A UNESCO-sponsored roving training course on Geological Parameters for Environmental Protection has been developed for engineers, scientists, managers and technical staff working in mining, water supply and natural resource development and management in developing countries of Africa and Asia. The course has been developed by Mike Heath, John Merefield and Peter Grainger of the University of Exeter and is supported by UNESCO's Division of Earth Sciences under the supervision of Fernando L. Repetto in Paris.

Environmental management is one of the key requirements of sustainable development, but the pressing need for exploitation of indigenous natural resources places great pressure on the environment in many developing countries. This course aims to provide an understanding of the geological, hydrogeological and geochemical bases for successful environmental management, with particular reference to water resources, mining, oil and gas development, waste disposal and the management of contaminated land.

Each element of the course is planned to provide sufficient depth of knowledge to leave participants with an appreciation of the subject in a way that will continue to serve them throughout their professional lives.

The course content includes the following themes:

  (1) Environmental Geology

• introductory overview
• rationale

• surface water
• groundwater

• geochemical processes
• geochemical behaviour of key substances

• hazards and risks
• sources of pollution
• pathways through the geosphere
• targets and impacts
• interactions

• environmental impact assessment
• environmental audits

• water resources
• mining
• oil and gas
• waste disposal
• contaminated land

  (8) Geological framework for environmental management systems

To date, the course has been presented in Windhoek (January 1999), Addis Ababa (January 2000), Cairo (January 2001), Dresden (February 2001), Beijing (December 2001), Mumbai (February/March 2002) and Muscat (March 2002 / May 2003).
 

For further details contact:

Dr Mike Heath
Camborne School of Mines
University of Exeter
Redruth
Cornwall TR15 3SE (UK)

Tel/fax 00 44 1209 216647
email M.J.Heath@exeter.ac.uk