Module: Environmental Change & World Politics

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Environmental Change & World Politics
Module Code	POL1057 (ITS: LG5008)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10

Description

This module offers an introduction to the major themes and issues in the study of environmental change and world politics. Environmental degradation and change has become an increasingly prominent theme in world politics, particularly against a backdrop of rapidly-rising greenhouse gas emissions, increasing frequency of extreme weather events which may be linked to climate change, biodiversity loss, and other critical challenges. The module traces the rise of environmental change as an issue on the global policy agenda since the landmark Stockholm conference in 1972, and views these developments through five different analytical lenses: agency, including that of both state and non-state actors; architecture of governance at different levels; accountability, including questions of legitimacy; allocation of environmental resources and equity of distribution; and adaptiveness of governance systems. The second part of the module involves a class simulation of the UN climate change negotiations in which students are allocated to a country/region delegation. They are required to research the position of their country region and then represent that position in the simulation.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1DBCA9E9-ED9D-0001-7B52-9E5513604FD0
2. Critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses of contending approaches to the study of comparative and international environmental policy
5. 1
6. 1DBCA9E9-F416-0001-C7CF-19B01EA513AB
7. Understand systematically the utility of different analytical lenses for comprehending the challenges of global environmental degradation
10. 2
11. 1DF1AC61-1787-0001-48D1-D9001DE110AF
12. Develop and defend a negotiating position for an allocated country/region in international climate change negotiations
15. 3
16. 1DBCA9E9-FCE1-0001-F835-23DC16301EC5
17. Participate actively as part of a group delegation in a climate change negotiation simulation, and critically reflect on the exercise
20. 4

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	20	10 two-hour seminars involving a lecture by the module coordinator followed by student-led class discussion
Workshop	3	Climate change negotiations simulation class
Assignment Completion	50	Research and writing of research paper
Assignment Completion	30	Research and writing of briefing paper
Assignment Completion	10	Writing of climate change simulation reflection paper
Independent Study	137	Weekly reading and class preparation
Independent Study	226	No Description
Lecture	24	No Description
Total Workload: 500

Section Breakdown
CRN	20930	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Daniel Marks	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	3,000 word research paper	50%	n/a
Report(s)	1,500 delegation briefing paper	30%	n/a
Participation	Preparation for and participation in climate change negotiation simulation: students will be required to participate in online discussion forum with their delegation and then participate in the simulation itself	5%	n/a
Reflective journal	Students are required to write a 1,000 word reflection paper reflecting on their participation in the climate change negotiation simulation.	15%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Topic 1
Introduction to global environmental politics

Topic 2
Agency in global environmental politics: state and non-state actors

Topic 3
Architectures of environmental governance

Topic 4
Accountability and legitimacy

Topic 5
Equity and allocation

Topic 6
Adaptiveness of environmental governance systems

Topic 7
National responses to climate change in high income countries

Topic 8
National responses to climate change in middle income countries

Topic 9
National responses to climate change in low income countries

Topic 10
Climate change negotiation simulation exercise

Topic 11
The future of global environmental governance

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Frank Biermann: 2014, Earth System Governance: World Politics in the Anthropocene, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,
Kate O’Neill: 2017, The Environment and International Relations, 2, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
Jennifer Clapp and Peter Dauvergne: 2011, aths to a Green Word: The Political Economy of the Global Environment, 2, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,
Robert Falkner: 2013, The Handbook of Global Climate and Environment Policy, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ,
Paul F. Steinberg and Stacy D. VanDeveer: 2012, Comparative Environmental Politics: Theory, Practice, and Prospects, MIT Press, Cambridge,
Ronald B. Mitchell: 2010, International Politics and the Environment, Sage, London,
Joyeeta Gupta: 2014, The History of Global Climate Governance, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
Kathryn Harrison and Lisa McIntosh Sundstrom: 2010, Global Commons, Domestic Decisions: The Comparative Politics of Climate Change, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None