Topics on ecological stability and climate changes in modern media.

“International Eurasia Press Fund”
Baku - 2011

Experts:
Urkhan Alakperov – Chairperson, Azerbaijan National MaB
(“Man & Biosphere”) Committee, UNESCO

- Jahangir Mammadl, Prof., Head ofJournalism
Department, Baku State University

- Huseyn Bayramzadeh – Responsible official, . Ministry of Education of the Republic of
Azerbaijan


The supply designed within the Project “Preparation of a supportive/substantial educational program aiming development of the Azerbaijani journalists’ professionalism on issues of global climate changes” will serve print, electron and broadcasting journalists, students-youth having education at journalism departments of higher education, civil society and educational institutions.


©“International Eurasia Press Fund”, 2011.
Preface
Contamination of and disorder in environment is the cause for occurrence of certain ecological, economical and social problems; it creates obstacles for human being to become a personality and decent/worthy man. Presently contamination of and disorder in environment creates not only economical and social problems for humanity and it gives a push/stimulates new huge ecological complications for future. Climate changes occupies essential place among new ecological problems generated from disorder and contamination of environment. Whirlwind and stream, flood happened in various regions of the world, drought, heavy rains and flood observed in various parts caused huge damages in infrastructures of cities and settlements, industry and agriculture. Consequently lives of people, their food and ecological safety are under danger. As the climate changes have global character it is kept under focus throughout the world. Proposed concepts; held considerable international conferences including the World Summit for prevention of these problems once more underline special stringency of the problem and measurements directed to resolution of these challenges. Climate changes and ecological problems lying on the bottom of these processes on most cases are related to people’s industrial and agricultural activities and in life to their mode of life and behavior. Activities or behavior procreated by people and undesirable from ecological point of view or risky for environment in most cases happen because of unawareness. Therefore it is particularly important to aware the population on causes procreating ecological problems and the issue of climate changes derived from these problems; about the real and potential complications of these problems; and improve their knowledge and capacity in related sphere.
Role of media in educating the population on these urgent problems is supposed to be great and in most cases decisive. It is not accidental that UNESCO held a special summit in Paris in September 2009 and the event was devoted to the role of media in overcoming problems related to climate changes. The Paris Declaration adopted in this summit suggested strengthening the publicity media and educative activities on climate changes. For achievement of these aims there was organized a special training-workshop for media journalists and future journalists-students in December, 2010 in Baku within the frame of UNESCO Project. The workshop was organized by Azerbaijan Press Council, Azerbaijan National MaB (“Man & Biosphere”) Committee, UNESCO and International Eurasia Press Fund with Azerbaijan National Commission – UNESCO initiative. The aim of the event was to improve media journalists’ knowledge and abilities on issues like climate changes, the factors causing these cases and the ways of their prevention; and this event was highly evaluated by international community. Publication of a special handbook on stated issues is the first step made in this direction and the handbook serves as a database with conforming information for media journalists.
Preparation of the Training Program in the Republic of Azerbaijan is one of the next steps made in this sphere and it will be useful for the development of professional scientific journalism in the nation.
It is planned to have 32 academic hours for a semester; 20 hours for lectures and 12 for practical classes.








Topics and their content






Topic 1: Function of publicizing historical knowledge and abilities acquired on eradication of climate changes and provision of ecological stability on media spheres.

• Significance of highlighting of historical information and experience on protection of animate nature and its effective use including the natural environment on international, central and local media.
• Publicity of information on optimal management of environment in the sources related to ancient and the Middle Ages; protection and use of this information.
• Working on and publication of modules and information on local knowledge and historically collected experience.
• Significance of using correct ecological terminology and observance of rules during preparation of written materials and broadcasting.
• Highlighting of collaboration with UNESCO and other international organizations in stated sphere.







Topic 2: New approach to environment: highlighting the concept “one environment-various components” (natural environment, economical environment, social environment, and political environment, etc.) on media; collaboration with international organizations on these approaches.
• In many cases the terminology “environment” is used as synonym of “natural surroundings”.
• In some cases the terminology “environment” is incorrectly identified as “ecology”.
• Ecology is a science dealing with environment and it is not correct to evaluate its presentation “bad” or “good” in journalists’ materials.
• According to modern notions the terminology of “environment” has broader sense; it comprises natural, economical, social and political environments.
• For successful management of environment the necessity of introducing all components of environment (natural, economical, social and political) simultaneously on media is of great importance.
• Highlighting the successful policy on environment directed to management of environment in a unique complex format conducted in Azerbaijan and the international collaboration in related sphere on media.




Topic 3: Concept on contemporary approach to sustainable development and its role in best managing of environment; Indicators of sustainable development; Highlighting the role of sustainable development in eradicating climate changes and other ecological complications on media.
• Necessity of sustainable development origin and its history. Contemporary view on sustainable development.
• Role of media in optimal managing of environment and natural resources.
• Concept of development - unequal and without future.
• Role of sustainable development in prevention of these negative processes.
• International indicators applied into planning, managing and evaluating of sustainable development.
• Highlighting the role of sustainable development in preventing climate changes and other ecological disasters/complications on media.
• Highlighting the successes achieved on planning and managing of sustainable development in Azerbaijan in local and international press.





Topic 4: Role of media in protecting the environment, also media responsibility in planning and managing of a sustainable development relying on human potentiality that aims on the eradication of climate changes; human development as a factor in providing ecological stability; main indicators of human development. Highlighting recent years’ achievements attained in the nation in the aspect of sustainable development based on human potentiality.
• Human being potentiality and human being development as the base of ecological stability and sustainable development of the society.
• Notion on human being development. Dependence rate of various countries’ development level from natural-historical and human potentiality.
• Necessity of springing up of the notion of human being development at the end of XX century and the history of its origin.
• Role of provision of gender equality and fighting poverty in ecological stability and eradicating climate changes.
• Education, health and economical indicators of human being development comprising bases of sustainable development.
• Correlations observed between the level of human being development and climate changes; occurrence of other ecological complications and eradication of these disorders.
• Formation of human being potentiality as the main priority of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Collaboration of the country with international organizations including UNESCO in this direction.
Topic 5. Ecological civilization as an objective of sustainable development; factors characterizing ecological civilization; culture of consumption and role of media in the publicity; presentation of information on Green Economy (industry, agriculture, construction, transport) on media.
• Ecological civilization as the goal of sustainable development.
• Ecological civilization as the factor eliminating breaking out of climate changes and other ecological complications.
• History of establishment of ecological civilization concept and its main essence.
• Human beings’ consumption/use culture in establishment of ecological civilization and role of media in establishment of this culture.
• Role of green economy (green industry, construction and transport, organic agriculture, restored energy, etc.) in formation of ecological civilization and highlighting these new approaches on media.
• Importance of increasing journalists’ knowledge and ability on green economy indicators.
• Collecting and distribution of information on formation of global green economy and dynamic of the process by journalists.
• Role of media in formation of green economy in Azerbaijan and increasing the process.





Topic 6. Concept of climate; Climate changes and concept of climate changes, distinction of changes and the ways of its publicity; Paleoclimatology notion on climate in ancient times; formation of climate in various continents, nations and factors influencing climate.
• Climate differed in various historical ages in various regions of the world and it didn’t remain stable (unchangeable).
• Presentation of information on media climate changes broke out historically due to natural reasons.
• Unlike that differentiation of climate changes broken out due to human being activities in journalists’ materials and the ways of bringing them on to attention of population.
• Influence of human being activities and their modes of lives on climate changes.
• Role of press in eradication of activities and modes of lives negatively influencing on climate changes.







Topic 7. Global warming and its causes; greenhouse gases, their classification and the causes; warming and cooling in various regions of the world due to global warming; climate prognoses related to global warming and destruction of the ozone layer. International collaboration in the aspect of climate changes in Azerbaijan.
• Highlighting on media the sources of greenhouse gases generated due to human being activities and their influence on environment.
• Measurements undertaken preventing the influences.
• Preventing and ways of reducing pour of greenhouse gases into atmosphere.
• Highlighting the ways of managing of negative influence of climate changes and destruction of ozone layer on media; strengthening the awareness of population in this direction.
• Highlighting ecological policy of Azerbaijan Government on media.






Topic 8. Climate changes observed in Azerbaijan. Publicizing the ways on how to reduce the impact of climate changes. Highlighting the ways of benefitting from climate changes in the country and duties of media on reporting these possibilities to the population.
• Climate diversity in Azerbaijan and accordingly the ways of highlighting the probability of diversity of influence in various regions of the nation.
• The ways of reducing the negative influence of climate changes and role of media in arranging active participation of civil society in this process.
• Highlighting the ways of benefiting from climate warming in the country on media.

















Division of academic hours on topics
Topics Division of academic hours
Total Lecture Seminars
Topic 1: Function of publicizing historical knowledge and abilities acquired on eradication of climate changes and provision of ecological stability on media spheres. 4 3 1
Topic 2: New approach to environment: highlighting the concept “one environment-various components” (natural environment, economical environment, social environment, and political environment, etc.) on media; collaboration with international organizations on these approaches. 4 3 1
Topic 3: Concept on contemporary approach to sustainable development and its role in best managing of environment; Indicators of sustainable development; Highlighting the role of sustainable development in eradicating climate changes and other ecological complications on media. 4 3 1
Topic 4: Role of media in protecting the environment, also media responsibility in planning and managing of a sustainable development relying on human potentiality that aims on the eradication of climate changes; human development as a factor in providing ecological stability; main indicators of human development. Highlighting recent years’ achievements attained in the nation in the aspect of sustainable development based on human potentiality. 4 3 1
Topic 5. Ecological civilization as an objective of sustainable development; factors characterizing ecological civilization; culture of consumption and role of media in the publicity; presentation of information on Green Economy (industry, agriculture, construction, transport) on media. 4 3 1
Topic 6. Concept of climate; Climate changes and concept of climate changes, distinction of changes and the ways of its publicity; Paleoclimatology notion on climate in ancient times; formation of climate in various continents, nations and factors influencing climate. 4 3 1
Topic 7. Global warming and its causes; greenhouse gases, their classification and the causes; warming and cooling in various regions of the world due to global warming; climate prognoses related to global warming and destruction of the ozone layer. International collaboration in the aspect of climate changes in Azerbaijan. 4 3 1
Topic 8. Climate changes observed in Azerbaijan. Publicizing the ways on how to reduce the impact of climate changes. Highlighting the ways of benefitting from climate changes in the country and duties of media on reporting these possibilities to the population. 4 3 1
Total: 32 24 8


Literature:

1. Climate changes and ecological stability. Baku, “Avrasiya Press”, 2011, 103 pages.
2. Bases of sustainable development of human being, Baku, “Tehsil”, 2007, 105 pages.
3. Website: www.mediaclimate.org


CONTENT

Preface ............................................................ 3
Topic 1 ............................................................ 6
Topic 2 ............................................................ 7
Topic 3 ............................................................ 8
Topic 4 ............................................................ 9
Topic 5 ............................................................ 10
Topic 6 ............................................................ 11
Topic 7 ............................................................ 12
Topic 8 ............................................................ 13
Division of academic hours on topics ............. 14


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