The course is designed to provide prospective students the fundamentals in environmental governance and of climate change as an environmental, socio-economic, and political issue from the perspective of decision-making. The complexity of climate change calls for a more solution-oriented approach that employs a more principled approach through which the interests of stakeholders are placed in the focus of finding solutions. Climate policies are reached in the context of other national priorities such as sustainable development, equity and fairness, human rights, security, food security, energy supply security and economic competitiveness. Policy-makers are then subjected to various dilemmas resulting from the diversity of stakeholders and issues involved. As the political negotiations have already decided on the 2°C threshold to prevent unacceptable consequences of climate change, one major challenge for both research and policy-making is the facilitation of the transition to low carbon energy economies of countries with emerging economies in which the goals of climate change mitigation/adaptation are pursued while adhering to the sustainable developmental goals. Because it is expected that a significant percentage of emission growth will most likely come from developing countries, capacity building measures should include strategies to enable such transitions.

The course is designed to provide students the understanding of climate change in the context of sustainable development. Particularly when countries with emerging economies are most likely held responsible for most of the growth of future emissions, any mitigation regime needs to address the specific conditions that countries with emerging economies are confronted with: What specific climate change impacts and measures will affect development efforts and how? For example, an increase in fuel prices as a measure of decreasing GHG emissions could impose inequitable burdens on the poor; while the expansion of the use of renewable energies may provide new employment opportunities.

The course will the introduction of the basic concepts of decision-making and negotiations in which various principles such as environmental protection and sustainable development are integrated to an overarching framework that aims to address climate change. The second part of the course provides students with an overview of climate change, its causes, impacts, and approaches to address this urgent problem.  The students will learn how to understand the science, scientific tools and the “scientific language” relevant to global climate negotiations.

The module also will provide students a wider and deeper appreciation of policies governing climate change at the international and national levels.  The course includes a short introduction of the current climate mitigation options, particularly the Energiewende in Germany. At the end of the course, the students (in groups) are expected to present their “climate protection vision” for the Philippines in form of a “National Framework Strategy on Climate Change”. With this requirement, students are motivated to provide a comprehensive analysis of the transition of the Philippines as a country with an emerging economy – to low carbon energy economy in the context of sustainable development. Students will be encouraged to identify the most appropriate policy mix for advancing sustainable and inclusive growth, while confronting climate change policy objectives.

The course employs interactive learning methods including simulation games and workshops. The “hands-on” approach of the course allows students to understand the various processes relevant in decision-making on environmental issues.

This module is designed to prepare students for more advanced courses. 

Course Objectives

This course is designed with the following objectives. At the end of the  course, the students should be able to:

• Understand climate change and its global, national and local impacts and its overall relationship to sustainable development;
• Appreciate the international politics of climate change, including its limitations and opportunities;
• Become familiar with the Philippine policy context of climate change, in particular the Climate Change Act and the National Climate Change Action Plan;
• Grasp the link between climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), especially at the local level;
• Identify the role and accountability of local governments, including metropolitan entities where appropriate, in addressing climate change and disasters;
• Apply the knowledge learned to the students’ respective localities, offices and sectors.

Session 1          Oct 25, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.

- - - - - - - -          Nov 01, Sat          HOLIDAY                           - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Session 2          Nov 08, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 3          Nov 15, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 4          Nov 22, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 5          Nov 29, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 6          Dec 06, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 7          Dec 13, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.
Session 8          Dec 20, Sat          8:30 AM to 12:30 PM          200-A, CCS Bldg.