Course overview
This course explores sustainable development in the context of climate change. Sustainable development has emerged as the global norm and dominant approach to reconcile the goals of economic development, environmental quality and social equity. It has been enshrined in the post-2015 international development agenda as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate change is one of the SDGs because it is a global challenge and affects the achievements of all other SDGs. The course investigates how climate change and sustainable development are linked, and how both are combined in local, national, regional and international policy-making about environment and development challenges such as poverty, global inequalities, loss of biodiversity, and the deterioration of global ecosystems. The main purpose of the course is to examine the ways in which state, private sector and civil society interact on national and international levels to address climate change and sustainable development issues through better policy making and governance models and frameworks of sustainability. Major issues covered in the course, such as the global governance of climate change, and forest and energy governance, are explored through case studies from Australia and various other regions of the world.
Course learning outcomes
- Identify the complexity and operations of governance systems and processes on international, national and local levels
- Explain differences between government and governance, and the various ideas and meanings attached to the goal of sustainable development
- Critically analyse policy-making processes in regard to sustainability issues
- Apply high quality written and verbal communication skills
- Work effectively in a team and in tutorial/workshop situations
- Apply analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to specific governance and sustainable development problems
- Use and employ effectively online technologies for communication and exchange of own ideas and knowledge, and overall student learning
- Conduct independent research of a governance of sustainable development case study with a high level of originality, quality and creativity
- Critically reflect on own learning about governance and sustainable development issues