Environmental Governance

Catalog description

Human activities are having an unprecedented impact on the planet. Is it still possible to govern our way out of the most serious environmental threats facing humanity - or are we already beyond the point of control? This course examines how environmental crises are (or are not) being managed. Students will analyze the interplay between knowledge, policy formulation, and stakeholder roles - exploring how scientific uncertainty influences policy development, how responsibility for action is allocated, and the competing interests of actors ranging from businesses to indigenous groups. Fieldwork will enable students to experience the governance process firsthand: from the challenges of biodiversity protection with conservation managers at the Mangrove National Park, to the promise (or pitfalls) of new energy technologies with start-ups and multinationals at the World Future Energy Summit, to the nuances of national climate strategies with policymakers at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment. A final project will ask students to be environmental policy entrepreneurs: applying insights from class to make the case for a new governance approach to an environmental challenge. This course will be offered in Abu Dhabi during the January-Term 2026.