GLOBAL CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY

The course, entirely taught in English, is part of the "Global studies" track. It aims to provide knowledge, from a geographic perspective, on the main contemporary global dynamics, with particular attention to the issues of sustainable development, climate change and environmental governance, at different spatial scales (local-regional, national, international).

At the end of the course, students will have acquired the basic concepts of economic and political geography and the related reference terminology, with respect to the main contemporary global dynamics and their relationship with sustainable development.
At the end of the course, they will be able to:
a) understand the main dimensions of the concept of sustainable development, and main implications in terms of governance, at different spatial scales;
b) understand the main economic and political implications of climate change;
c) utilize the basic concepts of economic and political geography and its language to interpret and correctly represent the main global dynamics, with particular reference to the issues of sustainable development and climate change;
d) select the most reliable sources, to constructively criticize reports and papers relevant to the study path;
e) synthesize the acquired knowledge in an efficient and coherent way.

A background in the topics is not necessary.

The course will deal with the complex relationship between globalization, sustainable development and climate change, from the perspective of economic and political geography.
In particular it will focus on the issues listed below:
- Environment, sustainability and globalization
- Sustainable development and sustainability: meanings and definitions; the pillars of sustainable development; "weak" and "strong" approaches to sustainable development; sustainable development and environmental governance: approaches, tools and actors; the role of ethical values; sustainable development and green economy
- The sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda
- Climate change: the scientific basis
- Mitigation and adaptation to climate change; case studies
- Sustainable development, climate change and international policies: from Rio de Janeiro to COP21
- Climate change and social inequality
- Climate change and security

Students can prepare the exam on the study material/readings listed below:
- The class slides that will be made available before the end of the course in the moodle page of the class.
- J. Blewitt, Understanding sustainable development, Routledge, 2018, chapters 1, 3 (pp. 74-92; 98-100; 104-106), 5 (pp. 151-153; 155-164), 7 (pp. 203-234; 238-240)
- M. Singer, Climate Change and Social Inequality, Routledge, 2019, chapters 1, 2 (pp. 48-63), 3.
- D. Wallace, D. Silander, Climate Change, Policy and Security, Routledge, 2018, chapters 1, 2 (pp. 45-49; from section "Kyoto" to section "Mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and capacity building", included).

For all students (attending-, and not-attending ones), the exam consists of a written test, with 5 open questions on the course topics. Each answer is worth a maximum of 6 points (out of 30). The test lasts 120 minutes.
The test aims at verifying the acquisition by students of the basic concepts of economic-political geography and geopolitics, with reference to the issues of global change, sustainable development and climate change, as well as their ability to contextualise these concepts with respect to the evolution of the international economic and political system.
In the final lesson of the course, the instructor will consider with the students nature and type of questions that will be the basis for the official and final test.

The course is organized with frontal-lectures. In each lesson the final part is destined for discussion with the students, according to modalities consistent with the number of the class.

English

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development