Thematic course: Climate, Sustainability and Environmental Governance (CSEG 15 ECTS)

The African continent is said to be hardest hit by the climate crisis. The following are some of the key reasons:

• Rural societies in Africa are very closely coupled with the climate system and depend on rainfall to survive.
• African climate regimes are extremely complex and consist of a mix of landscape systems and weather conditions with implications for agricultural possibilities, biodiversity etc.
• The capacity in Africa to adapt to climate change and create avenues for sustainable development is uneven: poverty and lack of capacities has reduced choices at both the individual and institutional level. States and other governing institutions have difficulties coping with the effects of climate-related crises.

The objectives of this course are as follows: (1) Develop an understanding of key concepts and theories related to climate issues, sustainability and environmental governance in Africa. (2) Debate climate adaptation and mitigation, sustainable development and governing the environment. (3) Discuss specific African cases related to climate-smart interventions, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and governance initiatives related to biodiversity conservation and rural development.

Key elements to be examined in this course will include:

• Key actors in Africa's development and the roles they play in responding to the climate crisis, in sustainability and in governing natural resources.
• Relevant questions concerning the relationship between climate, scarcity and abundance.
• Internationally-driven climate-smart initiatives in Africa related to the role of state, market and civil society.
• Impacts and coping strategies related to implementing the SDGs in Africa.