Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Centre for International Postgraduate Studies of Environmental Management

E-Mail: unep@mailbox.tu-dresden.de URL: www.tu-dresden.de/cipsem

In support of the Sustainable Development Goals, Technische Universität Dresden is offering a range of Environmental Management courses in 2019 and 2020:

77th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Ecosystem Management – Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services (SC77) Application period: 18 February - 01 April 2019 Course period: 29 August - 25 September 2019

78th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Soil and Land Resources for Sustainable Development (SC78) Application period: 04 March - 15 April 2019 Course period: 10 October - 05 November 2019

79th International Short Course on Resource Efficiency: Circular Economy and Waste Management (SC79) Application period: 18 March - 29 April 2019 Course period: 18 November - 11 December 2019

43rd UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries (EM43) Application period: 01 April - 15 May 2019 Course period: 09 January - 10 July 2020

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These courses are designed to prepare the participants for their tasks of environment-related planning, coordination and management within ministries, agencies and local governments as well as NGOs of their home countries. Participants are expected to have several years, of course-relevant professional experience and to be nominated by their institution in a developing country (including emerging economies). The course language is English.

The postgraduate trainings are organised in partnership with UNEP and UNESCO to support the Agenda 2030 and are funded by the German Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

All courses are targeted towards professionals from government agencies and NGOs of developing countries, including those with economies in transition.

The benefit goes way beyond the knowledge and skills conveyed by experts from many relevant institutions and through numerous site visits. The trainings are an excellent opportunity for colleagues working at the national, regional or local level for expanding networks and learning from each other. Many alumni tell us the course experience has been transformative for them.

You will find details on the following pages and on >> www.tu-dresden.de/cipsem

How UNEP/UNESCO/BMU alumni answer the question “Retrospectively, how do you evaluate the content of the CIPSEM course as beneficial for your career?” five and then years after participation in a CIPSEM course.

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77th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Ecosystem Management – Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services (SC77) | 29.08. - 25.09. 2019

Motivation

In the past four decades, the world has lost more than half of its biological diversity. This is a global, human-induced process, described as the Holocene extinction. The primary mechanisms driving this rapid decrease in biodiversity are habitat and ecosystem destruction and degradation, chemical pollution, the introduction of non-native species and over-exploitation of natural resources, to mention the most important ones. As climate change and growing human populations further exacerbate the problem, the adverse effects on the well-being of vulnerable populations are felt all around the globe.

Biosphere foundation for global sustainability (Source: Rockström and Sukhdev 2016, Azote Images for Stockholm Resilience Centre)

This challenge is, among others, reflected in the efforts of institutions and programmes like the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2010-2020, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to name a few.

Biodiversity is the resource upon which families, communities, nations and future generations depend. It accounts for all life on the planet, forming interdependent ecosystems, and providing resilient ecological communities. The individual and collective actions taken today – including businesses and governments – are critical for securing the conservation of ecosystems, their biodiversity and their provision of services. This 77th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short

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Course on Ecosystem Management –Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services (SC77), in accordance with SDG 15, contributes to “taking urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species” and works towards the overarching target to “ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.”

The course will cover important ecosystem assessments, introduce participants to a range of different methodologies from the natural and social sciences of assessing and valuing ecosystems services in different societal contexts and convey basics of biodiversity and ecosystem governance. This knowledge is fundamental for involving relevant actors in the transformational path needed for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, ecological restoration, and the continued provision of ecosystem services for human well-being.

Ecosystem services (Source: Development Asia, https://development.asia/explainer/declining-natural-capital-high-stakes-asia-and-pacific)

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Objectives

This 77th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Ecosystem Management –Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services (SC77) will train participants in essential concepts and methods relevant to the interrelationship between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services as well as in different approaches of defining and categorising them. Participants will be familiar with important concepts and methods in the field of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services research and governance. The combination of participatory methods, expert knowledge and techniques to design, implement and monitor sound management strategies at different scales are presented in this course to provide the necessary tools to approach the impacts of biodiversity loss in the context of ecosystems and the services they provide. The participants will be introduced to state-of-the-art ecological theory and learn to apply this knowledge within a socio-economic framework.

Target groups

This course is designed mainly for managers and decision-makers with a biodiversity-related background and a keen interest in deepening their knowledge and competencies on biodiversity conservation, environmental policies and/or social, economic and political aspects regarding the protection and sustainable use of natural resources. The nomination by the delegating institution is a mandatory prerequisite.

All CIPSEM courses are open to nationals of developing countries, including emerging economies. The primary target group are professionals working in public administrations responsible for tasks in environmental protection, planning, management and economic development in ministries, agencies as well as municipalities. As professional exchange among participants is an essential part of the training, we require a minimum qualification of a first university degree and at least two years of hands-on experience in environmental protection. The preferable age of participants is between 25 and 45 years. Applicants also need to prove a good command of the English language.

Application and participation

Qualified professionals are welcome to apply for this training between 18 February and 04 March 2019 on CIPSEM’s online application portal.

Our International Steering Committee selects the 21 participants of this course by June 2019. Participants stay in our comfortable private studio apartments and receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses. Flights, health insurance etc. will be provided. Our course office provides further manifold assistance. Participants successfully completing this course will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services.

For more information, please visit www.tu-dresden/cipsem

Supported by

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>> overview of all courses in 2019/20

78th UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Short Course on Soil and Land Resources for Sustainable Development (SC78) | 10.10. - 05.11. 2019

Motivation

Soils and land form the basis for agricultural development, essential ecosystem functions, food security and hence are vital to terrestrial life on Earth. Soil is, in the time scale of a human lifespan, a non-renewable natural resource.

The importance of soils and soil science for realising the global goals for sustainable development of the United Nations (Keesstra et al., SOIL, 2, 111-128, 2016)

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SoilFunctions

SustainableDevelopmentGoals

SOILSCIENCE

CLIMATOLOGY

CLIMATECHANGE

WATERSECURITY

LANDRESTORATION

HUMANHEALTH

FOODSECURITY

BIODIVERSITY

HYDROLOGY

AGRONOMY

ECOLOGY

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End poverty in all its forms everywhere

End hunger, achieve

food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable

agriculture

Ensure healthy lives

and promote well-being for

all at all ages

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Ensure availability and

sustainable management of water

and sanitation for all Ensure access to

affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern

energy for all

Promote sustained, inclusive

and sustainable economic growth, full and

productive employment and decent work

for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Reduce inequality within and among

countries

Make cities and human settlements

inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Ensure sustainable

consumption and production patterns

Take urgent action to

combat climate change and its impacts

Provision of food, wood and fibre

Provision of raw materials

Provision of support for human infrastructures and animals

Flood mitigation

Filtering of nutrients and contaminants

Carbon storage and greenhouse gases regulation

Detoxification and the recycling of wastes

Regulation of pests and disease populations

Recreation

Aesthetics

Heritage values

Cultural identity

Source of raw material

Acting as carbon pool

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1314Protect,

restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage

forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt

biodiversity loss

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17Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership

for sustainable development

16Promote peaceful and inclusive societies

for sustainable development, provide access to justice for

all and build effective, accountable and inclusive

institutions at all levels

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Biomass production,

including agriculture and forestry

Archive of geological and archaeological heritage

Physical and cultural environment for humans

and human activities

Biodiversity pool, such as

habitats, species and genes

Storing, filtering

and transforming nutrients, substances

and water

EcosytemServices

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the UN sustainable development goalsA GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

FORUM paper: The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs)Keesstra, S.D., Bouma, J., Wallinga, J., Tittonell, P., Smith, P., Cerdà A., Montanarella, L., Quinton, J.,Pachepsky, Y., van der Putten, W.H, Bardgett, R.D, Moolenaar, S., Mol, G., Fresco, L.O.

This resource does not receive enough attention, even though with the current rate of soil degradation future generations might be unable to meet their needs. Already now at least a quarter of the usable Earth surface is adversely affected by strong degradation to an extent which is substantially reducing its capacity for providing products and services that are vital for human wellbeing. While the world population in the past four decades grew from 3 to over 7.4 billion people and is expected to exceed 9 billion in 2050, the agricultural area increased by only 8%, mainly through the transformation of forest into arable land. The pressure on land resources is escalated by urbanisation and changing climate patterns.

At the international level, for example in the UN Agenda 2030, the FAO and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the connected challenges of soil degradation, land scarcity and food security have been recognised as global development and environment issues. To face the threat, we need to take concerted actions towards sustainable land use and management practices in each country.

Objectives

This short course addresses the main concepts of land resources and soil management and their importance for securing the provision of goods and services for people and ecosystems. The training addresses concepts for sustainable land management, taking the water, energy and food security nexus into consideration.

Learning about soil monitoring during a field visit with experts from the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, Agricultural Teaching and Testing Institute Nossen

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Internationally experienced facilitators will shed light on minimising land degradation, rehabilitating degraded land, and increasing resilience, for instance, when facing climate variability and change.

Complementary to analysing local levels, complex regional and global processes will be presented. Participants will deal intensively with the connections between land use and nutrient cycles in the context of watersheds and at a global level, including the interdependencies with energy generation and waste management.

Practical case studies and the cross-sectoral dialogue between scientists, practicing land managers and policymakers will empower participants to develop new approaches for their areas of responsibility and provides opportunities for expanding a helpful professional network beyond the course duration.

Target groups

This short course is designed for managers and decision makers with a strong occupational background in environmental protection focusing on soil and land use (e.g. in agriculture and forestry, geography, soil science, watershed management, regional planning, etc.). A first university degree (BA, BSc, e.g.), good communication skills in English language and the nomination by the delegating institution are mandatory.

Application and participation

Qualified professionals are welcome to apply for this training between 04 March and 18 April 2019 on CIPSEM’s online application portal.

Our International Steering Committee selects the 21 participants of this course by July 2019. Participants stay in our comfortable private studio apartments and receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses. Flights, health insurance etc. will be provided. Our course office provides further manifold assistance. Participants successfully completing this course will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Soil and Land Resources for Sustainable Development.

For more information, please visit www.tu-dresden/cipsem

Supported by

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>> overview of all courses in 2019/20

79th International Short Course on Resource Efficiency: Circular Economy and Waste Management (SC79) | 18.11. - 11.12. 2019

Motivation

The use of limited natural resources has increased significantly around the globe during the last decades – and so has waste generation. This kind of resource consumption, as well as the production, management, treatment and disposal of waste, contribute to the degradation of land and water resources and endanger human health as well as the functionality of ecosystems. Moreover, the careless handling of limited resources is restricting economic growth in its present form as well as sustainable development. This course aims to demonstrate ways for achieving resource efficiency as well as more sustainable forms of production and consumption.

The concept of a circular economy addresses the importance of enhancing resource use efficiency, thereby drastically reducing the introduction of new raw materials and minimising the disposal of non-usable residue. This can be achieved, for example, by creating products and systems that enable longer lifespans and optimal use, by reusing and recycling. Waste produced by one resource sector can become raw material for another resource sector. Many UN member states view the circular economy concept as a mechanism to support the Agenda 2030 with its 17 integrated and indivisible Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this course looks also into how a transition to sustainability along with the imperative restructuring can be achieved, on the basis of a social contract for innovation.

The Sustainable Development Goal 12 of the United Nations captures many vital dimensions of resource efficiency (Quelle: UN Environment)

Embedded in the concepts of green economy and circular economy, cleaner production through conserving resources, reuse and recycling is geared towards the reduction of pollution and waste production per unit output. At the same time, competitiveness and productivity increase. In this manner, the course approaches a goal crucial for

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sustainable development: to uncouple economic and social development from increasing resource consumption and progressive environmental degradation.

Waste, which we cannot avoid, should be considered as a resource and should be used with as few adverse effects as possible. In this course, waste management encompasses management of all processes and resources for proper handling of waste materials: from facilities to transport, dump and treat waste to related health codes and environmental regulations. The course covers strategic approaches as well as specific mechanical and biological treatment steps to recover recyclables as well as waste-to-energy technologies.

This interdisciplinary short course provides a solid background knowledge combined with workshops, participatory teaching methods and on-site inspections. The participants receive an overview of the social, economic and technical aspects of a circular economy and sustainable waste management.

Objectives

After completion of the course, the participants will be better able to consider “waste” as a raw material and contribute actively to the development or advancement of sustainable resource management in their home countries. The entire production process and life cycle of products are taken into account to reduce consumption of raw material, reuse and recycle (3Rs).

During site visits to a cardboard recycling facility and to the think-tank and public policy consultancy adelphi with participants of the 73rd UNEP/UNESCO/BMUB International Short Course on Resource Efficiency - Cleaner Production and Waste Management

This interdisciplinary training offers solid background knowledge combined with workshops, participatory teaching methods and site visits. Participants receive an overview of the social, economic and technical aspects of a circular economy and sustainable waste management. The course will cover technical-scientific knowledge but also policies and institutional frameworks as well as awareness raising and professional education.

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Participants also develop an action plan for a challenge in their field of work, applying the course contents and taking into consideration inspiration received from facilitators and fellows during the course. This plan shall be implemented autonomously upon return and thus facilitate the transfer of the newly acquired knowledge into the day-to-day activities.

Target groups

This course is suited for experts on a managerial level and decision makers with tasks in environmental-related planning, coordination and management in ministries, authorities, local government and non-governmental institutions of developing countries, including newly industrialised economies. A first university degree (BA, BSc, e.g.), adequate communication skills in English language and the nomination by the delegating institution are mandatory.

Application and participation

Qualified professionals are welcome to apply for this training between 18 March and 29 April 2019 on CIPSEM’s online application portal.

Our International Steering Committee selects the 21 participants of this course by August 2019. Participants stay in our comfortable private studio apartments and receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses. Flights, health insurance etc. will be provided. Our course office provides further manifold assistance. Participants successfully completing this course will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Resource Efficiency – Circular Economy and Waste Management.

For more information, please visit www.tu-dresden/cipsem

Supported by

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>> overview of all courses in 2019/20

43rd UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries (EM43) | 09.01. - 10.07. 2020

Motivation

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a remarkable advancement when adopted by the United Nations in 2015. For the first time, the world committed towards a broad spectrum of common goals ranging from climate action to sustainable economic growth, from life below water to sustainable cities, from ending hunger and poverty to responsible consumption and production, and from reduced inequalities to inclusive industrialisation. The Agenda 2030 is a clear recognition that the preservation of our biosphere depends on the sustainable stewardship of planet Earth.

In support of the SDGs, the UNEP/UNESCO/BMU 6-month course follows an integrated and interdisciplinary approach covering the field of environmental management. The curriculum is organised in modules comprising issues of conservation and restoration ecology, water and atmosphere, soil and land resources, sustainable urban and regional development, waste management and circular economy, renewable energy and energy efficiency. An overarching science-policy interface frames all disciplines.

(a) Modular structure of the course contents of the 43rd UNEP/UNESCO/BMU International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries (EM43) (AQUA = skills of fundamental importance) (b) Biosphere foundation for global sustainability (Source: Rockström and Sukhdev 2016, Azote Images for Stockholm Resilience Centre)

Moreover, all participants will train skills of fundamental, cross-sectoral relevance such as policy advice and project management in the context of developing countries, communication across disciplines and participatory government practices, as well as understanding geo-information and basic German language skills.

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The overall approach is to blend academic knowledge with local, traditional and professional expertise for finding practical and practicable solutions that can be implemented and eventually contribute to large-scale systemic changes and fundamental redirections in people-planet relationships that can have an impact at magnitudes that match the challenges of our time and are essential for accomplishing the SDGs.

The lectures are given by professors of Technische Universität Dresden as well as experts from various national and international institutions. A multitude of excursions are also part of the course to illustrate environmental problems and exemplify successfully integrated environmental management practices. Participants are required to carry out a profound research project on a specific environment-related subject and present the results of this work in a symposium at the end of the course.

Dealing with sustainable mobility, exchanging on nexus-thinking in sustainable development, simulating international negotiations and site visits during past postgraduate courses in environmental management

Objectives

Participants acquire the ability to develop interdisciplinary strategies for sustainable development and to take appropriate measures for environmental protection that takes ecological, socio-economic and cultural aspects into account.

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Target groups

This course is particularly designed for decision-makers of public governance and administration both at the national and local level requiring an overall-competence in environmental matters. To be eligible, candidates need to originate from and work in developing countries, including newly industrialised economies. Applicants also need to have at least two years of professional practice in the field of the course, for a mutually beneficial exchange of experiences. A first university degree (BA, BSc, e.g.), adequate communication skills in English language and the nomination by the delegating institution are mandatory, too.

Application and participation

Qualified professionals are welcome to apply for this training between 01 April and 13 May 2019 on CIPSEM’s online application portal.

Our International Steering Committee selected the 21 participants of this course by September 2019. Participants stay in our comfortable private studio apartments and receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses. Flights, health insurance etc. will be provided. Our course office provides further manifold assistance. Participants successfully completing this course will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management.

For more information, please visit www.tu-dresden/cipsem

Supported by

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>> overview of all courses in 2019/20