Environmental Hazards And Disaster Management
- Sciences
- 200 level
- 3 credit units
- 105 pages
- 10 units
This course introduces learners to the fundamental concepts of environmental hazards and natural disaster management. It explores various natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and snow avalanches, as well as common environmental hazards like floods, drought, desertification, landslides, and acid rain. The course examines the causes, consequences, and management strategies for these hazards, with a focus on the Nigerian environment.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Basic knowledge in geography
- biology
- and chemistry
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ESM204, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- UNIT 1: INTRODUCTI ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL HARZARDS AND D ISASTERS
- UNIT 2: EARTHQUAKE
- UNIT 3: FLOODS
- UNIT 4: DROUGHT & DESERTIFICATION: CONCEPTS AND CAUSES
- UNIT 5: IMPACTS OF DROUGHTS AND DESERTIFICATION
- UNIT 6: VOLCANIC HAZARDS (I)
- UNIT 7: VOLCANIC HAZARDS (II)
- UNIT 8: LANDSLIDE
- Unit 9: SNOW AVALANCHES
- UNIT 10: ACID RAIN
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ESM204 · UNIT 1: INTRODUCTI ON TO ENVIRONMENTAL HARZARDS AND D ISASTERS
Today the depressing regular ity of environmental disaste rs is making headline News of National and International print and elec tronic media. Each year one or more hurricane strikes the Caribbean region.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the concept of environmental hazards and natural disasters.
- Outline common environmental disasters in Nigeria.
- Discuss the causes and consequences of environmental hazards.
- State management techniques for environmental hazards.
- Analyze the impact of human activities on environmental hazards.
What it prepares you for
- Environmental Manager
- Disaster Response Coordinator
- Environmental Consultant
- Safety Officer
- Environmental Educator
- Environmental Management
- Emergency Services
- Government Agencies
- Consulting Firms
- Education
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Earthquake
Unit 2: Earthquake
Understanding seismic waves and their behavior requires a strong foundation in physics and wave mechanics.
- Module 6: Volcanic Hazards
Unit 6: Volcanic Hazards (1)
The complexity of volcanic tectonic settings and the diverse range of primary volcanic hazards demand a comprehensive understanding of geological processes.
- Module 8: Snow Avalanches
Unit 9: Snow Avalanches
Analyzing the factors influencing snowpack strength and the dynamics of avalanche motion requires knowledge of thermodynamics and fluid dynamics.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 42 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Introduction to Environmental Hazards and Disasters
Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Hazards and Disasters · 3 hours
Read the introduction to environmental hazards and disasters.. Understand the conceptual background of environmental hazards.. Identify the toll of environmental hazards and their impact on development.. Explore perspectives on prevention and reconstruction of natural hazards.. Discuss ways to reduce the impact of natural hazards..
- Week 2Module 2: Earthquake
Unit 2: Earthquake · 3 hours
Explain the concept of an earthquake.. Describe seismic waves and their characteristics.. Differentiate between magnitude and intensity of earthquakes.. Discuss the occurrence and severity of earthquakes.. Examine ground motion, ground failure, tsunamis, and fire hazards associated with earthquakes..
- Week 3Module 3: Floods
Unit 3: Floods · 3 hours
Define the term flood and its conceptual clarification.. Identify different types of floods, including river floods and coastal floods.. Discuss the causes of floods and their beneficent effects.. Explain the negative effects of floods and their impact on communities..
- Week 4Module 4: Drought and Desertification
Unit 4: Drought and Desertification: Concepts and Causes · 3 hours
Describe drought and its characteristics.. Review the concepts of drought and desertification.. Identify indicators of desertification.. Discuss the causes of desertification and their impact on the environment..
- Week 5Module 5: Impacts of Droughts and Desertification
Unit 5: Impacts of Droughts and Desertification · 3 hours
Identify major impacts of drought and desertification.. Examine socio-economic impacts of drought and desertification.. Discuss methods for controlling desertification, including short-term and long-term techniques.. Understand the concept of irreversible desertification.. Explore the importance of remote sensing in desertification control..
- Week 6Module 6: Volcanic Hazards
Unit 6: Volcanic Hazards (1) · 3 hours
Discuss volcanic tectonic settings.. Identify primary volcanic hazards.. Examine ground deformation and its impact on the environment..
- Week 7Module 6: Volcanic Hazards
Unit 7: Volcanic Hazards (II) · 3 hours
Explain the relationship between lather slides and volcanic eruptions.. Discuss methods of diverting and controlling lava flows, including bombing, artificial barriers, and water sprays.. Examine vulnerability modification adjustments and community preparedness.. Explore forecasting and warning techniques for volcanic eruptions..
- Week 8Module 7: Landslide
Unit 8: Landslide · 3 hours
Review the conceptual framework of landslides.. Identify different types of landslide terrain.. Discuss the strength of materials during a landslide.. Examine the causes of landslides, including rotational slides and translational slides.. Explore rock falls and debris flows..
- Week 9Module 8: Snow Avalanches
Unit 9: Snow Avalanches · 3 hours
Discuss snow avalanches in Europe and North America.. Examine the snow avalanche path and its characteristics.. Explore the character of snow avalanche motion..
- Week 10Module 9: Acid Rain
Unit 10: Acid Rain · 3 hours
Discuss the causes of acid rain.. Examine the effects of acid rain on living and non-living components of the environment.. Explore methods for preventing acid rain, including individual efforts and government actions..
- Week 11Review and Consolidation
Review of Modules 1-3 · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Modules 1-3.. Complete assignments and TMAs related to introductory topics.. Prepare for mid-course assessments..
- Week 12Review and Consolidation
Review of Modules 4-6 · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Modules 4-6.. Work on assignments and TMAs related to intermediate topics.. Practice problem-solving techniques..
- Week 13Review and Consolidation
Review of Modules 7-9 · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Modules 7-9.. Finalize assignments and TMAs.. Prepare for final examinations..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed summaries of each unit, focusing on key terms and concepts.
- Practice applying disaster management techniques to real-world scenarios.
- Review case studies of past environmental disasters and their management.
- Focus on understanding the causes and consequences of each type of hazard.
- Allocate study time proportionally based on the weightage of each module in the final examination.
- Create concept maps linking different types of environmental hazards and their interdependencies.
- Review all tutor-marked assignments and incorporate feedback into your study plan.
Questions students ask about this course
What is ESM204 about?
This course introduces learners to the fundamental concepts of environmental hazards and natural disaster management. It explores various natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and snow avalanches, as well as common environmental hazards like floods, drought, desertification, landslides, and acid rain. The course examines the causes, consequences, and management strategies for these hazards, with a focus on the Nigerian environment.
How many units does ESM204 have?
ESM204, Environmental Hazards And Disaster Management, has 10 units across 1 module, over 105 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ESM204?
ESM204 carries 3 credit units, at 200 level in Sciences.
Is ESM204 hard?
ESM204 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does ESM204 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 10 units.
How is ESM204 assessed?
ESM204 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What do I need before starting ESM204?
Basic knowledge in geography biology and chemistry
What can I do with ESM204?
Environmental Manager, Disaster Response Coordinator, Environmental Consultant, Safety Officer and Environmental Educator.