Dear all, The Environmental Policy Analysis department of the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) is inviting students, researchers and professionals to join its Summer School programmes in July 2026. Topics cover environmental justice, water governance, climate governance and the (geo)politics of the energy transition. Below, you will find a brief overview of the programmes, including hyperlinks for more detailed info. Do not hesitate to reach out to the respective coordinators should you have questions or request more information. The final application deadline is 1 May 2026, but please note:
* The VU offers an early bird discount of 50 EUR for applications completed before 31 March. * The VU offers a limited number of equal access scholarships covering the full tuition fee for one summer school course and accommodation in one of the summer school's accommodation options. Applications close 31 March (23:59 CET) or when the summer school office reaches 150 scholarship applications, whichever comes first. You will find more information about fees and discounts here<https://vu.nl/en/education/more-about/summer-school-fees-and-scholarships>. Further information about the individual courses can be found in the below blurbs and via the hyperlinks. Please share widely and please feel free to contact us should you have any questions! Kind regards, Ina * Global Energy Transition in a Fossil World: Challenges and Opportunities<https://vu.nl/en/education/summerschool/global-energy-transition-in-a-fossil-world-challenges-and-opportunities> (6-17 July 2026 - two weeks) * Coordinated by Mathieu Blondeel & Daniel Muth * More info: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> The past 11 years have been the warmest on record, a trend that is only going to continue in the near future. Moreover, we have entered an era of geopolitical fragmentation, competition and confrontation. Which impacts does this growing uncertainty have on climate policy: Will it accelerate or slow down the pace of the energy transition? What does this mean for energy security all over the globe? And, which transition policies are more feasible than others in a context of rising populism and polarisation, both domestically and internationally? This course centres around the socio-political dimensions of the energy transition, while considering the physical and technical limitations of the energy system, as well as the global environmental boundaries that we live with. It will give participants a broad overview of the global energy transition's needs, challenges and solutions, including the trade-offs generated by different (policy) options. The course features guest speakers from diverse backgrounds, offering varied perspectives on the global energy transition. The excursions provide practical insights into the challenges and opportunities of moving away from fossil fuels while adopting renewables and other low-carbon solutions. * Governing Climate Change: Theory and Practice<https://vu.nl/en/education/summerschool/governing-climate-change-theory-and-practice> (6-17 July 2026 - two weeks) * Coordinated by Philipp Pattberg & Oscar Widerberg * More info: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> We are in the middle of an accelerating climate breakdown, with only a small window of opportunity remaining to achieve the goals of the Paris agreement. Yet despite scientific consensus on its main cause - human activities - politicians and governments still lack the will and ambition to tackle the crisis effectively. Instead we see cities, companies and NGOs responding. They have become the driving forces behind innovative tools for behavioral change, creating a complex alternative web of 2 institutions, instruments and actors seeking to govern climate change at the global level. However, these bottom-up initiatives are often criticized as green-washing while at the same time fossil fuel interests control the political process. In this course you examine different approaches to coping with climate change, from international agreements to climate actions by companies, cities and individual citizens. Each class, we delve into different topics and challenges, ranging from the history of climate change governance, to how we adapt to perhaps irreversible climate-induced effects in an equitable way. We also critically engage with questions around responsibility and accountability for and in the climate crisis. Theory is mixed with practice throughout a set of interactive lectures, where discussions, games and excursions are used to provide concrete examples of how the issue is being addressed at various levels and by various actors. Along the way we invite you to question scientists, policymakers and lobbyists. As an outcome, you will be equipped not only with current insights on how to govern the problem at multiple levels, but also with concrete positive examples of how change can actually work. * Environmental Justice in Theory and Practice<https://vu.nl/en/education/summerschool/environmental-justice-in-theory-and-practice> (20-24 July 2026 - one week) * Coordinated by Marije Schaafsma & Ina Lehmann * More info: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Across the world, the most vulnerable people are disproportionately affected by the detrimental consequences of global environmental change. Policies and practices for mitigating and adapting to global environmental change impact people in highly uneven ways. These impacts are exacerbated by a lack of voice and agency, as well as a lack of recognition of diverse worldviews and practices among more vulnerable groups. Scholars, environmental activists, and policymakers are increasingly sensitive to these patterns, and calls for environmental justice abound. However, it is often easier to identify injustices than to agree on what environmental justice is and what it demands in practice. Moreover, ideas of justice differ across people and contexts. This summer course will introduce students to environmental justice from a variety of perspectives. In discussing different approaches, we will link these to concrete case studies and examples of struggles for environmental justice. These will come from various environmental issue areas such as climate change (SDG 13), marine or terrestrial ecosystem conservation (SDGs 14 and 15), and urban sustainability (SDG 11). Lecturers will provide input on key concepts, methods, and empirical trends in the field of environmental justice, and guest lectures by practitioners will demonstrate how these concepts are operationalized, feeding into discussions of theory versus practice. Students will be given considerable room to work with these inputs and apply them to cases of environmental injustice or environmental justice movements they choose to work on. * Water Politics and Governance<https://vu.nl/en/education/summerschool/water-politics-and-governance> (20-24 July 2026 - one week) * Coordinated by Jampel Dell'Angelo * More info: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Water is central for ecosystems, human wellbeing and development. The relationship between society and water resources is critical and complex. Water issues have been historically treated as a technical problem, something to be resolved through hydraulic and engineering solutions. However, the increasing and exacerbating competition over water resources due to expanding global population, climate change and conflicting production activities raises new political and democratic challenges. Understanding water governance implies developing interdisciplinary knowledge about the different problems, approaches, perspectives and controversies related to how societies cooperate and compete over water resources. The main objective of this course is for you to build an expert understanding of the multidimensional challenges of governance of water resources. Collectively as a class, and individually, you will develop expertise in the water governance world by engaging with the core scientific literature, discussing, and tackling real world problems and independent research activities. Dr Ina Lehmann Assistant professor, Department of Environmental Policy Analysis Institute for Environmental Studies - Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken (IVM) [1607004739468] [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> l www.vu.nl/ivm<http://www.vu.nl/ivm> l WORKING DAYS: MON. to FRI. l POSTAL AND VISITING ADDRESS: De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands l -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/PR3PR09MB5425922B9F1F7FD6E307CFF8BC6DA%40PR3PR09MB5425.eurprd09.prod.outlook.com.
