Description

The course Navigating Climate Change is an elective course for students interested in contemporary climate change issues and, therefore, assumes an initial knowledge of the circumstances of climate change and a consensus that it is of anthropogenic origin. The course explores how climate change, as a global societal issue, is reflected in the everyday life of the individual and how it confronts them with decisions often beyond their reach. These range from funding fossil fuels just by depositing money in a ‘wrong’ bank, disseminating fake news just by reading the ‘wrong’ media, or, on the contrary, supporting wildlife funds just by unknowingly liking the ‘right’ chocolate. Such cases are debated in the broader context of international and global politics and using the theoretical tools of the discipline of international relations.
The course is unusual in its emphasis on engagement with the solutions and process of climate change, for which it prepares students through a semester-long project. It seeks to link science and activism, i.e. to extend theories to agency. It presents problems while giving space to students to find solutions they feel are the most fit.

Requirements

The grading of the course is composed of three components.

Seminar participation (33 points): There are twelve seminars during the semester, with a maximum of two possible absences. Each (except the introduction) will be evaluated by up to 3 points (1 p. for being present and 2 p. for activity; the first class is an open class and thus is not evaluated). In the first part of the semester, every seminar leads to a homework assignment, which is not submitted individually but, in fact, becomes part of the Personal Climate Action Plan described at the end of this document or in a separate guideline in Moodle.

Personal Climate Action Plan (40 points): The most important part of the evaluation is the Personal Climate Action Plan – an individual student project composed of partial tasks assigned during each seminar in the first 9 weeks. While assigned gradually, the execution of the tasks remains the student’s responsibility, whether in the given week or later in the semester. The individual tasks are not submitted until the 10th week of the semester, when they are submitted in one formatted document as a unified action plan, building on the assigned and other academic literature (30 points). The remaining 10 points are reserved for the action plan’s presentation at one of the seminars dedicated to that purpose at the end of the semester (weeks 10-12).

Factual test (27 points): There is also a factual test consisting of 10 questions (each for 1, 2 or 3 points) that takes place either already during the 12th seminar or later within the exam period (depending on the number of students participating in the course in the given year). The test motivates students not to omit memorisation of facts, which is necessary for any type of academic argumentation.

Instructors

Mgr. Eliška Pohnerová

Learning Outcomes

Students understand the political and societal tensions propelled by climate change.

Students grasp climate change-related concepts and facts.

Students are able to apply the discussed tensions and concepts in their everyday lives.

Students are able to analyse the complex climate change-related realities and recommend/choose ways of action.

Students comprehend and evaluate the different theoretical approaches to climate change-related matters and have the ability to recognise their benefits as well as drawbacks.

Recommended Readings and Tools

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is permitted in this course only in supporting phases (e.g., research, language correction). It is not permitted to use AI to create the main text, conclusions, or arguments. Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT and similar tools) may only be used as a supplementary means of searching for information, not for creating required outputs. It is always necessary to state when and how AI was used. Copying AI-generated results in their literal or slightly modified form and presenting them as your own work is considered plagiarism. All uses of AI tools must be explicitly stated according to the guidelines set by FSV UK, and they must adhere to the broader ethical recommendations provided by Charles University. Students may decide not to use artificial intelligence tools or not to have their work processed by artificial intelligence, and such decisions will be fully respected by lecturers.