Courses related to social science aspects of environmental protection

Within the study programme of Public and Social Policy, the teaching of courses related to the social science aspects of environmental protection, including the social impacts of environmental policies, will start in full from the summer semester of 2024. This is made possible by a newly obtained grant entitled "Environmental module of the Master's study program Public and Social Policy at FSV UK" financed by the National Recovery Plan through the State Environmental Fund. Students outside the study programme can also enroll in those courses.

• In summer semester 2023/24 you can enroll in:

Social Dimension of Just Transition

Guarantor: Mirna Jusić, MA, Ph.D.

The aim of this course is to introduce MA students to the core aspects of the Just Transition which relate to social protection and employment policies. The Just Transition refers to the shift that countries need to make away from sectors of the economy that are carbon-intensive and hinder the goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions, which considers the need to accommodate workers employed in such sectors. Students will be acquainted with the core preconditions that countries need to meet in order to make the transition towards a green economy just for workers. This includes strengthened social dialogue between representative/s of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, active labour market policies and life-long learning schemes that promote the creation of new skills, the creation of decent employment, policies that promote social inclusion and non-discrimination, as well as adequate social protection schemes to ensure income support for workers facing a transition. To that end, students will learn about mechanisms and policy frameworks that supra-national and international organizations have adopted to facilitate the transition (for instance, the EU’s Just Transition Mechanism; the International Labour Organization’s Guidelines for a Just Transition towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All), as well as national policy frameworks and their implementation in different countries. Students will learn to critically analyse the conditions that, in interaction with each other, may yield policy outcomes that enable or disable a just green transition.

• From the next academic year you can enroll in: 

Environmental policy instruments and their applications

Guarantor: Dr. Eva Horváthová, lecturers: doc. Eliška Vejchodská, Ph.D., Dr. Kateřina Mácová

This course informs about the utilisation of environmental policy instruments in the European context and trains the applications of policy instruments. The course delves into current trends in using instruments to address complex challenges like global climate change. The wide range of potential instruments available for addressing societal challenges will be explored. When shaping environmental policy approach, considerations include its alignment with existing institutional arrangements, effectiveness in achieving objectives, political feasibility, avoidance of excessive financial burdens on society, including the public sector, and prevention of negative impacts on vulnerable groups. Given the complexity of applying public policy instruments to environmental issues like climate change, the course uses concrete examples from local, regional, national, and transnational levels to introduce general principles.

If you are interested in courses taught in Czech, see the detailed list here.