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2016　Energy, Environment, and Policy

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Academic unit or major
Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Instructor(s)
Woodall Brian Earl 
Class Format
Lecture     
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
Mon5-6(S514)  Fri1-2(S514)  
Group
-
Course number
TSE.C315
Credits
2
Academic year
2016
Offered quarter
2Q
Syllabus updated
2016/4/27
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
English
Access Index

Course description and aims

Issues of energy security and environment protection are so inextricably interconnected as to represent "two sides of the same coin." For this reason, it is important that students understand the environmental consequences of energy policy choices. Although a variety of energy and environment-related policy issues will be addressed in this course, it will focus on the complex interplay of factors that produce cross-national variation in policy responses to the challenge of climate change. In so doing, it will become clear that policy responses cannot be divorced from economic concerns, particularly as pertains to energy use. In the final sessions of the course, we explore the interconnectedness of environmental and energy policies in cross-national perspectives through a group exercise.

Student learning outcomes

By completing this course, students will be able to:
1) Describe the social, political, and economic forces that interact with scientific and technological factors to shape energy and environmental policymaking at the national- and supranational levels in different countries 

2) Use different sources of data to develop cross-country comparisons of responses to common policy challenges
3) Express their arguments clearly and effectively both in written reports and class 
discussions 

4) Work in small groups in a way that students respect their colleagues and working collaboratively and efficiently towards the goals of the projects

Keywords

Energy security, environmental protection, state actors, private-sector, multinational corporations, civil society, non-governmental organizations, energy mix, hydrocarbon fuel types, nuclear energy, renewable energy, global warming, climate change

Competencies that will be developed

Specialist skills ✔ Intercultural skills ✔ Communication skills ✔ Critical thinking skills ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Three-quarters of each class is devoted to content-based lectures that introduce key concepts to students; the remaining one-quarter of each lecture is devoted to discussion

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Energy & environment - two sides of same coin Issue domain, problems, and interconnectedness of energy security and environmental protection
Class 2 Explaining Stability and Change in Energy/Environmental Policy Understand major theories of change and stability in energy/environmental policymaking
Class 3 The Politics of Energy Security Understand major issues, concepts and debates related to energy security
Class 4 Challenges of Environmental Policy Understand unique challenges of environmental protection (e.g., Tragedy of the Commons)
Class 5 Veto Players and the Comparative Method Understand veto player theory and the comparative method
Class 6 State Actors in Energy/Environmental Policy Understand the role of state actors in energy/environmental policymaking
Class 7 NGOs in Energy/Environmental Policy Understand the role of civil society (e.g., NGOs) and local actors in energy/environmental policymaking
Class 8 International Actors in Energy/Environmental Policy Understand the role of international actors (e.g., United Nations, European Union) in energy/environmental policymaking
Class 9 The Politics of Climate Change Understand the contentious debates and key concepts concerning human-induced climate change
Class 10 Country Study #1 - United States Understand the key issues involving energy/environmental policymaking in the United States (Western developed country
Class 11 Country Study #2 - Japan Understand the key issues involving energy/environmental policymaking in Japan (developed country of Asia)
Class 12 Country Study #2 - Indonesia Understand the key issues involving energy/environmental policymaking in Indonesia (developing country of Asia)
Class 13 Preparation for Group Presentations Organize student teams; identify issues for group-based assessment
Class 14 Group Presentations Group presentations
Class 15 Course Review and Wrap-up -- What have we learned? Review and discuss material covered in the course

Textbook(s)

TBA

Reference books, course materials, etc.

TBA

Assessment criteria and methods

Student learning will be assessed by a final examination

Related courses

  • TSE.C312 ： Introduction to Environmental Policy and Social System

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

None

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