B020947 - Environmental impact geology

Italian

Concepts of territory, environment and their relationships. Concept of ecological complex. Territory and environment in planning.
Meaning of EIA. European, national and regional regulatory framework.
EIA procedures. Voluntary environmental management tools, EIA procedures, screening and case studies.
Analysis of the each environmental components
Structure of an environmental impact study, impact assessment, use of models.

Libri di testo suggeriti:

- Scialò A. 2017. La Valutazione di Impatto Ambientale (VIA) dopo il d.lgs. 104/2017. Maggioli Editore.

- Dispense illustrate e distribuite durante il corso.

- Approfondimenti in articoli, testi e link specifici indicati nel corso delle lezioni.

The course is aimed to provide information on the following learning objectives:
1) Regulatory framework (European, Nationale and Regional);
2) Environmental management procedures and tools;
3) Analysis of the individual environmental components (thematic analysis);
4) Impact estimation process.

Basic Knowledge of geology

- Frontal lessons with with the use of a video projector;
- Practical exercise;
- Seminars of expert scholars on particular topics.

Highly-recommended attendance to the lessons for the interdisciplinary nature of the topics

Final oral examination to determine the level of the student knowledge and link capability in between the different subject of the course. Each student will have to answer some questions related to the main topics discussed during the course. Written tests or intermediate checks are not foreseen. Written (practical) exercises are possible in the classroom, but they do not contribute to the final evaluation.
The exam topics are only those covered during the course and contained in the distributed teaching material.
Exam dates are defined by the official calendar.

Man-territory relationship from past to present. Sustainable development in modern society. Ethics and principles of sustainability. Concept of "environment" and "impact" in the evaluation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). UN instruments for sustainable development policies. Birth of the EIA and introduction of the technical-administrative procedure in the European context. Environmental Impact Study in the EIA. Description of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and relationship with VIA. Description of the Incidence Assessment (IA) and relationship with EIA and SEA. Voluntary sustainability certifications: ECOLABEL and EMAS. European, Italian and regional regulatory framework concerning the environmental impact assessment. General methodology about the impact assessment and inquiry times. Schematization of the procedures from the first requirement verification to the final decision. "Preliminary Assessment" and screening process: procedural steps, screening factors of the "environmental report" and methodologies of analysis. Screening analysis for significance thresholds, project class and check lists. Analysis of the scoping phase: preliminary operations, objectives, implementation activities and actors involved. "Alternatives of project" and " alternatives to the project".
General characteristics of the environment to be evaluated: Environmental components, disturbing factors and possible relationships. Physico-chemical characteristics of the atmosphere. Typological differentiation of atmospheric pollution. Characterization of atmospheric pollutants and main effects. Air quality management and "Air Quality Plans".
Climate: current climate change and future perspectives (changes in the hydrological cycle and temperatures). Desertification mechanisms. Properties of hydrosphere, hydrological cycle and water requirements (civil, industrial, agriculture use and for human being). Water intended for human consumption. Sources of supply and use of resources in Italy. Possible impacts on the hydrosphere. Water Footprint and Carbon Footprint related to the use of drinking water. Actions to avoid surface and underground water pollution at the local level and in the river basin district as a management area established by Decree Law 152/2006. Main polluting compounds of the hydrosphere. Source and diffusion of pollutants with examples related to human health. Biological pollution and diseases. Chemical and physical pollution and its consequences.
Subsidence and sinking. Functionality and general structure of the soil. Soil distribution in relation to different aspects (morphological, climatic, etc.). Fundamental parameters of the soil: granulometric composition, textural properties and other chemical-physical characteristics. Impacts on the soil: compaction, waterproofing, salinization and widespread and concentrated erosion. Erosive problems related to the different ways of managing the land in agriculture. Impacts on the soil: reduction of organic matter and pollution. Pollution phenomena. First rain waters. "Flora and vegetation" component: definitions and operational steps for the Environmental Impact Study. Ante-operam characterization, impact analysis, mitigation and compensation. "Fauna" component: definitions and operational steps for the Environmental Impact Study. Ante-operam characterization, impact analysis, mitigation and compensation. Analytical definition of "ecosystems". Ante-operam characterization (laws and reference conventions). Analysis of impacts, mitigations and compensations. Definition and analysis of the "landscape". Ante-operam characterization. Analysis of impacts, mitigations and compensations. Characterization of the anthropic environment in the components related to the Environmental Impact Study: Demographic, sanitary, territorial, economic and social structure. Analysis of the anthropic component as a single element and in relation to the other components. Current actions as element of evaluation. Noise, vibrations, traffic and waste.
During the course examples and case studies will be presented and discussed.