Comparative politics has begun to engage with climate policy and politics, with a rapid expansion in the study of climate policies and politics in a comparative and cross-national perspective. It has aimed to answer a range of questions. Do national policies matter for a global policy problem like climate change? How can we compare, rank and measure national climate policies, policy effort, and ambition? How can we explain differences and variation in national climate policies? What is the role of institutions, ideas and interests in producing climate policies? What is the role of the public and their representatives in the political system? What role do international factors play in shaping national climate policies? This course focuses on these questions in the context of national politics in developed democracies, with a particular emphasis on European countries. The course aims to provide students with an appreciation of the main components of climate policies, factors that drive cross-national similarities and differences in climate policy, and the nature of climate politics.

The international context, comparative politics and climate change; Key policy instruments and dimensions of climate policy; Measuring national climate policies; Explaining variation in national climate policies; Institutions and climate policy; National interests, economic interests and climate policy; Coalitions, networks and climate policy; Ideas, agendas and climate policy; Public opinion and climate policy; Political parties and climate policy; International factors and climate policies; The comparative politics of climate adaptation.

Understand different approaches to measuring national climate policy and the climate policy preferences of important policy actors; Source information and data on key aspects of climate policy; Cross-nationally compare climate policies and the factors that influence them; Identify current research puzzles and unresolved problems in the literature.

Take the perspective of a social scientist and develop confidence in that role. Develop an appreciation of political science's potential contribution to addressing societal problems.

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Active class sessions, with frequent pair and small-group work (Graduate attribute: Collaborative). Short student presentations (Graduate attribute: Articulate). Term paper development sessions, including peer feedback sessions (Graduate attributes: Creative, Collaborative). Guest speakers, depending on availability. The course is centred on regular reading and participation in class and it places an emphasis on recent research findings and the state of the art across the topics covered (Graduate attribute: Knowledgeable).