European Environmental Politics

6/8/9 ECTS

Block Friday 10am-2pm, GD07 (every two weeks, see below), Course Start: 10.6.

Environmental politics is one area where Europe arguably leads the world. Europe has, at both the national and European-Union level, committed itself to achieving reductions in carbon emissions far greater than anywhere else in the world. This course will examine the history of environmental politics in both the member states of the European Union and the EU itself. Beginning with a conceptual treatment of general environmental politics and policies, the course moves to a history of European environmentalism, before shifting to a discussion on the institutional responses at important ‘traditional’ Member States (Germany, France, Italy and the UK) as well as ‘new‘ Member States (Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary). The final section of the course examines EU environmental policies themselves, such as the EU Emissions Trading System and its institutional commitment to meeting Kyoto Protocol goals.

Reading: t.b.a. prior to Seminar
Eligibility: regular participation
Dates of seminar sessions: 10.06.; 17.06.; 24.26.; 01.07.; 08.07.; 15.07.

Assessment: 6 ECTS: 3 essays
8/9 ECTS: 4 essays + presentation
Language: English