ORGANIZATION
The course is taught by Filip Černoch and Dominik David, with Filip being the contact person for the course. If you need a consultation, please send an e-mail or approach him at the end of the lecture.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Modern society was built on the abundance of cheap and accessible energy from coal, oil and natural gas. At the same time, the burning of these energy sources endangers the local and global environment, with climate change being the greatest threat.
In this course we follow the development of modern energy systems based on fossil fuels. We observe the relationship between these systems and the environment. We analyse government efforts to limit the negative environmental impacts of these industries and assess the effectiveness of different measures. And we evaluate the ongoing energy transition to low-carbon economies.
The course builds on the theoretical concepts of environmental science applied to the energy sector. It also draws on political science, governance, and economics. By the end of the course, students should be able to critically engage with the current energy-environment debate with the necessary background from different academic disciplines.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1) Active participation in class discussions. Lectures are not compulsory.
2) Students are expected to do the required readings for each lecture. The readings serve to broaden and deepen the range of knowledge students acquire in the lectures.
3) Students are required to submit a final (lobbying) paper. The topic has to be discussed with and approved in advance by the teaching assistant of the course, Dominik David.
4) Students must pass a final written exam based on the required readings and lectures.
GRADING
The final grade will be calculated as a sum of two parts. Final paper (up to 30 points) and exam (up to 30 points).
A 56-60 points.
B 51-55 points.
C 46-50 points.
D 41-45 points.
E 36-40 points.
F 35 points and less.
FINAL PAPER
This activity is organized by Dominik David. Please direct your questions to him.
Teams of 2 students are expected to write a policy paper addressing the following situation: The national, local, or municipal government is about to introduce, amend, or repeal some environmentally relevant legislative act and you want to lobby the relevant decision-makers to protect the interests of your institution.
The deadline for choosing a partner is 29.09.2024. Those who do not indicate their working pair (via email) by this date will be assigned a partner on 30.09.2024. If the number of students is odd, the student without a working partner will write the lobbying paper independently within the given scope. It is strongly recommended that you choose a partner voluntarily.
The deadline for choosing a topic is 09.10.2024. The topic must be discussed and approved by Dominik David.
A) Set-up
Word Limit: 5,400 characters, including spaces and footnotes.
Select a relevant act: Choose a strategic guideline, legislative act, government decision, directive, or similar that is pertinent to the course subject. Provide a brief overview of this act. Only real and ongoing cases are to be considered for analysis.
Define your position: Identify your stance, whether representing industry, environmental NGOs, or a concerned community. Clearly state your interests in relation to the chosen issue.
Identify the target audience: Specify the decision-maker(s) you intend to lobby (e.g., Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Finance). Explain why they are relevant to your argument and position.
B) Policy Paper
Length: 24,000 characters, including spaces and footnotes (+/- 10%), accompanied by a brief introductory letter and references.
Objective: Persuade the target audience that your position and arguments are valid and should be incorporated into the proposed act.
Support with evidence: Use strong, well-founded arguments and reliable data to bolster your position. Ensure the credibility of your institution by avoiding weak or incorrect arguments.
Be concise: Write succinctly, keeping in mind that your audience may have limited time to read the paper.
Important note: A policy paper is a research-focused document addressing specific policy issues. It should offer clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers. It is not a historical analysis or an opinion piece.
C) POSTER
The results of the final project will be presented in the form of a poster in the last week of the course. This will include a description of the case, the position of each actor and a delineation of the arguments of the actor you represent.
DEADLINES
The deadline for choosing a partner is 29.09.2024.
The deadline for choosing a topic is 09.10.2024.
A set-up is due on 30.10.2024, 23:55.
A final paper is due on 11.12.2024, 23:55. A penalty of 5 points will be applied for each day (or fraction of the day) that either the set-up or the final paper is late. No excuses will be accepted – I suggest you to submit the paper well in advance as a precaution against illness or other unexpected complications.
The revisions of submitted and evaluated papers are not possible.
CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM
Cheating or plagiarism in the course will result in your final grade being reduced to an F. The Disciplinary Board (and your home university, if appropriate) will be notified. It is your responsibility to know the rules.