Coursework
Energy Policy: Global Decisions, Local Actors
This course will focus on the „energy“ factor of global efforts and achievements of policy-making to achieve global sustainable development. It will explain energy policy and its development towards the use of renewable energies and efficient energy consumption, highlighting the different approaches of various actors (mainly European nations and the U.S.), and fields of conflict. Students will be assigned readings to prepare and deepen their understanding, allowing them also to make presentations on the topics and discuss, as well as developing proposals for different actors how to approach the subject. These proposals will in the end be put into a simulation. Excursions in the Bonn area (e.g. UN) are planned. Recent developments will be discussed as well.
1. "Energy Policy", "Energy Security" and "Renewable Energy" from the viewpoint of Political Science - introduction. [2]
2. Sustainable Development and Energy Policy [2]
3. The role of the international community, esp. the UN
- Development up to the Kyoto Protocal [2]
- After Kyoto, incl. the MDGs, esp. goal 7/subtarget 1 and goal 8/1 and 5 [2]
4. Common EU Energy Policy
- History (European Steel and Coal Community, European Atomic Energy
Community) [2]
- Towards the future - a common strategy? [2]
5. U.S. Energy Policy [2]
6. Germany as a role-model of sustainable energy policy? [4]
7. Current developments [2]
8. Focus region [2]
Simulation on energy policy, e.g. focusing on the EU and Caucasus region [5]
The course is taught by Thomas Weiler. You can download his CV here.
