860-0023-00L International Environmental Politics

Semester	Autumn Semester 2021
Lecturers	T. Bernauer
Periodicity	yearly recurring course
Language of instruction	English
Comment	Particularly suitable for students of D-ITET, D-USYS

Abstract	This course focuses on the conditions under which problem solving efforts in international environmental politics emerge and the conditions under which such efforts and the respective public policies are effective.
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 and how they could be solved.
Content	This course deals with how and why international problem solving efforts (cooperation) in environmental politics emerge, and under what circumstances such efforts are effective. 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, political responses to global warming, the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer, the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution, protection of biodiversity, how to deal with plastic waste, 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. This course will take place fully online. Course units have three components: 1. A pre-recorded lecture by Prof. Bernauer, available via Moodle, for all course units 2. Reading assignments, available via Moodle, for a few selected course units 3. Online meetings (via Zoom) for all course units on Mondays at 16:30 – 18:00, where we discuss your questions concerning the lecture and reading assignments and focus in greater depth on a particular facet of the respective course unit, on occasion with a guest (to be announced a few weeks ahead of the respective course unit). You must watch the lecture and complete the reading assignment for the respective unit ahead of the online meeting. The online meeting will be recorded and made available via Moodle. To facilitate your planning, the course is organized in terms of weekly units.
Lecture notes	Assigned reading materials and slides will be available via Moodle.
Literature	Assigned reading materials and slides will be available via Moodle.
Prerequisites / Notice	This course will take place fully online. Course units have three components: 1. A pre-recorded lecture by Prof. Bernauer, available via Moodle, for all course units 2. Reading assignments, available via Moodle, for a few selected course units 3. Online meetings (via Zoom) for all course units on Mondays at 16:30 – 18:00, where we discuss your questions concerning the lecture and reading assignments and focus in greater depth on a particular facet of the respective course unit, on occasion with a guest (to be announced a few weeks ahead of the respective course unit). You must watch the lecture and complete the reading assignment for the respective unit ahead of the online meeting. The online meeting will be recorded and made available via Moodle. To facilitate your planning, the course is organized in terms of weekly units.