ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25

CLIMATE POLICIES AND DIPLOMACY

IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

Instructors: Professor Emmanuella Doussis & Dr George Dikaios

Spring Semester 2024-25

Course Description

Although Southeast European countries have contributed little to the climate change crisis, they are highly vulnerable to its impacts. Recent reports published by relevant international organizations confirm that extreme weather events, floods and wildfires as well as slower environmental degradation, including sea level rise, droughts and loss of biodiversity continue to spread and intensify across the region. Although significant climate changes are unavoidable and irreversible, rapid and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can prevent further deterioration. The United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC) and the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement set the international framework. The EU has launched an ambitious plan, the European Green Deal, which aims to transform the European economy into climate neutral by 2050. Nevertheless, most countries in Southeast Europe (EU member states, EU candidates or potential candidates) need to catch up in implementing policies to adapt and prepare for the new climate reality.

This course aims to explore the state-of-the art of Southeast European countries' climate policies, map them in the context of the international and European framework and highlight the challenges ahead to achieve just transition and climate neutrality by 2050 as well as building societal resilience to address the impacts that cannot be avoided. It views climate change not only as an environmental problem, providing for technical solutions, but also as a social problem where the solutions expand to include economic, political, cultural and institutional changes. Some of these solutions have the potential for transforming society in ways that address multiple goal challenges, including poverty and inequality, food insecurity, water insecurity, biodiversity loss and health crises. The course will also explore the diplomatic relations between and among these countries, which target to promote synergies in addressing the respective challenges.

During the course, students will have the opportunity to learn how to conceive, develop and write policy papers. Each student will be allocated a Southeast European country for which will have to prepare a policy paper on a climate policy or diplomacy related subject. Detailed guidelines will be given during the lectures.

Learning Outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:

Understand and critically assess climate policies and diplomacy, both in general and in the SEE region.
Understand and critically assess the mechanisms of policymaking and diplomacy.
Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the interdisciplinarity character of climate change and the efforts needed to tackle it.
Map and evaluate climate action in SEE.
Conduct high-quality policy papers.

Students will also have gained the following transferable and practical skills:

The ability to access and make effective use of official documents (IPCC reports, UN reports, international treaties, European documents, judgments etc.) as well as bibliographical/electronic sources related to climate change.
The ability to read, understand and analyze climate change related documents.
Learn how to deliver oral presentations, convey information and ideas to form convincing arguments, and become discussants.
Learn how to develop policy proposals and recommendations.

Course Outline

Climate crisis and Southeast Europe: Introduction

(Climate) Policymaking, with emphasis on crises

(Climate) Diplomacy

The international framework: from Rio to Kyoto and then Paris and beyond

The European Climate Framework and its relevance for Southeast Europe

The political economy of climate change

Greece

Romania

Climate progress in SEE: An overview

Climate litigation: the role of courts (international, regional, national)

Externalities on climate policy in SEE: The role of China’s investments