LNAK10072U Global Environmental Governance

Volume 2017/2018
Education

MSc Programme in Nature Management
MSc Programme in Forest Ecosystems, Nature and Society SUFONAMA
MSc Programme in Agriculture
MSc Programme in Climate Change
MSc Programme in Forest and Nature Management

Content

Global environmental governance (GEG) is an interdisciplinary project-oriented course. It provides insights into different types of environmental problems, the ways they are framed, and environmental governance mechanisms that address these problems. The course introduces and applies key concepts and issues seen from professional perspectives of political science, geography, law, and life sciences.

In the course we engage in and work with: 1) Varying global environmental issues, such as climate change, and deforestation; 2) concepts and theories of relevance to global environmental governance and international environmental politics; 3) international actors, organizations and regimes, such as the Paris Agreement, UNEP, and the RIO Convention on Biodiversity.

In parallel to the lectures and classes, the students will work in teams to elaborate and submit a written assignment in applying concepts and theories in analyses of global environmental issues, actors, and institutions. The project supervisors will define broad topics, but the students can to a large extent choose between and affect the topics in a direction that suits their particular interest. 

The students will be assessed individually based on an oral exam that takes departure in their written group assignment, and then enquires into other parts of the course.

Learning Outcome

Objective of the course:
The main objective of the course is to provide interdisciplinary knowledge, skills, and competences for the students that can assist them in dealing with global environmental governance in an international and/or national work context.

Learning outcomes:

Knowledge

At the end of the course, the students can retrieve, recognize and recall knowledge aquired from the course (including lectures, readings, and own written group assignments) on:

  • Global environmental problems and issues,
  • concepts and theories,
  • international organizations and regimes,
  • different types of actors and the roles they play in global environmental governance

 

Skills

Further, the students can:

  • Explain and compare theories and concepts from the course,
  • exemplify and compare environmental problems and the challenges they pose to global governance

 

Competences

Finally, the students can:

  • Apply concepts and theories from the course in analyses of global environmental problems and solutions, institutions and regimes,
  • compare and critically assess the (relative) strengths and weaknesses of different concepts and theories in relation to carrying out such analyses

 

Through the assignments, the students will also demonstrate that they can work in teams while addressing global environmental governance problems

You can find a good introduction to the topic in:

Harris,P.G. (ed.) 2015. Routledge Handbook Of Global Environmental Politics, Routledge, London. 

O’Neil, Kate (2009): The Environment and International Relations, Cambridge University Press.

Najam, Adil; M. Papa, N. Taiyab (2006): Global Environmental governance, a reform agenda. IISD. Chapter 1. A primer on the GEG Reform Debate. http:/​/​www.iisd.org/​pdf/​2006/​geg.pdf

This course is for graduate students, i.e. students who hold a BSc degree in any field. Students who have some previous experience with environmental sciences, social sciences and law may have a small advantage from the outset, but for students with other backgrounds, a genuine interest in the topic can make up for it.
As a rule, the lectures will be based on dialogue between teachers and students. The course includes theoretical exercises and guidance for writing the project assignments.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Guidance
  • 2
  • Lectures
  • 48
  • Preparation
  • 55
  • Project work
  • 87
  • Theory exercises
  • 12
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 25 minutes under invigilation
The students prepare short individual presentations of their group report from home. At the examination, we take point of departure in the presentation and report when relating to topics of relevance to the rest of the course. No time for preparation at the exam.
Exam registration requirements

Submitted project report

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as ordinary.

If the student has not handed in the project report, then it must be handed in two weeks prior to the re-exam. It must be approved before the exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcomes