Бакалавриат
2026/2027
Изменения климата и международные отношения
Статус:
Курс по выбору (Международная программа «Международные отношения и глобальные исследования»)
Кто читает:
Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики
Где читается:
Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики
Когда читается:
3-й курс, 4 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для своего кампуса
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
3
Контактные часы:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This course examines climate change as a structural force transforming contemporary international relations. Rather than treating climate change solely as an environmental or technical problem, the course analyses it as a political, economic, and security challenge that reshapes global governance, power relations, and patterns of cooperation and conflict. The course begins with theoretical and conceptual approaches to understanding climate change in International Relations, focusing on norms, knowledge production, and the politicisation of climate risks.
Building on this foundation, the course explores the architecture of global climate governance, international climate negotiations, and the role of both state and non-state actors in shaping climate politics. It then turns to the distributive and conflictual dimensions of climate change, including issues of responsibility and justice, international security, and climate-induced migration. The course further examines the political economy of climate change, focusing on climate finance, development, energy transitions, and the future of fossil fuels.
The final part of the course applies these analytical frameworks to geopolitical and regional case studies, with particular attention to climate change as a driver of strategic competition and cooperation in specific regions. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse climate change as a central factor in international relations and assess the political implications of global responses to the climate crisis.
Learning Objectives
- Introduce students to major theoretical and conceptual approaches to understanding climate change as an international relations problem. Develop students' ability to analyse climate change as a political, economic, and security issue, rather than solely as an environmental or technical challenge. Examine the institutions, actors, and processes of global climate governance, including international organisations, states, non-state actors, and transnational networks. Explore the political conflicts and inequalities associated with climate change, including questions of responsibility, justice, development, migration, and climate finance. Analyse the implications of climate change for international security, political economy, energy geopolitics, and regional relations. Develop students' capacity to apply IR concepts to contemporary climate policies and country cases, critically assessing how states respond to the climate challenge.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- To explain key concepts and theoretical approaches used to study climate change in International Relations
- To analyse climate change as a systemic, transboundary, and long-term challenge to international politics
- To assess the role of norms, scientific knowledge, institutions, and political discourse in shaping international climate politics
- To analyse the architecture and functioning of global climate governance and international climate negotiations
- To identify and evaluate the interests, strategies, and sources of influence of state and non-state actors in climate politics
- To critically assess competing claims concerning climate responsibility, justice, inequality, and Loss and Damage
- To analyse the links between climate change, international security, conflict, migration, and geopolitical competition
- To evaluate the political-economic consequences of climate policies, including implications for development, climate finance, energy transitions, and fossil-fuel-dependent economies
- To compare national approaches to climate policy and identify the international and domestic factors shaping them
- To apply theoretical and conceptual frameworks from International Relations to concrete climate-policy cases
- To critically evaluate contemporary international responses to climate change using relevant academic literature and empirical evidence
Course Contents
- Climate Change and International Relations: Concepts, Norms, and Knowledge
- Global Climate Governance and Diplomacy
- Actors, Responsibility, and Climate Justice
- Climate Change, Security, and Human Mobility
- Climate Change and the Global Political Economy
- Climate Change and Geopolitics
Assessment Elements
- Class participationStudents are expected to actively participate in seminars and discussions throughout the course. Participation should demonstrate engagement with the assigned readings and the ability to formulate arguments, respond to alternative viewpoints, and apply course concepts to empirical cases.
- Midterm testThe midterm test assesses students' understanding of the key concepts, theories, institutions, and debates covered during the first part of the course. The test is designed to check conceptual understanding and the ability to apply course material to short analytical questions.
- Country Climate Policy ProfileStudents prepare an analytical profile of a selected country's climate policy. The project examines how domestic political and economic factors interact with international commitments and pressures to shape the country's response to climate change.
- ExamThe final examination assesses students' overall understanding of the course and their ability to critically analyse major theoretical, political, economic, security, and geopolitical dimensions of climate change in International Relations.
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 4th module0.25 * Country Climate Policy Profile + 0.2 * Midterm test + 0.4 * Exam + 0.15 * Class participation
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- A short introduction to climate change, Eggleton, T., 2013
- Challenges and solutions for climate change, Gaast van der, W., 2012
- Climate change and foreign policy : case studies from East to West, , 2009
- Climate change and human mobility : global challenges to the social sciences, , 2012
- Mai Farid, Michael Keen, Michael G. Papaioannou, Ian W.H. Parry, Catherine A Pattillo, & Anna Ter-Martirosyan. (2016). After Paris; Fiscal, Macroeconomic and Financial Implications of Global Climate Change. IMF Staff Discussion Notes. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.p.imf.imfsdn.16.01
- Susan A. Crate, & Mark Nuttall. (2016). Anthropology and Climate Change : From Actions to Transformations: Vol. Second edition. Routledge.
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- A Global Perspective on Energy Markets Climate Change & Economic Integration: Problems and Prospects. (2008). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsstc&AN=edsstc.1146287
- Carbon finance : the financial implications of climate change, Labatt, S., 2007
- Cities and climate change, Bulkeley, H., 2013