Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to present a pilot educational project where ecological modelling has been used to integrate advanced level students into the research about regional sustainability. Addressing regional sustainability with an ecological systems model based on carbon and energy balances is a way to understand the basics of sustainability integrating detail and holistic views. Such model has been developed in a case study on the Danish island Samsø, and currently a similar model is now being developed for the Jämtland county. Even though Jämtland, located in mid Sweden, is a sparsely populated area with large forests, a lot of hydro power, and only one major city, it is still not obvious how to reach long term sustainability. For educational purposes ecological models are excellent tools, since complex interactions can be studied, analysed and discussed in a structured way. It can be expected future sustainable society development presupposes integration between research and education, thus building a long term strategy for the possibilities to change negative cultural patters of whatever kind these might be. To strengthen the authorisation of the education for sustainability, clarification of the university’s integrative role in society may well be used, to give students self-confidence for continuous development within the field.
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Notes
- 1.
Including detailed attachments.
- 2.
Sweden is divided into 21 administrative units each one consisting of several municipalities. A municipality is both an administrative as well as a political unit. Jämtland county consists of 8 municipalities.
- 3.
Including for example increased insight how consumption and travelling cause GHG emissions outside the region/nation.
- 4.
The department of Ecotechnology and Sustainable Building Engineering, Mid Sweden University.
- 5.
One example is SF6 leakages from high voltage switchgear equipment. The gas contains no carbon but is a very aggressive GHG with a CO2eq index of about 23,000 (1 kg SF6 corresponds from a radiation aspect to 23 tonnes CO2eq).
- 6.
Actually examples of this could be found in the beginning of the process among students starting too early with the modelling, before true understanding of the sectorial complexity had been gained. This is however also part of the learning process since it gets more and more obvious, making it in a way self-regulating.
- 7.
One of the problems involved is often cultural changes are necessary in sustainable development processes. Old cultural patterns need to be shifted towards new patterns based upon the awareness of environmental effects of specific actions.
- 8.
Translated from Swedish.
- 9.
Nielsen and Patten, unpublished Tutorial Material.
- 10.
Of course the standing biomass represents a carbon stock, but the net change of carbon follows more or less the biomass change, except for minor quantities which can be taken up in the soil.
- 11.
The life length of the buildings etc. containing wood as construction material needs to be taken into consideration.
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Skytt, T., Nielsen, S., Grönlund, E., Fröling, M. (2016). Involvement of Advanced Level Students Using Ecological Modelling in Research About Regional Sustainability. In: Leal Filho, W., Brandli, L. (eds) Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26734-0_10
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