BMET 27A24 - Situating IPBES in the Landscape of Global Environmental Governance

This course is an introduction to the institutions and the epistemic categories of the governance of global environmental knowledge. Since the 1980s, global environmental assessments have become a central tool in global environmental governance. They are expected to provide the environmental knowledge necessary for politicians, so that they are able to govern the environment and produce the adequate policies. The knowledge thus produced is intended to influence the international environmental (decisional) arenas (the COPs), the national governments, but also NGOs, the private sectors and civil society. Given this scope of influence, it seems a priority to investigate the principles guiding the way this knowledge is produced.

My aim in this course is to investigate the conceptions of knowledge that underpin global epistemic environmental governance. What place does knowledge occupy in relation to politics? What types of knowledge are welcomed? Which conceptions of knowledge, and of its potential connections to governance, are dominant?

A first part of the course will focus on the landscape of the different models of assessments interfaces between science and policy. These models rely on divergent conceptions of science, leading to several possible ways of conceiving science-policy interactions. Contrary to the traditional comprehension of a neutral science, that would merely discover facts, the idea that knowledge, including science, is socially situated and constructed, conveys certain norms and exclude others, emerges.

Then the second part of the course will be dedicated to an in-depth analysis of the interface configuration proposed by the IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). We will study the boundaries and processes set by the platform to organize the relations between knowledge and policy, the conception of science on which it relies, and the epistemic categories and the conceptual framework guiding its work.

Academic expectations

• acquisition of knowledge on epistemic environmental governance at the global scale - development of reading skills (focus on the texts for the presentations and the mandatory readings) - presentation and analysis of arguments
• construction of arguments

Grading criteria

• assessment of knowledge acquisition
• quality of argumentation and analysis
• quality of writing

Late work policy

Half a point will be deducted for each day of delay. However, please don’t hesitate to let me know if you encounter any difficulties or exceptional circumstances while completing your work.

Late arrival policy

No late arrival policy, everybody will be welcomed in class.