ENP-36306 Climate Governance

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Basic knowledge on environmental science and on the physical aspects of climate change, knowledge on environmental policy and environmental economics.

Contents:

This course provides insight into the social, political, and economic processes that govern climate change. It consists of four topics:
- The development of climate change policy from an international perspective. This includes the role of state and non-state actors; and the interaction between international, national, and local actions and initiatives;
- The political and economic dynamics emerging from the negotiations on a post-Kyoto agreement, including the changing positions of major players;
- Major ideas, concepts and theories which are relevant for the analysis of climate governance: regime theory; fragmentation; transnational governance; multi-level governance; access; accountability; discourses; the precautionary principle; burden sharing and fairness principles; economic incentives and flexible instruments; economics of risk and uncertainty; integrated assessment and economic modelling; the role of science in climate governance;
- The governance of specific areas of climate policy (energy policy, flood protection, climate migration, loss and damage).
Topics are illuminated from the political and policy perspective by the Environmental Policy group (ENP) and from the economic perspective by the Environmental Economics and Natural Resources group (ENR). The part on international science is provided by the Environmental Systems Analysis (ESA) group.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- understand the political and economic processes that govern climate adaptation and mitigation;
- understand the role of scientific research and the science-policy interface in climate change policy;
- identify major theories, concepts and models from political science and economics which contribute to the understanding of climate governance;
- identify the central ideas and concepts that characterise climate governance - apply these models, theories and concepts to specific cases and areas of climate governance;
- understand the ways in which the climate governance regime can be transformed and developed.

Activities:

- lectures;
- studying the course literature;
- assignments for tutorials;
- working groups;
- writing a group paper.

Examination:

The examination is based on a combination of methods:
- a written exam based on open questions (50%);
- a group paper (50%).
Passing the course requires a grade of 5.5 or higher for both.

Literature:

See course guide.