Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr.

Cosmin Corendea

ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS

University for Peace Human Rights Centre
Instructor: Prof. (Dr.) Cosmin Corendea

07 September – 18 October 2022

COURSE SYLLABUS
Contacting the Instructor and Facilitator
Course Description
Course Objectives
Pedagogy
Course Format
Course Requirements
Auditors
Technical Requirements
Course Schedule

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 Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr. Cosmin Corendea

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR AND FACILITATOR

Instructor Cosmin Corendea can be reached at: ccorendea@jgu.edu.in. For technical support,
questions related to scheduling/logistics, and administrative matters, please contact our support
team at: hrc@upeace.org

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This certificate course offered by the Human Rights Centre of the University for Peace looks at
the relationship between the environment, development, and human rights and examines how these
linkages may assist efforts to protect both the environment and human rights. The course uses an
interdisciplinary approach and focuses on the educational, legal and social aspects of this
relationship. The course will address climate change, environmental degradation, mitigation and
adaptation, human mobility, human rights-based approaches to the environment, loss and damage,
and the environment and human rights in the light of the post-2020 development agenda
and after the math of COVID-19 pandemic. Under the umbrella of international law and
environmental science, the course will pay special attention to hybrid approaches related to the
environment and human rights, including as a potential strengthening and dispersing method to
address the nexus of environment, human rights and mobility.

The course is based on a dynamic pedagogy including reading materials, video clips, case
studies, and interactive webinars with the instructor.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Learners will:

gain knowledge about:

• the human rights dimensions of environmental protection and climate change

• the specific role of development in the interface between environmental
protection, climate change and human rights
• Gain knowledge of the impacts of climate change on water and food security
• Gain knowledge of the human rights approaches to environmental protection and
climate change
• Understand the linkages between climate induced mobility and human security,
and the role of development in this interface

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 Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr. Cosmin Corendea

Acquire skills in:

- Analyzing the political, economic, social and cultural dimensions of the interface between
human rights, development, climate change and environmental protection, to search for
appropriate future directions
- Advocating for mainstreaming human rights applicability to climate change scenarios

Throughout the course, learners will be asked to reflect on their own experiences in applying
the skills and knowledge goals of the course.

PEDAGOGY

Learners will have access to the course site at www.hrc.upeace.org/classroom with an assigned
username and password.

This course uses resources, on-line discussions, webinars and quizzes as the basis for learning.
As the course will place an emphasis on individual learning and research, using the Internet for
this will be vital and strongly encouraged.

The course is based on the premise that we learn best by becoming actively engaged around themes
and questions related to real life concerns and experience. In this way, discussions and learning are
maximized. The discussions are intended to help participants explore the course materials and any
relevant issues of interest, and to learn from one another. Active engagement by everyone will
help create an active virtual community of learners. Hence, participants in the course will be
required to regularly post on the Learning forum.

COURSE FORMAT

The course will consist of six “classroom” weeks. On every Tuesday prior to the beginning of
each week (on Wednesday), the instructor will open the course week, including his message (mini
lecture), and launch discussions in the Forums. Learners are expected to check the course site at
the beginning of every course week to be aware of the requirements for the week.

A. Instructor’s Message
This includes a written Instructor’s message on the week’s topic – a sort of a mini-lecture in a
written format and will require learners to read the same. This is an essential component for a
complete understanding of the week’s content.

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 Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr. Cosmin Corendea

B. Resources
The course includes readings and other resources, such as videos and links to relevant websites.
These are listed in the syllabus but are subject to change.

C. Weekly topic(s) for discussion

Every week one Forum question will be posted. The questions are intended to encourage discussion
about the week’s topic and are an opportunity for participants to learn from each other’s experience
and opinions.
Students are required to participate in five out of the six weeks to successfully complete the course.
Participants are required to participate in the discussion during the assigned week, however in the
event of an unforeseen circumstance delaying forum participation please e-mail the course
moderator to make alternate arrangements.
Should learners like to have discussions in addition to the required weekly topic(s), they can initiate
discussion threads and reply to colleagues in the “Open Forum”. This optional forum is a venue
for participants to ask questions of each other and share advice and experience.

The instructor will facilitate the discussions in the forum and give his ongoing feedback during the
week.

D. Webinars
This course will include four 60-minute webinars on September 14, September 21, October 5,
and October 12 from 14:00 (2.00PM) to 15:00 (3.00PM) GMT/UTC. The webinars are
synchronous sessions in the course, that is, they require all learners to be on-line at the same
time. Generally, these sessions are very much appreciated, yet busy schedules and time differences
can sometimes be a challenge. To determine the correct time zone for your participation in these
events, please consult
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html. Recordings of the webinars will be made
available for participants who are unable to attend.

E. Quizzes 

Participants will complete two quizzes, during Week 3 and Week 6. Each quiz is intended to assist
course participants in gauging their knowledge of critical concepts and issues related to the course
objectives. Successful completion of both quizzes is required. In the event of an unforeseen
circumstance delaying quiz completion, please contact the course moderator to make alternate
arrangements.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Participants’ main responsibilities in this course are to:

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 Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr. Cosmin Corendea

1. keep up with the readings as scheduled;

2. listen to the Instructor’s presentation
3. post at least one substantive message on the Learning forum in a minimum of five of the
six course weeks;
4. complete both quizzes with a passing score as scheduled;

AUDITORS

“Auditors” take the course for the purpose of self-enrichment and academic exploration. Auditors
have access to the course website, including all course resources, such as Instructor’s Messages,
readings and videos. Auditors are welcome to participate in the webinars and view the discussion
forums. However, auditors cannot participate in discussion forums or attempt quizzes. Auditors
will not receive a certificate upon completion of the course.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

It is assumed that participants are comfortable with computer and Internet use. It is recommended
to download the Acrobat Reader software as some course documents will be in the so-called
Portable Document Format (PDF). Acrobat Reader can be downloaded free of charge at:
http://get.adobe.com/reader.
Java. In order to participate in the webinars it is recommended to install Java, which can be
downloaded from: http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp. Headsets or computer
speakers will also be necessary in order to participate in the webinar.
Flash. Some courses include short self-directed modules. It is necessary to enable Adobe Flash,
which can be downloaded from: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer. Self-directed modules launch
in a new window.
Anti-virus software. Viruses cannot be transmitted through text-only messages, but viruses can
be carried in file attachments. UPEACE-HRC will guarantee that files coming from the course
website will be virus-free, but it is possible that participants might unintentionally pass on a virus
through a file attachment they add to the course website, for example in documents related to
assignments. It is the responsibility of all participants to be sure that they have current anti-virus
software. Please arrange for this as soon as possible! Widely used anti-virus software are AVG
(free), McAfee and Norton.

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COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK 1:
Introduction to Environment, Development, and Human Rights Linkages
(07 SEPTEMBER –13 SEPTEMBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• Broaden their knowledge about the adequate institutional responses to fully address the
scope, magnitude and complexity of environmental problems, as well as policy
coordination, environmental agreements and their interconnection when addressing climate
change, human rights and development;
• Discover the conceptual relation between human rights and climate change, in particular
from a human rights-based approach and its correspondent function towards climate
change;
• Connect the dots among international climate law, human rights and applicability of
international law in concrete scenarios, such as sustainable development.

Required Readings:

• Smith, Dan and Vivekananda, Janani (2012). “Climate Change, Conflict, and Fragility:
Getting the Institutions Right” in Climate Change, Human Security and Violent Conflict:
Challenges for Societal Stability. Scheffran, J., Brzoska, M., AFES-PRESS, H.G., Link,
P.M., Schilling, J. (Eds.). Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace.
Vol. 8. Pp. 77-91
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2022): Mitigation of Climate Change
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_SPM.pdf
• UNGA, (2022) Resolution 76/ The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment
A/76/L.75
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3982508?ln=en#record-files-collapse-header
• UNGA, (2020) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of Human Rights Obligations
relating to the Enjoyment of a Safe, Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment, right to
a healthy environment: good practices, A/HRC/43/53.
https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/53

Optional Readings:

• UNGA, (2019), Human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy
and sustainable environment, A/74/161. https://undocs.org/A/74/161
• Mary Robinson (2015). Why Climate Change is a Threat to Human Rights. Ted Talk
(21:42
min).https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_robinson_why_climate_change_is_a_threat_to_hu
man_ rights
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 Environment, Development and Human Rights – Instructor: Dr. Cosmin Corendea
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees C
http://report.ipcc.ch/sr15/pdf/sr15_spm_final.pdf
• IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROC)
https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/home/

Assignments:
- Familiarize yourself with the course website.

- Review the participant list (if necessary, add a picture, bio, and contact information).

- Read the Instructor’s Message.

- Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in the
discussion that follows.

WEEK 2:
LEGAL APPROACHES: CONCEPTS, MECHANISMS AND IMPLEMENTATION
(14 SEPTEMBER – 20 SEPTEMBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• Deepen their knowledge and understanding of principles of international climate law:

common but differentiated responsibility, sustainable development, precautionary
principle, polluter pays principle, cost-effectiveness, sovereignty, and jurisdiction;
• Explore issues of topical interest in regard to implementation, enforcement and non-
compliance procedures;
• Engage themselves with issues of principle and policy within climate law

Required Readings:

• Sands, Philippe and Peel, Jacqueline (2012). “Principles of International Environmental

Law”. 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press. Pp. 22-41.
• Antto Vihma (2013). “Analyzing Soft Law and Hard Law in Climate Change” in Hollo,
Erkki J.; Kulovesi, Kati; Mehling, Michael (Eds.). Climate Change and the Law.
Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice. Vol 21. Ch. 7. Pp. 143-164.
• Corendea, C o s m i n (2016) "Hybrid Legal Approaches Towards Climate Change:
Concepts, Mechanisms and Implementation". Annual Survey of International &
Comparative Law Vol. 21: Issue 1. Article 5. Available at:
http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/annlsurvey/vol21/iss1/5

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Optional Readings:

• Hari M. Osofsky, (2010), The continuing importance of climate change litigation, Climate
Law http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/18786561
• Barnett, Jonathon (2006). “Climate Change, Insecurity and Injustice” in W. Neil Adger,
Jouni Paavola, Saleemul Huq and M. J. Mace (Eds.). Fairness in Adaptation to Climate
Change. The MIT Press. Part II. Ch. 6. Pp. 115-131
• Birnie, Patricia; Boyle, Alan; Catherine Redgwell (2009). “International Law and the
Environment”. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, Pp. 1-43; 106-211.

Assignments:

Read the Instructor’s Message.

Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in the discussion
that follows.
Attend webinar on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, from 14:00 GMT/UTC to 15:00
GMT/UTC

WEEK 3 :
WATER A N D FOOD SECURITY IN T HE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
(21 SEPTEMBER- 27 SEPTEMBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• identify the key attributes of water security

• identify the 4 key pillars of food security
• identify keyw a y s in which climate change affects both food and water security link
discussions of water and food security to broader elements of human security in the
context of climate change.

Required Readings:

• Dinar, S., de Stefano, L., Duncan, J., Stahl, K., Strzepek, K.M., and Wolf, A.T. (2012).
“No Wars for Water: Why Climate Change Has Not Led to Conflict.” Foreign Affairs.
October 18, 2012. Available at www.foreignaffairs.com/print/135435

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• Hanjra, M. A., & Qureshi, M. E. (2010). “Global Water Crisis and Future Food Security
in an Era of Climate Change”. Food Policy. 35(5). Pp. 365-377.
• Pinstrup-Anderson, P. (2009). “Food Security: Definition and Measurement”. Food
Security. 1. Pp. 5-7.
• Renaud, F. and Wirkus, L. (2012). “Water, Climate Change, and Human Security:
Conflict and Migration”. in Bigas, H. (Ed.), 2012. The Global Water Crisis: Addressing
an Urgent Security Issue. Papers for the InterAction Council, 2011-2012. Hamilton, Canada:
UNU-INWEH. Chapter 1.4. Pp. 35-45.

Optional Readings:

• Barnaby, W. (2009). “Do nations go to war over water?” Nature 458 (19 March 2009).
Pp. 282-83.
• Carolan M., (2013). “Food security: a brief history.” in Reclaiming Food Security. New
York: Routledge. Chapter 2. Pp. 11-35.
• Cook, C. and Bakker, K. (2012). “Water Security: Debating an Emerging Paradigm”.
Global Environmental Change. Vol. 22. Pp. 94-102.

Assignments:

- Read the Instructor’s Message.

- Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in the
discussion that follows.

-  Quiz 1: Answer ten questions based on the readings from Weeks 1 – 3 [due by September
27, 2022].

Attend webinar on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, from 14:00 GMT/UTC to 15:00
GMT/UTC

WEEK 4:
Human Rights Based Approaches to Climate Change adaptation and mitigation
(28 SEPTEMBER – 04 OCTOBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• Improve their knowledge and understanding of the interconnection between climate

change and human rights;
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• Get familiar with the bottom- up approach when applying human rights norms and
procedures to climate change related events;
• Learn more about the international human rights mechanisms and their impact at local,
national and regional level when addressing climate change

Required Readings:

• Shelton Dinah, L. (2011), Human Rights and the E nvironment

Edgar E l d e r Publishing. Vol. I. Part I. Ch.5. and Vol. II. Part II. Ch.8.
• Benoit Mayer (2019) Human Rights in the Paris Agreement, Climate Law
http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/18786561
• Knox, John H (2014). “Climate Ethics and Human Rights”. Journal of Human Rights and
the Environment. Vol. V. Pp. 22-34
• Barnett, J. (2009). “Human Rights and Vulnerability to Climate Change” in Stephen
Humphreys (Ed.). Human Rights and Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. Ch.
O. Introduction. Pp. 1-34. Barnett, J., Part II, Ch. 9, “Human Rights and Vulnerability to
Climate Change”, Pp. 257-271
• O’Brien, K.; St. Clair, L.A.; Kristoffersen, B. (2014). “The Framing of Climate Change:
Why it Matters” in Karen O’Brien, Asuncion Lera St. Clair and Berit Kristoffersen (eds.).
Climate Change, Ethics and Human Security. Cambridge University Press. Part I. Ch. 1.
Pp. 1-22

Optional Readings:

• Maxine Burkett (2019), Reading Between the Red Lines: Loss and Damage and the Paris
Outcome, Climate Law
http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/18786561
• UNSG, (2020), Checklist for a Human Rights-Based Approach to Socio-Economic Country
Responses to COVID-19.
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-
governance/human_rights/checklist-for-a-human-rights-based-approach-to-socio-
economic-co.html
Assignments:

- Read the Instructor’s Message.

- Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in the
discussion that follows.

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WEEK 5:
NEW EMERGING LEGAL NEXUS: ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
MOBILITY
(0 OCTOBER- 11 OCTOBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• Understand the linkages between migration, climate change and human rights, including
from an international law perspective
• Evaluate and understand the weight of environmental and climatic factors in migration
and their relationship to other push or pull factors such as those of a social, political or
economic nature.
• To analyze the politico-legal framework, or the lack thereof, within which such migration
flows take place and climate-migrants are treated.
• Understand the contemporary debates on environmental migration governance

Required Readings:

• IOM, (2020) Mobility Impacts COVID-19. At: https://migration.iom.int/node?page=1

• Warner, Koko; Afifi, Tamer; Dun, Olivia; Stal, Marc and Schmidl, Sophia (2008).
“Human Security, Climate Change, and Environmentally Induced Migration”. Report.
UNU-EHS.
• McAdam, Jane (2011). “Environmental Migration” in A Betts (ed). Global Migration
Governance. Oxford University Press: Oxford. Pp. 153-188

Optional Readings:

• UNGA, (2020) The Covid-19 crisis is an opportunity to reimagine human mobility, UN,
https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/covid-19-crisis-opportunity-reimagine-human-
mobility
• Corendea, Cosmin et. al. (2015). “Promoting Human Security and Minimizing Conflict
Associated with Forced Migration in the Pacific Region”. Policy Brief. Pacific Islands
Forum Secretariat, United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and
Mobility, and United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security.

Assignments:

- Read the Instructor’s Message

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- Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in the
discussion that follows.
- Attend webinar on Wednesday, October 05, 2022, from 14:00 GMT/UTC to 15:00
GMT/UTC

WEEK 6:
ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
IN THE SDG AGENDA
(12 OCTOBER - 18 OCTOBER 2022)

Learning Objectives –

After this week, students will be able to

• Critically analyze different ways of thinking about possible future scenarios regarding
governance for reducing the global, regional and local impacts of Climate Change
• Critically analyze the role that development and politics may play in future frameworks
for addressing the adverse impacts of climate change and human rights

Required Readings:

• Corendea, C, Mani, T., (2018) The Progression of Climate Change, Human Rights,
and Human Mobility in the Context of Transformative Resilience, Resilience- The Science
of Adaptation to Climate Change, ch. 25, pg. 305- 316, Elsevier
• Paola Villavicencio Calzadilla & Romain Mauger (2017), The UN's new sustainable
development agenda and renewable energy: the challenge to reach SDG7 while achieving
energy justice, Pages: 233-254, Journal of Energy & Natural Resources
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rnrl20/current
• Shelton, Dinah (2015). “Legitimate and Necessary: Adjudicating Human Right
Violations related to Activities Causing Environmental Harm or Risk”. Journal of
Human Rights and Environment, Vol. 6. No. 2. Pp. 139–155.

Assignments:

- Read the Instructor’s Message.

- Respond to the question(s) on the Learning forum and actively participate in

the discussion that follows.
- Attend webinar on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, from 14:00 GMT/UTC to 15:00
GMT/UTC

-  Quiz 2: Answer ten questions based on the readings from Weeks 4 – 6 [due by October
18, 2022].
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