Course description
SDGs provide the international community with an ambitious set of goals that are expected to be translated into innovative set of actions in order to achieve the planned results.
The existing framework given by the set of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) provides the Member States with important conceptual and operation tools to improve the local and global environmental conditions.
Additionally, the internationally designated territories and sites are the ‘sustainable development laboratories’ where to introduce and test innovative management practices to implement the SDGs into concrete actions.
The first part of the course is dedicated to the introduction of the main topics re-lated to the SDGs implementation; namely: the multilevel governance mechanisms; the human rights approach; the economic aspects; the definition of set of criteria and indicators; and the local community involvement.
Through an interdisciplinary perspective, the course will provide students with competences and instruments for the understanding and analysis of various differ-ent key aspects of the SDGs ‘in practice’ in the international designations’ management plans; e.g. the economic aspects, the human rights perspective, the PPP contribution, the importance of the measurement.

Structure of the course
The course is structured in weekly modules, each of them dedicated to a specific topic.
After a general introduction on the main principles of the Green Diplomacy and its set of MEAs (first 2 weeks modules), a specific part of the lessons (the following 6 weeks modules) is dedicated to the analyses of the main aspects related to the implementation of the SDGs into the international designations’ schemes; namely: the human rights-based approach; the microfinance for local development; the measurement of the SD; and the PPP approach.
After the mid-term break, the course will focus on the main international designations (for the following 4 weeks); namely: the UNESCO World Heritage sites, the MaB Biosphere Reserves, the Global Geoparks, and the Ramsar sites. To each of them a weekly module is dedicated to (a) introduce its main rationale and functioning mechanisms and (b) illustrating a specific case (one for each designation) to provide a better insights view. The cases are chosen among the ones located in the vicinity of Venice (North-Eastern part of Italy) in order to offer students, the possibility to organize field visits once possible

The last part of the course is organized in the form of a laboratory. The students will be divided in groups, and each group will be given an assignment to work with one of the illustrated frameworks. The results of the group assignments are to be presented in plenary and will be specifically evaluated.

Course organization and supervision
The overall structure of the course and its thematic organization have been devel-oped by Giorgio Andrian (University of Padova) in collaboration with Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova). Giorgio Andrian is the coordinator of the course. In-vited speakers will be Alberto Lanzavecchia (University of Padova), Mirko Dal Maso (UNEP-DTU) and Sladjana Sredojevic (Association of Serbian Banks).

Course Requirements
Students will be expected to do the required readings and to attend class regularly. Attendance is compulsory for all students. Required readings will be designated on a weekly basis according to the themes listed in the course outline. Students will be also encouraged to find additional material for their final project by searching the Internet and accessing suggested websites.
Field trips to visit the internationally designated territories in the vicinity of Venice can be arranged.

Evaluation methods
Final project – There will be a group project to develop, to present in a written group report and through an oral presentation in class – 40% of the final grade.
Paper – each participant will be asked to write a short paper on a selected inter-national designation – 40%
Class participation – Overall class participation, in terms of both attendance and interaction, will count for 20% of the final grade.

Syllabus
Module I - Green Diplomacy and MEAs

Week 2 – February 22

Monday, February 22
Introduction to the Course, its Program and Structure
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, February 24
Introduction to the MEAs
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
MEAs

Week 3 – March 01

Monday, March 01
Green Diplomacy Part I
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, March 03
Green Diplomacy Part II
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography
EU: Link
UN: Link

Module II - Human Rights for Sustainable Development

Week 4 – March 8

Monday, March 8
Human Rights Based Approach to Environment and Sustainable Development
Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, March 10
Human Rights Based Approach to Environment and Sustainable Development: the case of the Uganda
Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
1. Arts, K. (2017). Inclusive sustainable development: a human rights perspective. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 24, pp. 58-62. Elsevier B.V.
2. OHCHR & UNEP. (2012). Human Rights and the Environment: Rio+20 Joint Re-port. UNON Publishing Services Section, Nairobi – ISO 14001:2004-certified.
3. Özbek S.E. (2018). Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development: The Case of Karamoja. Padova: University of Padova. Available at Link

Module III - MIcrofinance for Sustainable Development

Week 5 – March 15

Monday, March 15
Microfinance for Sustainable Development: Theoretical approaches
Prof. Alberto Lanzavecchia (University of Padova)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, March 17
Microfinance for Sustainable Development: the case of Nepal
Prof. Alberto Lanzavecchia (University of Padova)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
Ledgerwood Joanna, Julie Earne and Candace Nelson (eds.),, The New Microfinance Handbook: A Financial System Perspective.. Washington D.C.: World Bank, 2013.
Kothari A., Salleh A., Escobar A., Federico F., Acosta A., Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary. --: Tulika Books, 2019
 
Module IV - Measuring Sustainable Development

Week 6 – March 22
Monday, March 22
Measuring Sustainable Development: theoretical and operational framework
Mirko Dal Maso (UNEP-DTU)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, March 24
Measuring Sustainable Development: Case of Costa Rica
Mirko Dal Maso (UNEP-DTU)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Module V - PPP For Sustainable Development 

Week 7 – March 29

Monday, March 29
Private Public Partnership for Sustainable Development: theoretical and operational framework
Dr. Sladjana Sredojevic (Association of Serbian Banks)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, March 31

Private Public Partnership for Sustainable Development: examples from the SEE
Dr. Sladjana Sredojevic (Association of Serbian Banks)
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
-Infrascope-2017_EECA-SEMED_Final_5-May.pdf (eiu.com)
-SDGs and PPPs: What's the connection? (worldbank.org)

Module VI - World Heritage Sites 

Week 8 – April 12

Monday, April 12
Introduction to the World Heritage Convention and its functioning mechanisms
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)
 
Wednesday, April 14
The World Natural Heritage: examples
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
UNESCO WHC and key strategic docs: Link

Module VII - The Biosphere Reserves

Week 9 – April 19

Monday, April 19
Introduction to the UNESCO MaB Program and its functioning mechanisms
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, April 21
Examples from the World Network of Biosphere Reserves
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
MaB key strategic documents available at: Link

Module VIII - Geoparks

Week 10 – April 26

Monday, April 26
Introduction to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network and its functioning mecha-nisms
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Wednesday, April 28
The case of the Adamello-Brenta Geopark
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova)

Bibliography:
UNESCO Global Geopark contributing to SD (available at: Link)

Module IX - The Case of Uganda

Week 11 – May 3

Monday, May 3
A Potential BR Designation: Case of Mt. Moroto territories, Uganda – part 1
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Wednesday, May 5
A Potential BR Designation: Case of Mt. Moroto territories, Uganda – part 2
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN (University of Padova) and Lochiam Miligan Rose (Moroto Caritas)

Bibliography:
Feasibility Study for the Candidacy of Mount Moroto and surrounding territories as a UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve

Module X - Final Sessions

Week 12 – May 10

Monday, May 10
Students working group – part 1
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Wednesday, May 11
Students working group – part 2
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Week 13 – May 17

Monday, May 17
Students working group – part 3
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Wednesday, May 18
Students working group – part 4
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Week 13 (exams) – May 24

Monday, May 24
Students working group – presentation and discussion 1
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)

Wednesday, May 26
Students working group – presentation and discussion 2
Prof. Giorgio ANDRIAN and Elifcan Özbek (University of Padova)