Topics

I. Atmosphere and Change

1. Functioning of the atmospheric system in terms of the energy balance between solar and long-wave radiation
2. Changes in the atmospheric energy balance due to external forcings: changes in solar radiation, changes in the albedo of the atmosphere and changes in the long-wave radiation returned to space
3. Causes and environmental consequences of global climate change

II. Soil and Change

1. Causes of soil degradation
2. Environmental and socio‑economic consequences of soil degradation, and management strategies

III. Water and Change

1. Utilization of water at the regional scale
2. Environmental and human factors affecting patterns and trends in physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity
3. Factors affecting access to safe drinking water

IV. Biodiversity and Change

1. Concept and importance of biodiversity in tropical rainforests
2. Examine the causes and consequences of reduced biodiversity in this biome

V, Sustainability and the Environment

1. Concept of environmental sustainability
2. Evaluation of a management strategy at a local or national scale designed to achieve environmental sustainability

Energy balance between solar and terrestrial radiation + greenhouse effect:

Resources

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Definitions

Biome (Ecosystem)
A biome (or ecosystem) is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving, physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight
Soil degradation
A severe reduction in the quality of soils. The term includes soil erosion, salinization and soil exhaustion (loss of fertility).
Water scarcity
Water scarcity can be defined as:

• Physical water scarcity, where water resource development is approaching or has exceeded unsustainable levels; it relates water availability to water demand and implies that arid areas are not necessarily water scarce
  
• Economic water scarcity, where water is available locally but not accessible for human, institutional or financial capital reasons