Course Policies and Syllabus

ENVS 360 Global Environmental Policy. This multi-media and discussion seminar critically examines key perspectives, economic and political processes, policy actors, and institutions involved in global environmental issues. Students analyze ecological, cultural, and social dimensions of international environmental concerns and governance as they have emerged in response to increased recognition of global environmental threats, globalization, and international contributions to understanding of these issues. The focus of the course is for students to engage and evaluate texts within the broad policy discourse of globalization, justice and the environment. Threats to Earth's environment have increasingly become globalized and in response to at least ten major global threats—including global warming, deforestation, population growth and persistent organic pollutants—countries, NGOs and corporations have signed hundreds of treaties, conventions and various other types of agreements designed to protect or at least mitigate and minimize damage to the environment. The course provides an overview of developments and patterns in the epistemological, political, social and economic dimensions of global environmental governance as they have emerged over the past three decades. We will also undertake a case study of the interactions of Brazilian environmental policy central to several global environmental threats, including global warming and climate change, land degradation, and freshwater pollution and scarcity. The case study will analyze the intersections of major local, national and international environmental policies