Workload: 40 hours per week
Faculty:
Assessment: assignments, participation in class, paper and written exam

Content and objectives
Implementing sustainable development implies the reconciliation of ecological, economic and social systems that operate at very different levels and speeds: the slow dynamics of many ecosystems, the daily need to generate income, and the long-term aspirations of societies. Good governance plays a pivotal role in this process. Several pressing sustainability issues have global dimensions and have been addressed in international agreements. Examples include the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas and the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. To be effective, international agreements need to be implemented in national and local policies, actions and mindsets.

This course provides a governance perspective on sustainable development. Governance practices at the international, national, and local levels are examined, with an emphasis on the issues of power, process and enforcement. Students will learn that there are large differences between international, national and local governance arenas in terms of stakeholder involvement and relevant trade-offs. To explore these differences further, the case of Antarctica is examined, giving attention to governance aspects of a global common. Furthermore, students will learn that the ability to measure sustainable development is essential for monitoring performance and progress. They will also get a first understanding of the challenges of measuring sustainable development. The course is designed to not only increase students’ knowledge, but also their skills. Policy-gaming, role playing, and paper-writing are key course components.