PROGRAMME GUIDE POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY Maidan Garhi New Delhi-110 068 CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1 2. The University 2 3. Introduction to SAFLI 3 4. The Courses 3 5. Studying the Courses 10 6. Assessment 11 7. Other Useful Information 12 8. Useful Forms 19 9. Addresses of Regional Centres 35 2 1. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the PG Diploma Programme in Environment and Sustainable Development (PGDESD). This programme has been developed by the School of Sciences, IGNOU in collaboration with SAFLI, and the Open Universities of the SAARC region, namely, the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), Bangladesh Open University (BOU), the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), B R Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, India (BRAOU) and BRAC University, Bangladesh. South Asia is an important region of the world. It covers only 5.38 percent of the total land area but inhabits more than 20 percent of global population and is a land of extreme diversity in all respects. It faces the problems of acute population pressure, abject poverty and development without environmental safeguards that have resulted in irreparable environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. Consequently, in South Asia, the highest priorities are poverty alleviation, population management and pursuing the goal of environmentally sound and sustainable development. The idea of environmentally sustainable development has gained growing recognition in recent years as an approach to environment and development issues in which the requirement to satisfy human needs is balanced with the capacity of the environment to cope with the consequences of economic development. Thus the need for continued economic development and growth is fully recognized, but it should be promoted in a manner, which does not jeopardize the position of vulnerable people nor depletes the future viability of the earth’s environment and resource base. Environmental protection and sustainable development are two sides of the same coin. The vision of environmentally sustainable development encompasses the goal of attaining mutually complementary economic, environmental and social well being for everyone, on an ongoing basis. It identifies a direction of change. Movement in the direction of this vision requires action at international, national, regional, and community levels. This programme is an outcome of such a vision of educationists and environmentalists of the SAARC countries. The objectives of this programme are to:  disseminate information and exchange knowledge and experiences gained in the pursuit of the goal of sustainable development.  strengthen regional co-operation in environmental capacity building especially in the area of environmental management.  educate and train individuals from different walks of life viz. development functionaries, government officials, journalists, policy makers, farmers, industrialists, grass-root workers, environmentalists who have a stake in protecting the environment as well as ensuring a better quality of life for the peoples of their countries. In this Programme Guide, we will tell you about the University, SAFLI, and about the various courses in the PGDESD. It also contains the main rules and regulations and useful forms. You can xerox and use them as and when you need them. You must keep this programme guide carefully as you will have to refer to it from time to time. 1 2. THE UNIVERSITY The Indira Gandhi National Open University was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 to achieve the following objectives:  Democratising higher education by taking it to the doorstep of the learners;  Providing access to high quality education to all those who seek it irrespective of age, region or formal qualifications;  Offering need-based academic programmes at affordable cost in emerging professional and vocational areas;  Promoting and developing distance education in the country; and  Setting and maintaining standards in distance education in the country as an apex body. The University offers both short-term and long-term innovative programmes leading to Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees. The programmes are launched with a view to fulfil the learner’s needs for:  Certification;  Improvement of skills;  Empowerment  Acquisition of professional qualification;  Continuing education and professional development at work place;  Self-enrichment; and  Diversification of knowledge. The University uses a judicious multiple-media mix for instruction. The instructional package comprises a combination of one or more of the following:  Self-instructional print materials;  Audio and video cassettes;  Telecast/broadcasts through the dedicated education channel of Doordarshan (Gyan Darshan) and the All India Radio (Gyan Vani) Channel;  Teleconferencing;  Interactive Radio-counselling;  Face-to-face counselling at select study centres;  Assignments;  Project work;  Tele-conferencing;  On line teaching-learning;  Extended contact programmes; and  Laboratory work. The instructional package of PGDESD comprises self-instructional print material, and interactive radio programme. The print material is the mainstay of this programme. It has been developed by teams of experts drawn from different universities/ institutions from India and other SAARC nations. Your study centre is supervised by a Coordinator. Meet him/her if you want any information or help. The study centre will remain open on all holidays, Sundays and in the evenings on working days. 2 3. INTRODUCTION TO SAFLI South Asia Foundation is a voluntary, secular, non-profit and non-political youth movement, which seeks to promote greater solidarity, understanding, cooperation, peace and progress through education and sustainable development among the peoples of South Asia. Founded by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, South Asia Foundation (SAF) is based in Switzerland and its seven SAF Chapters are registered in SAARC countries as national entities guided by eminent Chairpersons and their respective Advisory Boards. SAF Learning Initiative (SAFLI) is an ambitious education project of SAF to link a number of Open Universities and other institutions in the SAARC countries and to provide students of SAARC countries a wider choice of subjects including well designed programmes on South Asian studies. The Post Graduate Diploma in Environment and Sustainable Development (PGDESD) is the first such programme, which encompasses issues like sustainable development, women's empowerment, the environment, peace, cooperation and development, sustainable energy for development and human rights. 4. THE COURSES The courses comprising the Post Graduate Diploma in Environment and Sustainable Development are: MED 001: Understanding the Environment MED 002: Sustainable Development: Issues and Challenges MED 003: Energy and Environment MED 004: Towards Participatory Management MED 005: Integrated Environmental Management: Urban and Rural MED 006: Natural Resource Management: Physical and Biotic MED 007: Agriculture and Environment MED 008: Globalisation and Environment All these courses are of 4 credits each. You will have to earn 32 credits to complete the Programme. You can earn these 32 credits over a period of 1 year to 3 years depending on your convenience. One credit is equivalent to 30 hours of students study time. This study time includes the time taken for reading and understanding the print material, listening to audio programmes, watching video programmes, attending counselling sessions and doing assignments. 3 SYLLABI OF COURSES MED 001 UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT 4 Credits The environment is the sum total of living and non-living life supporting factors and the circumstances that surround an individual or a community. This course entitled Understanding the Environment provides a complete picture of our environment in its natural setting. It has four themes: Our environment and its component introduces the concept of the environment and discusses the lithosphere, atmosphere and the hydrosphere, which are closely associated with the biosphere. They provide the life supporting physical factors for life; Living components of the environment describes the characteristics and the types of living organisms along with their major life zones on land and in water; The ecosystem and its functioning explains the concept of the ecosystem, the basic functional unit in the environment, that allows us to understand the complex interactions between living organisms and the life supporting physical and biological factors in the biosphere; People and the Environment details the impact of human activities on environment including the environmental degradation and environmental pollution caused due to population growth and over-exploitation of natural resources. Block 1 Our Environment and its Components Unit1 Introduction of the Environment Unit 2 The Lithosphere Unit 3 The Atmosphere Unit 4 The Hydrosphere Block 2 Living Components of the Environment Unit 5 Organisms and their Characteristics Unit 6 The Terrestrial Life Unit 7 The Aquatic Life Block 3 The Ecosystem and its Functioning Unit 8 An Introduction to Ecosystem Unit 9 Energy in Ecosystems Unit 10 Cycling of Materials in the Ecosystem Unit 11 Biotic Relations in the Ecosystems Block 4 People and the Environment Unit 12 Human Evolution and Population Growth Unit 13 Environmental Degradation and Conservation Unit 14 Environmental Pollution MED 002 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES 4 Credit Nature has supported and maintained life on earth since times immemorial and will continue to do so in the future. This capacity of the earth is known as the sustainability of nature or ecosystems or environment. But, once the alteration of nature’s initial state occurs, its ability to revert back is lost. The anthropocentric activities of development like industrialization have led to the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources. The problem has attained global dimensions and has brought us to a position where not only the other life forms on this planet, but also the very existence of mankind are threatened. With the concern for development without degrading socio-economic and environmental conditions, and the realization that 4 there is a limit to nature’s sustainability, people across the world have come together to deliberate and adopt the policy of sustainable development. This course entitled ‘Sustainable Development: Issues and Challenges’ seeks to explore the origin of the concept of sustainable development and the issues and challenges of sustainable development. It also aims at highlighting the initiatives taken at the local, regional, national and international levels towards sustainable development. It further explores the strategies that need to be developed to hasten the process of sustainable development. Block 1 Introduction to Sustainable Development Unit 1 What is Sustainable Development Unit 2 Parameters of Sustainable Development Unit 3 Approaches to the Study of Sustainable Development Unit 4 Issues and Challenges Block 2 Developmental Issues Unit 5 Natural Resource Exploitation Unit 6 Patterns of Industrialisation Unit 7 Inequitable Growth Unit 8 Global and Regional Dimensions Block 3 Initiatives towards Sustainable Development Unit 9 State Initiatives Unit 10 Regional Initiatives Unit 11 Global Initiatives Unit 12 Civil Societies and Community Initiatives Block 4 Strategy for Sustainable Development Unit 13 Community Knowledge Unit 14 Harness Technology Unit15 Innovative Practices Unit 16 Cooperation and Partnership MED 003: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT 4 Credit The large scale and pervasive nature of energy related human activities have perhaps made the greatest impact on the environment. Although energy and environment concerns were originally local in character, they have now widened to cover regional and global issues such as acid rain and the greenhouse effect. Such problems have now become major political issues and the subject of international debate and regulation. The concept of sustainable energy development has widened over a period of time to include economic, environmental, and social aspects, based on realities and constraints perceived by society. In a sustainable development perspective, we must address the quality and sustainability of our use of natural resources and ecosystems, the impact of production and use of energy, which is essential to our economies and, to our way of life. Further, environmental degradation and lack of access to clean affordable energy services affect the poor. These issues are also global as climate change, loss of bio-diversity and ozone layer depletion affect countries worldwide. This course addresses the current concerns related to energy and environment; policies and planning; economics of energy and environment; and energy, sustainability and environment. 5 Block 1 Energy and Environment: Current Concerns Unit 1 Energy and Development Unit 2 Energy Consumption Unit 3 Energy Production Technologies Unit 4 Environmental Impact of Energy Production and Use Unit 5 The North-South Debate Block 2 Energy Policy and Planning Unit 6 Energy Policy Unit 7 Energy Planning Unit 8 Energy: The Indian Scenario Block 3 Economics of Energy and Environment Unit 9 Economic Approaches to the Energy Problem Unit 10 Micro-Economic Perspective and Macro Linkage Unit 11 Energy Infrastructure, Services and Efficiency Improvement Unit 12 Social Control of Energy Block 4 Energy, Sustainability and Environment Unit 13 Solar Energy Technologies Unit 14 Biomass Resources and Technologies Unit 15 Hydropower and Wind Energy Unit 16 Sustainable Energy for Clean Environment MED 004 TOWARDS PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT 4 Credit Participation as defined by United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is an organized effort to increase control over resources and regulative institutions by groups and movements of those excluded from such control. Resources are one key (but neglected) aspect of the participatory decision-making process; the devolution of control over resources to local people is a procedure, which has been too little tried in development process. Organizations with resources are generally anxious to keep control over them; a positive institutional development approach will use the devolution of resources to build local management capacity. The quality of interaction between professionals, managers, politicians and ordinary people is another, better developed aspect of participatory process. Here there has been tremendous development of participatory techniques designed to bring outsiders and insiders to a closer understanding and respect of each other. This course is designed to enable the students to explore the knowledge and skills required for working successfully with individuals in groups to integrate the conservation efforts with development through participatory process. They will be encouraged to think about and reflect on their successes and difficulties. The course also covers how other people have worked for participatory community development, and their theories about their work. The theory and practice of participatory community development will also be explored. The course introduces the key concept of participatory management with a historical review; explaining state policies and programmes. Then it discusses the models of participatory management in South Asia and the approaches and practices to participatory management of resources followed by information about programmes and services in the area of participatory management with special focus on women and youth. Finally, salient issues related to the management of natural resources through participatory process are analysed. 6 Block 1 Genesis and Concepts of Participatory Management Unit 1 An Introduction to Participatory Management Unit 2 Historical Perspectives Unit 3 State Policies and Programmes: Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development in Pakistan Unit 4 Models of Participatory Management in South Asia Block 2 Approaches and Practices Unit 5 Participatory Approaches to Environment and Development Unit 6 A Model of Urban Development: Orangi Pilot Project Unit 7 Women’s Participation in Community Decision Making: A Case Study of Pakistan Unit 8 Practical Action Block 3 Programmes and Services Unit 9 Organisational Change for Sustainable Development Unit 10 Women’s Participation in Development Unit 11 Youth Participation in Development Unit 12 South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) Block 4 Participatory Resource Management Unit 13 Participatory Forest Resource Management Unit 14 Participatory Management of Mountain Ecosystems Unit 15 Participatory Coastal Resource Management Unit 16 Participatory Irrigation Management and Wetland Conservation MED 005 INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: URBAN AND RURAL 4 Credit Since the Rio Summit in 1992, intense interest and concern in processes of environmental degradation at local, regional and global level had developed. However, it soon became clear that reversing such degradation would not be a purely technical and managerial matter. All the technical knowledge in the world does not necessarily lead societies to change environmentally damaging behaviour. Hence, a critical understanding of socio-economic, socio-cultural, legal and political, and moral and ethical structure of the society has become of central importance in approaching the environmental problems. Most of these are complex problems whose solution will require people capable of grasping the big picture, able to appreciate and deal with complex problems and to support strategies having long-term impact. This is only possible by integrating environmental ideology into socio-economic, socio-cultural and ethical systems. There is a dire need to develop an environmental ideology based on a system of collectively held normative reputedly factual ideas, beliefs and attitudes advocating a particular pattern of social relationships with the environment and arrangements aimed at justifying a particular pattern of conduct towards environment. There is an increasing realization among environmental professionals that industry is now a permanent part of the environment. Therefore, efforts are being made by engineers, natural scientists and policy- makers to "internalise" industry within the ecological discourse. A salient feature of this new approach is its emphasis on the harmonization of various environmental disciplines and endeavours. Hence, the concept of "integrated environmental management" has emerged in the last few years and forms the subject matter of this course. 7 Block 1 Evolving concepts and Principles Unit 1 Integrated Environmental Management Unit 2 Integrating Environment into Rural Development Unit 3 Managing the Urban Environment Unit 4 Environmental Management System Block 2 Sectoral Approaches Unit 5 Sustainable Agriculture Unit 6 Sustainable Forestry Management Unit 7 Water Resource Management Unit 8 Industrial Waste Management Block 3 Dimensional Approaches Unit 9 Economic Dimensions Unit 10 Technological Dimensions Unit 11 Socio-Cultural Dimensions Unit 12 Ethical and Moral Dimensions Block 4 Governance Approach Unit 13 Legal Framework Unit 14 Policy Framework Unit 15 Institutional Framework Unit 16 Social Framework MED 006: NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: PHYSICAL AND BIOTIC 4 Credit The study of Natural Resources Management is essential in a programme of this nature since resources are needed for almost everything we do to meet our needs. When we decide what to do, what to buy, use or eat, we are making a decision about what resources to use and how to use them. The way we use our resources has an impact on the environment and is integrally linked to sustainable development; at present as well as for the future. In this course, we introduce the scientific concept of natural resources, how resources are being used, what action can be taken to conserve natural resources and manage them judiciously so that our current needs are met equitably without compromising their availability for the future generations. Block 1 Natural Resources: Physical Unit 1 Introduction to Natural Resources Unit 2 Land, Soil and Water Unit 3 Energy and Mineral Resources Unit 4 Natural Resource Conservation Block 2 Natural Resources: Biotic Unit 5 Introduction to Biodiversity Unit 6 Global Distribution of Biodiversity Unit 7 The Value of Biodiversity Unit 8 Resource Use of Biodiversity Unit 9 Loss of Global Biodiversity 8