Politics of Climate Change (Taught)

Warwick’s Politics of Climate Change MA provides students with a deep understanding of the political dimensions of climate change. It explores the political opportunities and obstacles (at the global, regional and national levels) to addressing climate change and its effects.

Climate change raises many political questions. Why has it been so difficult to implement ambitious climate policies? What are the political obstacles to a clean energy transition? What are the prospects of reaching just and effective climate agreements at the international negotiations? Many talk of ‘climate justice’, but what does ‘climate justice’ mean? Who should pay for ‘mitigation’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘loss and damage’? How do climate policies affect the politics of development?

This programme enables students to understand the politics of climate change in all its diversity – in different societies across the world, and at the global, regional and the national level. The course is taught by leading figures in the field. The programme introduces students to competing theories, core political concepts and the key debates surrounding climate politics. In this way, we develop a better understanding of the political factors affecting one of the greatest challenges that humanity faces.

Double Degrees

Our Double Degree programmes enable you to combine the study of this MA programme in PAIS with a Master’s programme at any one of our partner universities:

• American University, Washington DC, USA

• University of Waterloo, Canada

• Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium

• Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

• University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany

• Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

This information is applicable for 2025 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrollment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply.

Core modules

• Politics of Governing for Climate Change
• Nine Ideas in Climate Politics
• Dissertation

Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

• Climate Justice and the Transition to a Sustainable World
• Energy Security
• Loss and Damage
• Environmental Politics
• Global Justice and Future Generations

The optional module lists are updated regularly.

You may select up to 40 CATS (normally two modules) from a list of specialist modules for this course, and a further 40-80 CATS from our extensive range of optional modules for a total of 120 CATS of taught modules.