DAFF 25A47 - Adapting Large Metropolis to Climate Change: Evolution of Risk, Crisis and Disaster Governance

This course examines the intricate relationship between large urban areas, climate change, and the governance of risks, crises, and disasters from a geographic and political science perspective. The unique vulnerabilities of urban areas to the impacts of climate change will be examined, alongside an analysis of the pivotal role of politics and policy in mitigating and responding to these challenges. Students will delve into the political, social, and environmental dimensions of global cities' challenges in facing a changing environment and the policies and governance strategies for promoting sustainability and resilience. The class will explore how the existing frameworks, tools and instruments dealing with risk, crisis and disasters, may be used in the context of climate change risks. We will explore risk, crisis, disaster and climate adaptation governance with a multi-level perspective, from international negotiations to local implementation and contestations. Each session will be dedicated to discussing key notions through text analysis, providing students with the opportunity to work on case studies (dedicated group time to work on case study during the seminar).

No pre-requisite

1°) Class Participation: Oral participation and weekly text reading will be part of the final grade - 10%

2°) Weekly questionnaire about the readings: students will have to answer weekly a small questionnaire about the week’ text (up to 5 questions) – 10%

2°) Reading review: each student will have to write a review of one of the weekly mandatory readings (3 to 4 pages), that will also include a graphic production of their own (a map, a schematic, a graph). The graphic production could also be related to the weekly case study (to practice and/or improve grades) – 30%

• Group work: analysis of an urban area adaptation to climate change. Students, in group of 2 or 3, will study specific urban cases, and present it to their classmate, in form of an oral presentation, during the last sessions, and will write a final paper on their case analysis, considering the comments of their classmates and teacher – 40%