BSc Global Development

Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate. This loss is linked to climate change, as the distribution of species and the quality of climatic conditions change. Although often treated as environmental problems, biodiversity loss and climate change are also development crises. Low- and middle-income countries are dealing with the most severe impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Within these countries, poor and vulnerable populations are often at greatest risk, as they are particularly dependent on natural resources in biodiverse regions to meet their everyday needs and to cope during times of crises.

This course aims to:

• Introduce students to the relationship between climate change, biodiversity loss and global inequality and poverty;
• Enable students to undertake virtual fieldwork in sites affected by climate change, biodiversity loss and global inequality and poverty;
• Guide students in evaluating the potential and limits of policy agendas that attempt to address biodiversity loss, climate change and development in tandem.

The unit will be delivered through weekly two-hour interactive sessions, which will include lectures, discussions, and practical exercises. These sessions will draw upon a range of resources, from PowerPoint slides to videos to photographic images. Departing from a traditional lecture format, these sessions will require a high level of student participation.

Lectures will be supported by 3 virtual fieldtrips during Part 2 of the course (Weeks 4-6). The rationale of virtual fieldtrips is for students to be introduced to real world cases where the links between climate change, biodiversity loss and global inequality and poverty are apparent. Virtual fieldtrips will provide students with the ability to virtually visualise and ‘experience’ a landscape undergoing environmental change and facing development challenges without having to actually travel internationally. This reduces the financial, time or environmental costs of experiential learning.

Google Earth/Maps will be used the platform for virtual fieldtrips. Stops will be embedded on the Google Earth map, providing additional resources, including videos, photographs, links and prompts for discussion. Virtual fieldtrip will be during contact hours, as a class, with time dedicated for small group work and completion of handouts, which will be assessed as a small-weighted component of the coursework grade.

Outside of contact hours, students will be provided with a range of resources to support their learning, including PowerPoint slides for lectures which will be posted to the VLE for all sessions, links to relevant web resources, core and recommended readings, news stories and video clips.

• Describe the relationship between climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty
• Explain why low- and middle-income countries tend to be more severely impacted by climate change and biodiversity loss
• Demonstrate familiarity with a range of examples that illustrate the relationship between climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty

• Use evidence and information from academic, grey literature and the (virtual) field to construct a reasoned argument
• Critically analyse policy responses

• Find, gather and systematically organise academic and grey literature;
• Carry-out virtual fieldwork
• Undertake policy analysis

• Manage time effectively to complete the work required for the course unit
• Work independently and with others

Formative: All students will receive verbal feedback on their selected example by email. Students will have the opportunity for formative verbal feedback during office hours.

Summative feedback received on their report will also serve as formative feedback for the final assessment, as the two assessments build on each other.

Summative: Policy Analysis Essays will be assessed with written feedback and a grade. The content and timing of feedback will be consistent with University policy.

Part 1: Introducing the relationship between climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty

Agrawal, A., & Redford, K. H. (2006). Poverty, development, and biodiversity conservation: Shooting in the dark? (pp. 1530-4426). New York: Wildlife Conservation Society.

Adams, W. M., & Hutton, J. (2007). People, parks and poverty: political ecology and biodiversity conservation. Conservation and society, 5(2), 147-183.

Griffiths, V. F., Bull, J. W., Baker, J., & Milner‐Gulland, E. J. (2019). No net loss for people and biodiversity. Conservation Biology, 33(1), 76-87.

Tucker, J., Daoud, M., Oates, N., Few, R., Conway, D., Mtisi, S., & Matheson, S. (2015). Social vulnerability in three high-poverty climate change hot spots: What does the climate change literature tell us?. Regional Environmental Change, 15, 783-800.

Whyte, K. P. (2016). Is it colonial déjà vu? Indigenous peoples and climate injustice. In Humanities for the Environment (pp. 102-119). Routledge.

Vira, B., & Kontoleon, A. (2012). Dependence of the poor on biodiversity: which poor, what biodiversity?. Biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation: Exploring the evidence for a link, 52-84.

Fieldwork referred to in Scheduled Activities Hours is virtual (see: Teaching and Learning Methods).

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £32,000 per annum.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students.

Learn more about fees and finance for international students.

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships. This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about student finance options for UK students.

Learn more about fees and finance for international students.

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships. This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.