Description
Climate change is both a natural process and a societal challenge. In this course, students learn to address the current climate crisis at the intersection of both perspectives: What is climate change, how does it work and what are accelerators? What are the socio-political stakes, what are future pathways and how can anthropogenic climate change be governed adequately? This course zooms in on the economics and politics of climate change. Since anthropogenic climate change is deeply entangled with major Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) and how energy is produced, consumed and governed, the course pays special attention to the energy transition.
Learning goals
After completing this course, you will bAfter completing this course, you will be able to:
- Characterise different approaches to governance and democracy in relation to climate change and the energy transition;
- Understanding the main challenges related to global climate governance and international cooperation for energy transitions;
- Identifying underpinning inequalities and trade-offs in the governance of climate change and energy transitions (normative aspects and uneven gains);
- Elaborating a critical view on the possible solutions for climate mitigation/adaptation (i.e., generating relevant questions);
- Explain the principal natural mechanisms that lead to climate change i.e. causes and effects);
- Characterize different energy technologies, associated challenges and interpret their consequences
- Discuss the underlying economics related to climate change, climate change mitigation and energy supply
- Discuss how economic incentives create ‘lock-in’ situation or cause uprising
Teaching methods / mode of instruction
In this course we offer a mix of instruction methods, including digital lectures and working groups.
Type of assessment
There will be a mix of assessments that ensures to assess the acquisition of skills from multiple sides. This includes an exam, a scientific consultancy project and a small programming exercise.
Course materials / reading list
Literature for this course will primarily exist of scientific peer-reviewed papers from
mono-disciplinary and transdisciplinary scientific journals, supplemented with
book chapters, occasional policy document, video and podcasts.
All required readings and lectures must be studied for the written exam.