The ecological crisis supports the need for a comprehensive theoretical and methodological observation of environmental safety issues. Based on the relevant facts, it has to be proven that under modern environmental conditions, the environmental issues and risks belong to a domain of central, fundamental and applied geospatial research. This begins in the conditions of any rise in antagonism and contradiction between the two basic subsystems - nature and society. One of the most important accomplished goals is the proof that the environment is not a static system and that its structure and functionality are not an aggregate of randomly given geospatial phenomena, objects and processes, but a rather complex system respectively. Also, this consideration of the environment implies the necessity for overcoming the „geospatial concept” as a dual system.

Ability to understand and apply theoretical and methodological knowledge in the field of environmental research.

Theoretical lectures

1. Introduction to students with: course program entitled „Ecological safety” and its significance in realization of the study group of the study programme „Geospatial basics of the environment”; dynamics, method of work and realization of the curriculum; criteria, conception and realization of the topics of the given seminar papers.

2. Environment and safety: the concept, definitions of basic concepts, ecological security, environmental safety, trends in quality and environmental disruption, and the safety of society.

3. Ecological safety: the complexity of the cause of genesis; forms of manifestation and intensity of influence (threats) on social communities; geographical grouping and environmental safety.

4. Time and spatial framework of the environmental safety: ecological history and ecological safety; geospatial determinants of environmental safety (different spatial and time scales); differentiated properties of geospatial and environmental conditions and the issue of security.

5. Modern environmental problems and the necessity to redefine the notion of environmental safety: what is the reference subject of environmental safety; conflicts due to natural resources or the ecological quality of life; environmental safety entities.

6. Interconnections and connections in the environmental system - ecological safety: geocomponent (water, air, soil, living organisms) and geospherical level (local, regional, global).

7. Geophysical and geological determinants of ecological safety: magnetism; gravity; natural radioactive fields; terrestrial heat flows; natural and anthropogenic-initiated lithospheric processes; volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides.

8. Atmosphere and ecological safety: the role of the atmosphere in the protection and maintenance of life; changes in the physical and chemical structure of the atmosphere, climate change and variability, precipitation regime, temperature increase, climatological hazards.

9. Hydrosphere and ecological safety: water pollution, water deficit, ocean level rise, floods, water and food resources; common water resources; water and health.

10. Biosphere and ecological safety: the properties of the biosphere, biotic and abiotic components of nature; importance of biosphere in the ecosphere system; the influence of the society on the biosphere; loss of diversity; deforestration; biodiversity and ecological consequences; the impact of the living world on human health; biological agents (infectious, non-infectious) and health; natural allergens.

11. Pedosphere and environmental safety: pedosphere as a product of the ecosystem; basic ecological characteristics of the pedosphere; limitation and vulnerability of land resources, economic and environmental significance; pedosphere and food safety; regional specificities of threatening the pedosphere: excessive processing (Asia, Africa, North America), overcrowding (Africa, Asia, Australia), reduction of the forest areas(Asia, South America, Europe).

12. New technologies and environmental safety: nuclear energy, genetic engineering; nano-technology.

13. Global nature of environmental issues and geopolitical consequences: international protection law, international declarations, international treaties, ecostandards; regional cooperation and environmental safety.

14. State of the environment as a determinant of ecological safety and development: agriculture, forestry, water management, industry, mining and metallurgy, energy, transport, tourism.

15. Globalization and environmental safety: Strategic directions for the development of environmental safety and environmental protection systems; Global monitoring of environmental elements and environmental safety;

16. Recapitulation of the contents of the thematic units of the subject Ecological Safety.

Milinčić A.M. (2009): Еkološka bezbednost postmodernog društva u kontekstu evolucije i koevolucije ekosfere, Ekološka bezbednost u postmodernom ambijentu, Knj. 1, Radovi po pozivu – Plenarna predavanja, Banja Luka, Panevropski Univerzitet.

Milinčić A.M., Carević I., Jovanović Lj. (2009): Regional co-operation and its importance in prevention of emergencies in water resources domain, Collection of papers, International scientific conference ”Civil emergencies”, Belgrade, Military book, pp. 319-329.

Milinčić M., Đorđević T. (2011): Management of Spring Zones of Surface Water - The Prevention of Ecological Risks on the Example of Serbia and South Eastern Europe, Proceedings of the International scientific conference „Understanding and Managing Threats to the Environment in South Eastern Europe“ (Meško, Dimitrijević & Fields, eds.), NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, Springer Netherlands, pp. 225-249.

Milinčić M., Dimitrijević D., Đorđević T. (2011): Climate Impacts on Environmental Refugees and Security in South Eastern Europe. Journal of Balkan Ecology 14(3): 243-253.

Милинчић, А.М. (2001): Србија - геополитика животне средине, научна монографија, СГД, Београд.