A centered approach for problems in environmental sciences

• Published in: Environments Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Berninger, K, Tapio, P, Lehtonen, M, Willamo, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2008
• ISSN: 0711-6780

As a contribution to the definition of environmental science, this article describes an interdisciplinary, problem-oriented approach for studying environmental problems. It can be used both in research and in education. Problem orientation can be expressed in three questions: a) Why are there environmental problems? b) What are their characteristics? and c) In which ways can they be mitigated? The fundamental part of the approach is the systematic study of each environmental question. In order to frame the study, a conceptual framework - the Environmental Protection Process framework (EPP), which describes the process of environmental protection from the creation of environmental problems to their possible solutions - is presented and illustrated through examples of transport and climate change issues.Original Abstract: En tant que contribution a la definition des sciences de l'environnement, cet article decrit une approche interdisciplinaire centree sur les problemes, specialement developpee pour l'etude des problemes environnementaux et qui peut etre employee tant en recherche qu'en enseignement. L'approche centree sur les problemes peut se resumer a l'aide de trois questions: a) pourquoi y a-t-il des problemes environnementaux? b) quelles en sont les caracteristiques? et c) comment peuvent-ils etre attenues? L'objectif principal de cette approche est l'etude systematique de chaque question environnementale.