EA31030 - POLLUTION IN THE ARCTIC (UNIS)

Module Identifier

EA31030

Module Title

POLLUTION IN THE ARCTIC (UNIS)

Academic Year

2006/2007

Co-ordinator

Professor Neil F Glasser

Semester

Semester 1

Co-Requisite

EA31930 , GG31830 , GG32230

Course delivery

Lecture

60 Hours.

Seminars / Tutorials

22 Hours.

Other

Field Work. 5 days

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	5 Hours In-Course Assessment: Written exercises
Semester Assessment	Continuous Assessment: Field excursion report and term project report
Supplementary Exam	Two-hour examination and 5,000 word report

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following aspects of pollution in High Arctic regions:

Current and potential pollution problems in the High Arctic
The risk to the environment from pollution by the mining industry in Arctic areas
The risk to the environment from radioactive pollutants and persistent organic pollutants in Arctic areas
Methods of local waste handling, and techniques for managing oil spillages in Arctic areas
The general environmental effects of pollutants in Arctic areas

Aims

This module is one of four suitable for students registered for BSc honours degrees in Environmental Earth Science and Geography, offered by UNIS in Svalbard. UNIS is a University on the High-Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, currently under Norwegian sovereignty. UNIS was established in 1993 by the four universities in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Tomso to offer university level courses and to perform research relevant to its High Arctic location. The intention of this module is to provide level 3 students with the opportunity to undertake one semester of study overseas at UNIS within an international community of students and staff, in an exciting and challenging environment.

Content

Despite its remoteness, certain Arctic areas are subjected to substantial contamination due partly to the exploitation of coal, oil and gas reserves. This module addresses current and potential pollution problems, environmental effects and possible remediation techniques in Arctic areas. Topics covered include those relating to pollution in the Arctic, including pollution from the mining industry, radioactive pollutants, persistent organic pollutnts, local waste handling, and oil spillage.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6