Environmental Policy

4. Environmental Policy and Climate Change

‡ This module explores debates on global environmental problems, with a particular view to anthropogenic climate change, and how various dimensions of policy are theorised, designed and implemented with a view to address these problems. This is a module that explores environmental politics rather than environmental science.

During the module, we explore the relationship between environmental problems (including climate change) and their policy formulation and solutions through the analysis of critical environmental questions and the role of politics and power in shaping such solutions; we examine the tensions between citizen science and participatory and expert driven modes of environmental policy; we examine political and policy constraints and opportunities for sustainable development and climate change; we consider the implications of climate change in different countries; and we also explore the relationship between local and global issues in the context of environment, climate change and development.  

Contemporary environmental problems are used to illustrate global environmental policy dilemmas. The module addresses key environmental policy debates at a variety of spatial scales and critically analyses the role of different institutions and actors in addressing environmental issues and climate change, thinking about why some approaches are more successful than others.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

1. Describe contemporary environmental problems and explain their drivers.
2. Understand the complexities of politics and policymaking in relation to environmental and climate issues.
3. Recognise key issues and relationships between key actors in environmental and climate policy.
4. Critically analyse environmental policy processes at global, international and national levels.
5. Explain the causes and forecasted consequences/impacts of anthropogenic climate change.
6. Critically assess the links between environmental and climate policy and development and between local and global issues;
7. Critically assess key climate change and environmental policy debates.
8. Explain the theoretical underpinnings of, and drivers behind, environmental and climate policy, and the inter-relationship between human activities, the natural environment and climate change (in the Global North and Global South).
9. Distinguish between different approaches to environmental policy and climate change and evaluate their implications, likely consequences and underlying assumptions.
10. Develop and present coherent solutions to environmental and climate change issues.