ENV 850a () / 2025-2026

International Organizations and Conferences

If you are planning to participate in the course, please complete the application form linked below by 11:59pm ET, Thursday, August 7th.
Expression of Interest Form
Syllabus - The Teaching Team is currently reviewing and updating the syllabus for Fall 2025 but the current version is always available on this link.
Info Session Recording Some of your questions may already be answered in this info session we ran in April
Conferences List: A running list of conferences

This course focuses on the historic, present, and future roles of international environmental conferences. Through guest speakers, assigned readings, and discussions, students explore conferences including IUCN’s World Conservation Congress, the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity, UNFCCC’s climate change conference, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Students, along with visiting alumni and guest speakers, discuss the roles and impacts of the various conferences in international environmental decision-making and the future of international conferences in a post-COVID world. The course also assesses the potential for improved equity, justice, and inclusion in international conferences, organizations, and their secretariats. Students attending fall conferences (in person or virtually) develop work plans to be completed during the conference under the guidance of their host delegations and the instructor.