Global Land Use Dynamics (ÜWP) - Detailseite

The overarching goal of this class is to develop a sound understanding of the role of land use in the Earth system as a driver and outcome of global change, as well as the close linkages between land use and current key sustainability challenges, such as food security, land degradation, sustainable supply chains or climate change. During the course of the class, students will get familiar with the theoretical foundation of land systems, and a number of tools to analyze them and their dynamics in an integrated approach. Recorded online-lectures, extensive readings and in-depth class discussions form the basis of the sessions, complemented by classroom-response systems, collaborative whiteboards and breakout sessions. The broad topics of the course will consist of:

1. Land Use and the Global Food System
2. Past & Future Drivers of land-use change
3. Causal methods to do impact evaluation in land-use science
4. Agricultural expansion and global deforestation frontiers
5. Agricultural intensification
6. Sustainable intensification
7. Livestock systems and sustainable livestock
8. Abandonment and restoration
9. Land tenure & smallholder
10. Theories in land system science
11. Wicked problems and normative land system science
12. Globalization and telecouplings
13. Food security
14. The trilemma of addressing food security, biodiversity loss and climate change

The suggested literature is being constantly updated or amended, depending on (a) potential changes in topics discussed in class, and (b) new publications that directly connect to the course's schedule. However, here are some broader papers, that will certainly be helpful in preparing the class

Meyfroidt, P. (2016). "Approaches and terminology for causal analysis in land systems science." Journal of Land Use Science 11(5): 501-522.

Meyfroidt, P., et al. (2022). "Ten facts about land systems for sustainability." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 119(7).

The Modulabschlussprüfung will be held in form of an e-exam