SUS 9100B: Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Political Process - An Interdisciplinary Approach (3 cr.)

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Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Political Process; Fall 2022

(an interdisciplinary course between International Relations, Biology, and Sustainability

taught by Dr. Jean Krasno and Dr. Ana Carnaval)

Class meets on Thursdays from 4:30 to 7 PM in Marshak 506

Course numbers: IR B6998; BIO 31907 (4RT-47704); BIO B9700 (5CWF-24630);

and SUS 9100B

Hours/credits: 3 credits

Instructors:

Dr. Jean Krasno, Colin Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership, City College of New York

Office: NAC 4146, 4^th floor

Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays: 11:00am – 1:00pm (by appointment)

E-mail: jean.krasno@gmail.com

Dr. Ana Carnaval, City College of CUNY, Department of Biology

Office: MR-814 Marshak Science Building

Office hours flexible, by appointment

E-mail: acarnaval@ccny.cuny.edu , carolinacarnaval@gmail.com

Webpage: www.carnavallab.org

Co/Prerequisites: None

Course Description: This course brings faculty, students and experts from the field of environmental studies and biodiversity science together with those in the field of international policy making. Policy making on environmental sustainability must be grounded in a greater understanding of the sciences and the analysis of data on climate change, biodiversity, habitat loss and other contributing factors to the challenges of extinction, food security and extreme weather changes. In reverse, the sciences would benefit from a greater understanding of policy making, international law, the role of the United Nations, NGOs and the private sector, as policies are put into place that impact biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

Course Objectives: The course will provide students with a solid understanding of 1) the natural and human-mediated drivers of climate change and biodiversity habitat loss, 2) how environmental change translate in societal challenges that must be addressed holistically, including (but not limited to) extreme weather, food security, environmentally-mediated diseases, and environmental justice, and 3) how the political process, the systems of domestic and international laws, the United Nations, governments, NGOs and the private sector drive environmental preservation and impact ecological services at local to global scales. The course emphasizes critical thinking skills and environmental data interpretation while addressing political, social, cultural and economic challenges.

Course learning objectives:

After completing this course, students should be able to:

1. Explain in their own words how environmental shifts impact biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human societies, globally

2. Find, comprehend and interpret peer-reviewed scientific data and methods describing environmental shifts at multiple spatial scales, and their societal impacts

3. Interpret documented changes in climate phenomena, species conservation status, or ecosystem services as a function of existing policies and the political process in place at local, regional, national and/or international scales.

4. Design and contrast alternative viable environmental policies to address a specific environmental goal

5. Discuss how science and policy interact to impact the benefits of nature to people

6. Present findings and solutions to problems identified through their own independent inter-disciplinary research on climate change, biodiversity and the political process

Required Readings:

Chasek, Pamela S; David L. Downie and Janet Welsh Brown, Global Environmental Politics, 7^th edition, 2017, Boulder, CO: Westview Press. For purchase.
Rosenbaum, Walter A., Environmental Politics and Policy, 11^th edition, 2020, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications (CQ Press). Electronic version will be emailed to students.
Scientific articles and additional book chapters to be made available on Blackboard.

Additional (suggested) readings: Nico Schrijver, Chapter 3 in Development Without Destruction, “Management of the Global Commons;” (on Blackboard)

Course overview:

Classes are based on cross-disciplinary discussions of both the primary scientific literature and political science literature, and each session is co-led by Science, Sustainability, and International Relation students (co-presenters). In preparation for every class, every student will 1) read and analyze primary research articles and policy book chapters to extract main conclusions from the texts and figures, and summarize findings, 2) identify connections between the scientific observations and data and the political processes addressed by the readings, 3) write and reflect on up to four questions about the readings and their integration, in preparation for discussion. Science and Sustainability MS students will additionally summarize, in writing, the scientific article that they will present in class (every student presents an article once throughout the semester). At each class period, three or two students will each make a 10-minute presentation on a relevant assigned reading, and launch the discussion.

Please select the topic and class day you would like to present here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1k5VWXZTYK11NtcrcZhzewmw_NGG1rfm…

All students are required to speak at every class – either leading the discussion, presenting an article or book chapter, sharing a question, or making a comment. Points will be removed from a student’s final grade if they do not speak up in class.

Instead of an exam, students will work in multi-disciplinary groups of three or two students to write two papers throughout the course: one mid-term (5-6 pages) that contextualizes and summarizes an environmental problem, data demonstrating how this problem impact biodiversity, and the existing policies that impact the issue, and one final paper (10-12 pages) in which the original essay is revised and extended to include suggestions of policy changes and how to implement them, along with a policy regime. At the end of the course, each group will give a short (no more than 10 min) presentation on the main findings of their final research paper, and discuss it with the class. Students will select their own projects from the list below, and will be free to define the regional scope of their study.

Deforestation or loss of natural habitats

Climate change and ocean health (e.g. coral reefs, or fisheries, etc)

Climate change and extreme weather events

Climate change and wildfires

Climate change and air pollution

Climate change and environmental justice

Investing on renewable energy to address climate change (biomass, solar, wind, hydro) – promises and challenges

Climate change and impacts on animal/human interactions (pathogens, infectious diseases, global health)

Climate change and its impacts on the water cycle

Climate change and food security

Please indicate your interest in these topics, so that we can form your groups, here: https://forms.gle/R3FCNTHjknTxzafB6

On November 17 all students will participate in a simulation of the United Nations Security Council.

Field Trips: We are organizing two field trips during the course – one to Little Island Park (date and time TBD), and one to UN Headquarters. These trips are planned for Fridays, in the afternoon, starting at 4 PM. We understand some students who work may not be able to attend and will not be penalized for not attending.

Assessment tools and grading: Grades will be assigned based on the mid-term paper, the final research paper, and student class participation. The latter will reflect attendance, written weekly questions, presentations, participation in class discussion and participation in the simulation exercise. If you know that you will miss a class, contact the instructor as soon as possible with your justification.

The final grade will be calculated as follows:
Class participation	30%
Mid-term paper	30%
Final research paper	40%

Grammar, spelling and composition: Students must use proper spelling, grammar (including punctuation) and composition. Unintelligible sentences and illegible answers will be given no credit. Paragraphs must be composed of organized, coherent thoughts and include a lead sentence for proper composition. The instructors are available during office hours or by appointment to answer questions regarding writing and composition.

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism will not be tolerated; it will be dealt with subject to CCNY/CUNY policies regarding academic integrity. The full CUNY policy can be found in the CCNY Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletin 2013-2015 (see Appendix B.3) and on the CUNY website. Cases where academic integrity is compromised will be prosecuted according to these rules.

Attendance Policy: Classes begin promptly, and you are required to be on time. Attendance is required.

Weekly Schedule:

Aug 25: Week one: Introduction: Biodiversity and the Environmental Debate: the Domestic and International Policy Process:

Readings: On Blackboard Content:

Summary of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
Summary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Summary of the links between biodiversity and environmental change

Please read these documents and be ready to discuss.

Additional (suggested) readings: Summary for Policymakers of the International Panel for Climate Change and of the International Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Sept 1: Week two: A Historical Overview of Environmental Policy and Biodiversity – and a closer look into air pollution

Readings:

Rosenbaum, Chapter 1: A history of US environmental policy under different presidents
Summary of Impacts of Air Pollution