This course focuses on the conditions under which cooperation in international environmental politics emerges and the conditions under which such cooperation and the respective public policies are effective and/or efficient.
Learning objective
The objectives of this course are to (1) gain an overview of relevant questions in the area of international environmental politics from a social sciences viewpoint; (2) learn how to identify interesting/innovative questions concerning this policy area and how to answer them in a methodologically sophisticated way; (3) gain an overview of important global and regional environmental problems.
Content
This course deals with how and why international cooperation in environmental politics emerges, and under what circumstances such cooperation is effective and efficient. Based on theories of international political economy and theories of government regulation various examples of international environmental politics are discussed: the management of international water resources, the problem of unsafe nuclear power plants in eastern Europe, political responses to global warming, the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer, the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution in Europe, the prevention of pollution of the oceans, etc.
The course is open to all ETH students. Participation does not require previous coursework in the social sciences.
After passing an end-of-semester test (requirement: grade 4.0 or higher) students will receive 3 ECTS credit points. The workload is around 90 hours (meetings, reading assignments, preparation of test).
Visiting students (e.g., from the University of Zurich) are subject to the same conditions. Registration of visiting students in the web-based system of ETH is compulsory.
Lecture notes
Assigned reading materials and slides will be available at http://www.ib.ethz.ch/teaching.html (select link 'Registered students, please click here for course materials' at top of that page). Log in with your nethz name and password. Questions concerning access to course materials can be addressed to Mike Hudecheck (Mike Hudecheck <michaehu@student.ethz.ch>). All assigned papers must be read ahead of the respective meeting. Following the course on the basis of on-line slides and papers alone is not sufficient. Physical presence in the classroom is essential. Many books and journals covering international environmental policy issues can be found at the D-GESS library at the IFW building, Haldeneggsteig 4, B-floor, or in the library of D-USYS.
Literature
Assigned reading materials and slides will be available at http://www.ib.ethz.ch/teaching.html (select link 'Registered students, please click here for course materials' at top of that page). Log in with your nethz name and password. Questions concerning access to course materials can be addressed to Mike Hudecheck (Mike Hudecheck <michaehu@student.ethz.ch>).
Prerequisites / Notice
None
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course