability and Adaptive Response in the Context of Climate and

Climate Change.” Climatic Change, 36: 185 – 196.

2|Page