GSE831 International Agreements and the Environment
About this Unit
Next Offering: Semester 2, 2010
Offered: D2 - Day; Second Half-Year (Block mode delivery)
Convenor: TBA
Prerequisites/corequisites: None
Credit Points: 4
The objective of this unit is to provide students with a conceptual and historical introduction to international agreements, policy and law relating to the environment. Instruments in the areas of: climate and atmosphere, oceans and seas, biodiversity, flora and fauna, and dangerous waste materials, and the impact of global institutions, such as World Trade Organisation, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Global Environment Facility on environmental matters are addressed. (Credit Points: 4)
The objective of this unit is to examine international agreements in a number of environmental topic areas and the impact they might have on attempts to protect the global environment. It is not, however, intended to be a course in international law, but rather a more general and conceptual overview of that complex area.
Following the introduction, specific instruments - conventions, agreements, treaties and their protocols - will be discussed in the topic areas of:
- climate and atmosphere, including global warming and atmospheric pollution;
- oceans and seas, including marine pollution, fisheries and whaling;
- biodiversity and flora and fauna conservation;
- and polar regions, particularly the Antarctic.
Teaching Staff
Convenors: Dr Ros Taplin
Dr Graeme Aplin
Office: E7A 719
Phone: 9850 7411
Email: gaplin@els.mq.edu.au
Classes
Students should refer to the GSE831 Study Guide for the final schedule. The unit will be taught in block mode over five day sessions. See specific class times below.
All classes will be held in E8A 386.
| Date | Time | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 9.30am - 4.30pm | Introductory Session and Lectures | |
| 9.30am - 5.00pm | Lectures and Preparation for Role Play | |
| 9.30am - 4.30pm | Lectures | |
| 9.30am - 4.30pm | Lectures and Role Play | |
| 9.30am - 4.30pm | Student Presentations and Closing Session |
Unit web page
There is no web page for this unit.
Learning Outcomes
All of the unit activities (lectures, discussions, role play, assignments and presentations) and resources (study guide, lecture notes, reading lists, the internet, staff and fellow students) are directed towards helping students to achieve the unit learning outcomes.
On completion of the unit you should have satisfied yourself and the unit convenor that you have achieved the following specialist and generic learning outcomes.
Specialist Outcomes
- Understand the broad legal and political framework within which international environmental agreements are reached;
- Identify the institutional frameworks and inter-relationships between governments, intergovernmental organisations, and non-governmental organisations within which environmental problems are addressed at the global scale, and recognise the issues arising out of the interactions within this framework;
- Understand the roles of scientific information, socio-political, economic, and legal processes involved;
- Gain an appreciation of the contribution of political influences, political discourse and state participation in decision-making processes;
- Demonstrate an effective grasp of the literature relevant to international environmental decision-making;
- Write cogent and clearly structured reports addressing any of the above aspects of global environmental decision-making;
- Research, analyse and critique problems and case studies and draw conclusions;
- Effectively communicate perceptions about what you have learnt about international environmental agreements to the class in a Role Play, a presentation, and general discussions.
Generic Outcomes
- Writing of cogent and clearly structured reports addressing relevant issues;
- Self-management skills, including the definition and completion of assignments by deadlines;
- Critical analysis and evaluation of complex material;
- Capacity for independent learning and research;
- Application of a responsible approach to questions of global environmental protection and sustainable development outcomes.
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Many of the sessions will be run as lecture presentations by the two staff members, but with ample scope for questions and discussion. In addition, there will be a Role Play session in which each student takes on a predetermined role in a United Nations style debate on the inter-relationships between military and security issues and the environment, a topic not otherwise covered in the unit. Students are also required to give a short presentation on a selected agreement that falls within the scope of this unit, and the implementation of that agreement by a selected nation.
Readings and assignments are all intended to supplement the learning experiences of the class sessions. It is important that all students read the material placed on the Library's Electronic Reserve, and as far as possible to do so BEFORE the relevant session.
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes
The assessment tasks have been designed to allow students to demonstrate how well they have achieved the learning outcomes for the unit. The allocation of marks within each task reflects the relative importance of the different components and students should pay particular attention to these as they complete the assignments.
The GSE831 Study Guide will include detailed requirements for the all Assignments listed below.
| Assessment | Max. Length | Marks | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1: Short essay | 1000 words | 20% | |
| Assignment 2: Essay and presentation | 2000 words | 35% (essay) 10% (presentation) |
|
| Assignment 3: Essay | 2000 words | 35% |
All three assignments must be submitted to pass the unit.
Attendance
In order to maximise learning outcomes, students are expected to:
- Attend 100% of classes
- Participate in class discussions, role play and presentations
- Read required readings together with further readings that interest them
- Complete all assessment tasks
Submission of Assignments
All assignments must be submitted to the Assignment Box located in the reception area of the ELS Centre (Room 101), Building E7A, which is on the ground floor at the western end of the building. The Centre opens from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday. There is also an ELS After Hours Assignment Box at the doorway to Building E7A closest to Building E5A. Campus maps are available to assist you in locating the ELS Centre.
All assignments are to be submitted by 9.00am on the date specified and must include a completed and signed Cover Sheet stapled to the front cover. The Assignment Cover Sheet can be downloaded.
Late Submissions
All students are required to complete and submit assessment work by the due time and date. Extensions will only be granted in writing at the discretion of the unit convenor and will only be granted prior to the due date (except in exceptional circumstances) and with the support of adequate documentation such as a medical certificate. Otherwise automatic penalties will apply. Assignments that are handed in late without an extension or exceptional circumstances will not be marked if they are submitted more than 7 days after the due date. If submitted within 7 days, marks will be deducted for lateness at the rate of 10% of the possible mark per day late.
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
The GSE831 Study Guide will include a list of compulsory and recommended readings for assignments and key themes and topics within the unit.
There is no set text, but the following books are highly recommended. Note that Birnie and Boyle (2002) and Sands (2003) cover much of the same ground.
Chambers, W.B. and Green, J.F. (2005) Reforming International Environmental Governance: From Institutional Limits to Innovative Reforms, UN University Press, Tokyo.
DeSombre, E. (2005) The Global Environment and World Politics, Continuum, London.
Sands, P. (2003) Principles of International Environmental Law (2nd Edn), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Birnie, P.W. and Boyle, A.E. (2002) International Law and the Environment (2nd Edn), Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Elliott, L. (1998) The Global Politics of the Environment, Macmillan, Basingstoke.
Plagiarism
The University defines plagiarism in its rules: "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties. You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism. These can be found in the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/
The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty. Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
University Policy on Grading
Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).
On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.
It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.
The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.
For an explanation of the policy see:
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/Guidelines2003.doc or
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/detailedguidelines.doc
Student Support Services
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.
Advice for Students with Disabilities/Health Conditions
The Equity Support Unit (ESU) provides support and assistance to students with a disability/health condition in aiming to ensure that they do not experience disadvantage in reaching their academic potential. Service provision is determined on a case-by-case basis following an assessment of a student's needs and the provision of supporting documentation. Service provision is also dependent on the availability of resources.
To register with ESU, download an Advice of Disability/Health Condition form from http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html. This form must be completed annually, irrespective of whether a disability/health condition is temporary, long-term or permanent. Students wishing to request support services from the ESU should make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor immediately after enrolling at Macquarie University.
Phone: (02) 9850 6494/7497
Fax: (02) 9850 6063
TTY: (02) 9850 6493
Email: equity@mq.edu.au
In person: Level 2, Lincoln Building (C8A), Macquarie University
Website: http://www.sss.mq.edu.au/equity