MSD-017: Challenges to Sustainable Development

By Dr. Deeksha Dave and Dr. Y.S.C. Khuman | Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi

Learners enrolled: 226

The Course “Challenges to Sustainable Development” provides an overview of the challenges faced by the world in achieving sustainable development. It stresses the importance of balancing the social, environmental and economic cost of development not only for the present but also for the future generations. We have witnessed the socio-cultural and ecological impacts of conventional model of development which makes it essential to seek alternative means.

The course intends to provide a forum for examining the developmental models of the world. The upcoming challenges of climate change, environmental pollution, biological threats and importance of good health and sanitation have been elaborately discussed. The course will be useful for the learners who are interested in the knowing more about the challenges posed by massive economic growth, reckless development, unplanned strategies and over utilization of natural resources. The objective of the course is to facilitate the students to critically examine the leading discussions and practices of development so as to enable them to participate effectively in decision making at various levels.

Course Credit: 4
Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Not Applicable
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Multidisciplinary
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Postgraduate
Start Date :	15 Jul 2025
End Date :	15 Nov 2025
Enrollment Ends :	15 Sep 2025
Exam Date :
NCrF Level	5.0

Page Visits

Course layout

Challenges to Sustainable Development
Block-1 Climate Change
Week-1	Introduction to the science of climate change
Week-2	Climate change and natural resources system
Week-3	Human dimensions of climate change
Week-4	Adaptation and Mitigation
Block-2 Global Environmental Issues
Week-5	Overpopulation and resource depletion Energy Crisis
Week-6	Urbanisation Pollution and waste generation
Block-3 Health, Nutrition and Environment
Week-7	Environment and Health, Health and Sanitation
Week-8	Health Hazard
Week-9	Nutrition
Block-4 Threats
Week-10	Land Degradation Desertification
Week-11	Disasters
Week-12	Biopiracy

Books and references

BOOKS

Alexander, D. (2018). Natural disasters. Routledge.
Chakrabarty, K., & Chakrabarty, A. S. (2019). Textbook of Nutrition in Health and Disease. Springer Nature.
Harper, C., & Snowden, M. (2017). Environment and society: Human perspectives on environmental issues. Taylor & Francis.
Middleton, N. (2013). The global casino: An introduction to environmental issues: An introduction to environmental issues. Routledge.

REFERENCES

Bobrowsky, P. T. (Ed.). (2013). Encyclopedia of natural hazards (Vol. 1135). Dordrecht: Springer.
Dave, D. (2009). Biological pollution: An upcoming global threat. TERI Information Digest on Energy and Environment, 8(1), 19-33.
Hoornweg, D., &Bhada-Tata, P. (2012). What a waste: a global review of solid waste management.
Mukherjee, T. (2020). Documentation and Protection of Traditional Knowledge. In Medicinal Plants: Biodiversity, Sustainable Utilization and Conservation (pp. 135-142). Springer, Singapore.
Pathak, B. (2015). Environmental Sanitation and Eradication of Scavenging in India. Motilal Banarsidass.
Selendy, J. M. (Ed.). (2019). Water and Sanitation-related Diseases and the Changing Environment: Challenges, Interventions, and Preventive Measures. John Wiley & Sons.
You, S., Sonne, C., & Ok, Y. S. (2020). COVID-19's unsustainable waste management. Science, 368(6498), 1438.

Instructor bio

Dr. Deeksha Dave and Dr. Y.S.C. Khuman

Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi

Dr. Deeksha Dave is working as Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, School of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies, IGNOU. She is M.Sc. (Gold Medalist) and Ph.D. Environmental Sciences from M. L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur. She is also M.A. in Distance Education from IGNOU, New Delhi.

She has a rich experience of more than 15 years of teaching and research in Environmental Studies. She has authored several textbooks on Environmental Studies published by repute publishers. To her credit are several book chapters, research papers and articles in various journals and magazines. She has also participated and presented her research work in several national and international seminars and conferences. She was awarded for the Best Oral Presentation Award at the International Conference on Eco-friendly and Socially Responsible Economy and Equity: Issues and Challenges of 21^st century for Emergent Sustainable Development amongst SAARC Countries organized by Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur and University of Mumbai, Mumbai in 2017. She is also the recipient of COL (Commonwealth Of Learning) fellowship for participation at 31^st Conference on “Open University for Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education” held at Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2017. She is invited as a speaker in various conferences, seminars and workshops. She is the life member of various Professional Bodies like National Environmental Science Academy and Society of Ethnobotanists. At IGNOU, she is co-ordinating important programmes like Course on Population and Sustainable Development, Certificate in Solid Waste Management and M.Sc. Environmental Sciences. She is also associated with courses on Sustainability Science. Her area of research includes waste management, ecology and sustainability education.

Dr. Y.S.C. Khuman is Associate Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary and Tran disciplinary Studies, IGNOU, New Delhi. His Ph.D. from University of Delhi is on fuel wood issues in mountain regions of India. He has more than 15 publications in peer reviewed journals. Dr. Khuman was involved in the design and development of different programmes in the area of Sustainability Science at IGNOU. He is also a member of Commission of Ecosystem Management, IUCN (2021-25). He is life member of Indian Society for Ecological Economic, Delhi and Indian Academy of SocialSciences, Allahabad.

He is the Programme Coordinator, Post Graduate Diploma in Sustainability Science and Master of Arts in Sustainability Science. He has more than ten years’ experience in developing online courses and online student support services.

Major Research areas: Sustainability Science, Wetland Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Development and Local livelihood.