The main aim of the course is to raise awareness of the fact that the Earth System is made up of a series of interrelated systems and that human activity is altering the balances that have made the development of human civilisation possible in the first place. In this context, the objective of sustainable use of resources is maintaining and improving living standards, limiting environmental pressure and consequently minimizing ecological and human health related impacts. Socio-economic systems rely upon ecosystems, sustainability aims at enabling human development without jeopardising the Earth’s ecosystems. The most important environmental challenges that humankind is facing, such as climate change and extinction of species, are all interlinked. The underpinning drivers of such impacts should be addressed in a systematic manner.
This necessitates the maintenance of the planet’s ecological life-support system, which encompasses natural capital and ecosystem services, for an indefinite period. Consequently, from an economical, political and social point of view, reaching sustainable standards requires a new evaluation of responsibilities and strategies of the production and consumption chain starting from raw materials and feedstock.
The question of sustainability is contingent upon a range of factors, including the environmental impacts associated with the material used, the scale at which it is deployed, the existence of alternative resources, and the efficiency with which resources are utilised.
Fossil, mineral and metals and biomass resources are the key input to production and consumption systems. Their availability, supply risk, circularity and substitutability are some of the key elements needed to understand their role in the society. Moreover, extraction and use of resources is the main driver of the abovementioned environmental impacts.
In this regard, the use of biomass derived from natural resources and waste materials currently constitutes an important proportion of renewable energy output, while also representing a growing share of material inputs to the bioeconomy. Moreover, there is a clear competition in the demand of biomass for different uses and it is utmost to understand which are the key sustainability challenges associated with this (e.g. feed, food, energy and biomaterials).
This course examines this aspect together with a multitude of interrelated factors regarding biomass use, including direct and indirect land use impacts. It also considers waste management and residue utilisation, and the broader environmental implications of such production and use.

Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student will have a fundamental understanding of:
• the theoretical development of the concept of limits in ecology, carrying capacity, planetary boundaries and links to footprinting;
• the main ecological issues and challenges in the face of global changes;
• concepts of sustainability;
• definition of resources (abiotic and biotic resources), primary and secondary;
• classification of biomass based on origin, characteristics and sustainability;
• basics of plant biology and ecology;
• biomass valorisation in the productive and energetic supply chain;
• main parameters to be evaluated to define a low environmental impact process and product/service;
• fundamentals of the bioeconomy and its circularity;
• challenges and opportunities in bioeconomy;
• international and European legislative frameworks connected to the fields of environmental sustainability.

Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
• discuss the concept of sustainability learned in the course that forms the basis of sustainable development according to the UN 2030 agenda;
• understand differences in renewable and not renewable resources;
• understand the concept of circularity of resources;
• apply fundamentals of circular bioeconomy;
• refer to a set of the main ecological indicators;
• know the International and European legislative frameworks connected to the fields of environmental sustainability.

Making judgements
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
• assess the interlinkages between resources, production and consumption systems, environmental pressure and ecological impacts, addressing them in light of Earth ecological limits.

Communication skills
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
• analyze case studies of sustainable use of resources in a clear and concise way;
• explain orally with a suitable language the objectives, the procedures and the results of the elaborations carried out.

Learning skills
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
• understand topics covered in the scientific literature concerning the sustainability issue.