GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AS ORGANIZERS OF NARRATIVES AND PRACTICES

This e-learning short-course is an output of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence 'Peace Relations, Ontologies and Narratives in Europe: EU and its Eastern Neighbours (PRONE)' financed by the European Commission under the Eramus+ Programme. PRONE includes the organisation and implementation of a varied range of activities organised around three main axes: teaching and research; policy recommendations; and extension to the community. The range and dynamic nature of the Centre's activities aim at projecting the quality and excellence of the University of Coimbra in all initiatives at national and international levels.

The European Union's relations with its Eastern neighbours, as well as its own internal agenda, are framed within the current global environmental challenges. Different narratives are discussed in order to identify the best practices to address these challenges, but, simultaneously, diverse practices are being implemented as the debate proceeds. Understanding the main issues and the dynamics narratives and practices bring to the political arena becomes of utmost importance. This e-learning short-course on Global Environmental Challenges offers the opportunity to better understand these challenges, the associated existing narratives and the implications these narratives have on decision-making. Practices become framed by these different narratives, but also influence those same narratives.

We hope you enjoy this course and it constitutes a first step for deepening and consolidating your knowledge on global environmental challenges and a means to broaden your own perspectives on these topics.

These contents are a result of the activities developed within the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence - Peace Relations, Ontologies and Narratives in Europe: EU and its Eastern Neighbours, 611269-EPP-1-2019-1-PT-EPPJMO-CoE, University of Coimbra. The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Individuals interested in global climate change dynamics and politics, including high school students and teachers, higher education students and professors, researchers, practitioners, activists, business and political decision-makers.

• Identify and explain global environmental challenges and the main narratives framing them
• Understand the main narratives and debates around the notion of the Anthropocene and their implications for global governance
• Understand climate change related risks and emergency and disaster planning
• Identify communication strategies and barriers to raising awareness to climate-related matters
• Understand the main contemporary proposals to address global environmental challenges
• Understand main water challenges

Module 1. Global Environmental Challenges and Narratives

Module 2. Risk Management and Climate Change

Module 3. Climate Change and Communication

Module 4. Green Responses to Climate Change

Module 5. Water Challenges under Climate Change

This course has a duration of 81 hours and will be available for 6 months for students to take it at their own pace. Each module includes an introductory short video, providing the student with the overall roadmap of the module’s contents. Specific recommended readings are assigned to each module, so students can acquire basic knowledge regarding concepts, debates and practices on the module’s topic. Audio-visual resources are also included to stimulate the student’s analytical and critical competences. Finally, a short-quiz is included not only as an assessment tool, but also as a learning strategy, providing an incentive for students to check their level of proficiency on the topic, identify their fragilities and adjust their studying approach to re-take the quiz and obtain a higher grade.

The course includes the assessment of each module. Each module assessment includes five questions, which can be answered as a block as many times as needed. Course approval implies obtaining 100% score in each module quiz. Each question is worth 20%.