Dr Tim Forsyth, V510

The course is primarily intended for students taking MSc Development Studies, MSc Development Management, MSc Anthropology and Development, MSc International Political Economy, MSc International Relations, MSc International Relations (Research), MSc Global Politics, MSc Biomedicine, Bioscience and Society, MPA Public and Economic Policy/MPA Public Policy and Management, MSc Regulation and MSc Regulation (Research) but is open to all students who wish to take a half-unit in international aspects of global environmental change and politics.

This course is about global environmental change and political responses at the international, national and sub-national level. The course focuses upon the institutions, politics and policy processes of global environmental governance, with a particular focus on dilemmas facing developing countries and the relationships of developed and developing countries. As in the other half-unit course with which this is associated (DV413), a basic question to be examined is that of how the institutions of the ‘global system’ impose constraints upon, and present opportunities for the promotion of sustainable development. The course will also be relevant to debates about policy formulation and implementation; and the involvement of state, and non-state (business and social) actors within environmental policy. The course will draw upon some elements of International Relations debates, but will also include more general discussions of global environmental governance within development studies, environmental politics, and science-policy debates.

The meaning of 'global' in environmental politics; the politics of environmental regimes; the role of the state, business, and non-governmental organziations in international environmental policy; the Global Environment Facility, World Bank and World Trade Organization. The course especially focuses on problems and policies of climate change; trade; biodiversity forests and conservation.

10 one-hour lectures in MT, with one one-hour class (seminar) per week.

One 1,500 word essay

Students are encouraged to look at any good basic texts and websites on global environmental governance and negotiations such as www.iisd.org. For examples: J Clapp and P Dauverge, Paths to a Greener World: the Political Economy of the Global Environment, MIT Press, 2005; L Elliot, The Global Politics of the Environment, Macmillan (2004); P Haas et al (Ed), Institutions for the Earth: Sources of Effective International Environmental Protection, MIT Press (1993); S. Jasanoff and M. Long Martello (eds) Earthly politics: local and global in environmental governance, Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press (2004); C. Miller, and P. Edwards (eds) Changing the atmosphere: expert knowledge and environmental governance. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press (2001); O Young (Ed), The Effectiveness of International Environmental Regimes, MIT Press (1999); W Sachs (Ed), Global Ecology: Conflicts and Contradictions, Zed Books (1999).

Two-hour examination (80%). Essay of no more than 2,000 words (excluding references and including notes) (20%).