Course syllabus

Course-PM

TEK675 TEK675 Environmental risk assessment lp3 VT24 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Technology Management and Economics

Contact details

Examiner: 

Rickard Arvidsson, rickard.arvidsson@chalmers.se 

Teachers: 

Sverker Molander, sverker.molander@chalmers.se 

Gregory Peters, petersg@chalmers.se 

Sanna Wickerts, sanna.wickerts@chalmers.se

Rahul Aggarwal, rahula@chalmers.se 

Jenny Norrman, jenny.norrman@chalmers.se 

Course purpose

The aim of the course is for the students to become knowledgeable about environmental risks and be able to apply environmental risk assessment.

Schedule

See pdf file under "Schedule" under Modules. 

Course literature

1. Burgman. 2005. Risks and Decisions for Conservation and Environmental Management. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Chapter 1, 6, 8, 10, https://www.vlebooks.com/Product/Index/2005222?page=0 
2. van Leeuwen and Vermeire 2007. Risk assessment of chemicals: an introduction. Springer: Dordrecht. Chapter 1, 4, 7, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4020-6102-8 
3.Boström. 2013. Existential risk prevention as global priority. Global Policy, 4, 1, 15-31, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1758-5899.12002 
4. Suter. 1996. Guide for developing conceptual models for ecological risk assessment. US Department of Energy: Oak Ridge, https://rais.ornl.gov/documents/tm186.pdf  
5.Swedish Chemicals Agency. 2020. Hazard and risk assessment of chemicals – an introduction, https://www.kemi.se/download/18.32f4eb311753c0a67fe1cf6/1604653630900/Guidance-Hazard-and-risk-assessment-an-introduction.pdf 
6.Börjesson et al. 2002. Scenario types and techniques: Towards a user’s guide. Futures, 38, 723-739, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016328705002132 
7. Moraes et al. Establishing Causality between Exposure to Metals and Effects on Fish. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 9, 149-169, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/713609857?journalCode=bher20 
8. Hammar et al. Assessing ecological risks of offshore wind power on Kattegat cod. Renewable Energy, 66, 414-424, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148113007015  
9. Slovic et al. 1982. Why study risk perception? Risk Analysis, 2, 2, 83-93, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1539-6924.1982.tb01369.x 
10. Boholm and Corvellec 2011. A relational theory of risk. Journal of Risk Research, 14, 2, 175-190, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13669877.2010.515313 
11.Harremoës et al. 2001. Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896-2000. Environmental Environment Agency: Copenhagen. Chapter 1, 16, https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/environmental_issue_report_2001_22 
12. Diamond et al. 2015. Exploring the planetary boundary for chemical pollution. Environment International, 78, 8-1, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412015000288
13. Lecture notes (under "Lectures" under Modules)

 

Course design

The course consists of lectures, three exercises that can grant bonus points, two compulsory projects, and a written exam. The written exam will be conducted at Campus using the digital software Inspera. More information about the exercises and projects can be found under Modules. 

Changes made since the last occasion

No major changes have been made sine the last occasion. A third exercise and a draft submission for project 2 have been added, as per student suggestions at the course evaluation meeting. The literature list has been slightly revised. 

Learning objectives 

1.    Explain the concept of risk according to a number of definitions and perspectives. 

2.    Construct conceptual models for environmental risk assessment. 

3.    Apply risk ranking in environmental contexts. 

4.    Apply quantitative environmental risk assessment to relevant cases. 

5.    Apply different approaches to uncertainty analysis in environmental risk assessment. 

 

Examination form

In order to pass the course, the student must pass the exam and the two compulsory seminars. Successful participation in the exercises can grant bonus points. The maximum points on the exam is 50 and the maximum number of bonus points from exercises is 2. Grade 3 is given at 25 points, grade 4 at 34 points, and grade 5 at 43 points. 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen: Study plan