F1ID 5085 - Financing Sustainable Development in the Global South

Adequately financing sustainable development in the Global South has become one of the pressing issues in today’s world. Faced with compounding crises, from the debt situation to security and climate change threats as well as political and social upheavals, the poorest and most vulnerable countries are in need of more and better financing for development. This highlights the dire need for reform of the existing international financial architecture to deliver at scale and efficiently to continue the fight against poverty while also preserving global public goods, such as climate and biodiversity.

This course will reflect on limited progress made to date on these issues and identify blockages and calls for reform. It will also explore ongoing negotiation processes in various foras (from the G20, World Bank and IMF annual meetings, Financing for sustainable development), and offer deep dives on some parts of the world to concretely illustrate what is at stake.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the main concepts around financing sustainable development, its main actors and negotiating processes
• Critically assess progress made to date and areas for improvement still under discussion
• Apprehend the diversity of experiences across regions and countries and their implications for sustainable financing
• Understand various financing instruments for supporting sustainable development and their relevance and availability for Global South countries
• Read and interpret data on financing sustainable development from various sources

Professional Skills

Research and analysis; critical thinking; oral and written communication; team work

.

Sessions will be divided between introductions to the topic and supporting material by the professors; and active debate/participation with the students.

Take-home papers will be peer-reviewed during class, and written comments will be provided before the next assignment is submitted. Feedback will also be provided on group presentations, while individualized feedback can be provided throughout the semester.

Take-home papers/group presentation (45%), participation (10%), group exercise 45%

Participation (assessed throughout the semester), take-home papers/ group presentation (on selected weeks), group exercise (1 dedicated week).

• Attendance: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 2.5 hours a week / 30 hours a semester
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 1.5 hours per week / 18 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 3 hours per week / 36 hours a semester