ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT

In line with the general educational objectives of the Degree in Environmental Sciences, the course contributes to provide the knowledge for a systemic culture of the environment that can support the analysis of components and factors of processes, as well as systems and problems concerning the environment, both natural and modified by man. With reference to the specific training objectives of the Degree Course in Environmental Sciences, the course contributes to forming the ability to analyze systems and environmental processes in the perspective of sustainability and prevention, for the promotion of the quality of the environment. In this direction the main objective of the course is to deepen the aspects related to the environmental risk assessment with the final aim to provide practical knowledge that should support the student in future consultant activities in the field of environmental risk assessment and management and environmental auditing.

Knowledge and understanding
The student will acquire knowledge and understanding: a) of the physical and chemical principles to which chemical compounds are subjected in environmental matrices; b) the relationships between living organisms and their environment; c) risk analysis for human health and ecosystems; d) the recent evolution of environmental policy, with particular attention to the evolution of the European policy framework in the field of environmental management.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The student must have acquired the ability to: a) understand the origin, distribution and fate of chemical compounds in environmental matrices; b) apply the acquired knowledge to evaluate the environmental quality of the different matrices in environments subject to different degrees of anthropization; c) organize and initiate processes of auditing and environmental management, both in the company and in local and regional authorities.

Autonomy of judgment
Students must have acquired independent judgment on problems related to environmental risks, be able to assess the quality of the environmental data associated with them, know how to identify the most appropriate analysis tools to support a risk assessment for human health and ecological systems.

Communication skills
The student must have developed communication skills using the basic linguistic terminology in all the processes of application and communication of the acquired knowledge. Therefore, the ability to communicate verbally and in writing to the public with language properties both in Italian and in English, and to support scientific discussions with various interlocutors of various cultural backgrounds.

Learning ability
The student must have acquired the scientific method as a work tool, be familiar with the research of scientific information, have the capacity for continuous training for updating in the environmental sector, also through the consultation of scientific bibliography also in English.

Courses included in the first two years of the degree in Environmental Science.

State of the art on risk assessment and management in Italy and Europe.
Introduction to Environmental Risk Assessment: definitions, conceptual frameworks, procedures and methodologies for different assessment levels (screening, site-specific and at regional scale).
Software for Environmental Risk Assessment and their application to different environmental problems (contaminated sites, freshwaters and groundwaters quality).
Introduction to environmental auditing: Environmental Management Systems and reference legislation (ISO 14001 and EMAS regulation) for their auditing.

Compulsory:
Slides sent by the teacher and lecture notes.

Optional:
Metodologie di valutazione ambientale, 2006. A cura di Moriani G., Ostoich M., Del Sole E.. Franco Angeli editore.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso14000.htm

Written exam consisting of open questions to be answered in 1 hour (80% of final score).
The class exercise conducted by the students during the course will also be considered (10 % of final score).
Active participation to lectures is positively evaluated (10% of final score).
For students not attending the course the examination procedures will be agreed with the teacher.

Classroom lectures, case studies application.

Italian

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development