F1GD 4465 - International Environmental Governance: Power, Politics and the Planet (New course)

***UPDATED for 2025/26***

Global environmental problems like climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution respect no borders. Yet the international system is built of states as the primary unit of political representation. Over the decades a web of international environment mechanisms has developed to encourage collective action to tackle these challenges, but – as the state of the planet implies – they’ve not always been successful. This course will examine evolutions in global environmental governance and policy. It will investigate the structures, successes and challenges across the international environmental landscape. Students will research and share their knowledge on pressing environmental challenges and gain a practical understanding of the international environmental realm as well as real-life skills in problem analysis and policy development.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will understand and be able to critique multilateral approaches to environmental governance
• Students will understand the structure and the make-up of the international environmental system
• Students will learn about a variety of environmental challenges and the efforts that have been made to address those challenges.

Professional Skills

• Research, analysis and critical thinking
• Oral and written communication skills (through oral presentations, debates, active participation and written assignments)
• Working effectively in a team (through group presentations and case studies)
• Negotiation tactics

None

Feedback will be provided throughout the class for the group work and pair presentations. Students should feel free to ask for additional feedback, if and when needed.

The evaluation of students' performance will be based on four types of assessments:

• Pair presentations 30%
• End of session exam – 3 essays over 2 hours 50%
• Active class participation 10%

• In Class Presence: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 6 hours a week / 72 hours a semester
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessment: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Preparing for end of semester exam: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester