NUIM International Summer School 2015 GY 327SS – Environmental Politics - 5 ECTS Course Description This course provides an introduction to theoretical thinking relating to the areas of environmental politics and policy-making, as well as the history of the environmental movement and the emergence of “green parties” in western democracies. Transboundary environmental issues will be discussed. The manner in which environmental regulation has been shaped by political concerns will be a key theme, illustrating the degree to which such legislation is often the result of a political balancing act between environmental concerns and economic pressures in which the latter tend to hold the greater influence. The module will also offer critical perspectives on environmental politics, such as the relationship between gender and environmental change. Main Objectives ● To illustrate the linkages between environmental concerns, economic pressures, electoral concerns and policy-making – highlighting the complexity of issues involved in environmental decision making, the different agencies concerned, and the importance of political power. ● To bring into conversation the branches of political and environmental science and those of human and physical geography; showing that material learned about environmental themes in previous modules can be applicable to a wide range of contexts. ● To familiarise students with current developments in this field, with specific reference to the Irish and European contexts, and to current debates relating to the politics of climate change.

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Learning Outcomes ● As the module material must be contemporary, participants will need to engage with ongoing research within this field and will need to use various media sources (TV, newspaper and internet-based) to stay abreast of latest developments within the field of environmental politics. ● This module bridges human and physical branches of geography and political science; students should come to better appreciate how these are linked. Outline of Topics* 1.

Introduction to Environmental Politics ● What is environmental politics and what makes it different to other forms of politics? ● Theorising environmental politics ● Power, politics and environmental politics: models of politics/power

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Devising environmental policy ● Sustainable development. ● Core characteristics of the environment as a policy problem: Political obstacles. ● Collective action problems, public opinion/issue attention cycles, exercise of power ● Regulation and enforcement

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Green political parties and the environmental movement Green political thought The environmental movement Factors shaping the development, and electoral geographies, of green parties

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Environmental politics in Ireland: Air pollution and waste management issues ● Environmental movements and protests in the Republic of Ireland ● Climate Change policy ● Waste management in Ireland ● The politicisation of other environmental issues – air pollution, the planning process

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Environmental politics in an international context Environmental policy-making and the European Union International conferences on the environment Environmental policymaking in the USA Politics of climate change – Kyoto Protocol and the road to Warsaw 2011 (COP

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Gender and the environment ● Women, development and climate change ● Eco-feminism ● The environment and women’s rights ● Other critical theories of the environment

* This exact schedule is provisional. Teaching Over a two-week period the course will consist of a mixture of lectures, tutorials and group work. Assessment 60% of this module will by assessed by a c. 2,000 word essay. The other 40% mark will consist of an oral presentation and short in-class exercises. Reading List for GY327 Environmental Politics Many of these books will be found in the 363.7 section of the Library (Middle Floor). Students are encouraged to use the library catalogue to read beyond the bibliography. Key Texts: Connelly, James, Smith, Graham, Benson, David and Saunders, Clare (2012), Politics and the environment: From theory to practice: 3rd Edition Carter, Neil (2007), The politics of the environment: ideas, activism, policy: 2nd Edition Other General Texts on Environmental Policy Making and Discourses O’Lear, Shannon (2010) Environmental Politics: Scale and Power Garner, Robert (2011) Environmental Politics: The Age of Climate Change Miller, Norman (2009), Environmental Politics: Stakeholders, Interests and Policymaking Doyle, Timothy and McEachern, Doug (2008), Environment and Politics: Third Edition Miller, N (2009) Cases in Environmental Politics: Stakeholders, Interests and Policymaking Devine, Robert S. (2004), Bush versus the Environment Forsyth, Tim (2003), Critical political ecology: The politics of environmental science. O’Riordan, T. ed. (2000), Environmental science for environmental management. (Ch. 3.) Dryzek, John S. (2003), Green states and social movements: Environmentalism in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Norway Dryzek, John S. (1997), The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourses Elsom, Derek M. (1992), Atmospheric pollution: A global problem. Paehlke, Robert C. (1989), “Environmentalism and the future of progressive politics” in Benton and Short (eds.), Environmental discourse and practice: A Reader. Gorz, Andre (1983), Ecology as politics. Carley, Mike and Christie, Ian (1997), Managing sustainable development. Lomberg, Bjorn (2001) The Skeptical Environmentalist Rowell, Andrew (1996) Green backlash: Global subversion of the environmental movement 3

Green Politics, Green Movement and Green Parties Boyle, Dan (2012) Without Power or Glory: The Greens in Government Boyle, Dan (2006) A Journey to Change: 25 Years of the Green Party in Irish Politics Leonard, Liam (2008) The Environmental Movement in Ireland Leonard, Liam (2006) Green Nation: The Irish Environmental Movement from Carnsore Point to the Rossport Gallagher and Mitchell (2005) The Politics of Electoral Systems Richardson and Rootes (1995) The Green Challenge: Development of Green parties in Europe Whiteman, David (1990) ‘The progress and potential of the Green Party in Ireland’ in Irish Political Studies 5, pp.45-58. Müller-Rommel, Ferdinand, and Poguntke, Thomas (2002) Green Parties in National Governments Radcliffe, James (2002) Green Politics: Dictatorship or Democracy? Smith, Graham (2003) Deliberative democracy and the environment Ireland Davies, Anna (2008) The Geographies of Garbage Governance McDonald, Frank, and Nix, James (2006) Chaos at the crossroads Fagan, Honor (2010) “The politics of waste, consumption and sustainability in the Republic of Ireland” in Leonard, Liam and Barry, John eds. (2010), Global Ecological Politics Sweeney, John (1992), “Modelling Dublin smoke pollution – an epilogue?” in Feehan, John (ed.) Environment and development in Ireland. Leonard, Liam (2005) Politics Inflamed: GSE and the Campaign Against Incineration in Ireland Fagan, G. Honor and Murray, Michael J. (2007), “Green Ireland? The Governance of Waste” in Bartley and Kitchin (eds) Understanding Contemporary Ireland, pp.208-220 Fahy, Frances (2002) ‘Talking rubbish: waste management strategies in Ireland’, in Taylor D. (ed.), Trinity Working Papers in Geography Volume 8., Dublin: Department of Geography, Trinity College. (Available in PDF format: http://www.tcd.ie/Geography/Abt_06(TPIG).html) Mullally, Gerard and Quinlivan, Aodh (2004), “Environmental Policy – managing the waste problem” in Collins, Neil and Cradden, Terry (ed.) Political issues in Ireland today: Third Edition Davies, Anna, Fahy, Frances and Taylor, David (2005) ‘Mind the gap! Householder attitudes and actions towards waste in Ireland’, Irish Geography 38(2), 151-168 (PDF format: http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/journal.html) Earth Summit Ireland (2002) Telling it like it is: 10 years of unsustainable development in Ireland Davies, Anna (2003) ‘Waste wars – public attitudes and the politics of place in waste management strategies’, Irish Geography 36(1), 77-92 (PDF format: http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/journal.html) 4

McDonald, Frank (2000) The Construction of Dublin McDonald, Frank (1985) The Destruction of Dublin Adshead, Maura and Tonge, Jonathan (2009) Politics in Ireland Sweeney, John (1992), “Modelling Dublin smoke pollution – an epilogue?” in Feehan, John (ed.) Environment and development in Ireland.. International Elliot, Lorraine (2004) The Global Politics of the Environment: Second Edition Giddens, Anthony (2009), Politics of Climate Change Laffan, Brigid and O’Mahony, Jane (2008) Ireland and the European Union Harris, Paul G. (2009), The Politics of Climate Change: Environmental Dynamics in International Affairs Leonard, Liam and Barry, John eds. (2010), Global Ecological Politics Betsil et al (2006), Palgrave Advances in International Environmental Politics Schreurs, Miranda A. (2002), Environmental Politics in Japan, Germany, and the United States Jordan, Andrew (2002), Environmental policy in the European Union : actors, institutions, and processes McCormick, John (2001) Environmental Policy in the European Union Vig and Faure (2004) Green giants? Environmental policies of the United States and the European Union Grant, Wyn, Matthews, Duncan and Newell, Peter (2000), The Effectiveness of European Union Environmental Policy Barnes and Barnes (1999), Environmental Policy in the European Union Lowe, Philip (1999), British environmental policy and Europe: Politics and policy in transition Brenton (1994) The Greening of Machiavelli: The Evolution of International Environmental Politics Harris, Paul G. (2009), Climate Change and Foreign Policy: Case Studies from East to West

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Newspapers and Internet Much of the national and international material covered in this module is regularly in the news, so it is important to keep abreast of these current developments in the newspapers, especially the national and UK-based broadsheets. Most newspapers and current affairs magazines such as The Irish Times, Irish Independent, London Times, Guardian and Independent, have archive facilities on their websites that allow you to access past coverage on environmental issues. Some websites associated with TV and Radio News programmes, such as those associated with RTE and BBC News for instance, offer good information too. Be careful in your use of websites, as materials on some websites may not be reliable, while all news websites will have a certain slant or bias depending on the political outlook of the different news organisations. Other websites are useful, particularly those relating to the environmental movement or to green parties (Irish Green Party website: www.greenparty.ie). General Irish politics websites, such as www.politicalreform.ie often contain discussions and debates relating to environmental affairs also. Details pertaining to the electoral performance of the Irish Green Party may be accessed from www.electionsireland.org, an especially useful website for information on Irish elections. You also may find some material of relevance to the course from the websites of the Department of Environment (www.environ.ie) and ENFO (www.enfo.ie).

Prerequisites None

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