Welcome to 2050. We live in a healthy, sustainable and equitable world – how did we get here? The focus of this course is on understanding how to save people and the planet by moving beyond the consumptagenic system. Consumptagenic systems are the webs of multisectoral public policies; commercial practices, modes of understanding, and social norms, which incentivize and reward unhealthy, unequal and environmentally destructive production and consumption. These are major regulatory, governance and policy challenges. This interdisciplinary course draws from systems science, public health, climate science, sociology, psychology, political science and international relations. It provides students with the methodological skills to ask questions of how to encourage, steer and evaluate transitions within public policy, business, and civil society so as to achieve positive environmental, social, health and economic outcomes. Case studies in energy, food and urbanisation provides students with the opportunity to study highly relevant and topical policy issues.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand concepts related to consumptagenic systems, with the ability to critically analyse them in a climate change, inequality and health context
2. Critically analyse contemporary governance and regulatory responses (local-global) to consumptagenic systems
3. Conduct independent analysis that demonstrates scholarly engagement with the subject matter, developing ideas and analysis in a specific policy domain

Required Resources

Readings

Day 1

Required:

-         Steffen et al. Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 2015, 347(6223). https://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/1259855.abstract?casa_token=F6ahsIQKQLkAAAAA:1GMMnMbODkArejG29Oms2mbHM7U4th-QXQn4EKI9Rhb-bg29SkIpBWrYMVIYLbn_LJkavNfBdNBH6CQ

-         Raworth, K. A Doughnut for the Anthropocene: humanity's compass in the 21st century. The Lancet Planetary Health, 2017, 1(2), pp.e48-e49. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-51961730028-1/fulltext

-         Wiedmann et al. Scientists’ warning on af?uence. Nature Communications, 2020, 11:3107 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16941-y

-         Friel et al. Global health equity and climate stabilisation: a common agenda. The Lancet, 2008, 372(9650), pp.1677-1683. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014067360861692X?casa_token=uvr_oQYX16EAAAAA:X4nvsAREWJxLE7b8AIRSoSWDTN9z_Qyp-7J1OaspcEayPDx4ZznK-63_v0jj-uhhY4G5GKZNBCg

-         Evans D and Jackson T. Sustainable Consumption: Perspectives from Social and Cultural Theory. RESOLVE Working Paper 2008. https://resolve.sustainablelifestyles.ac.uk/sites/default/files/RESOLVE_WP_05-08.pdf

Day 2:

-         Downie, C. Business actors, political resistance, and strategies for policymakers. Energy Policy, 2017, 108: 583–592 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421517303725?casa_token=SqxC-sFnNZYAAAAA:0K4-PaCYSeuMyeCcKuV8NGohALje3Ay6NKy8XP5Zzl8EBkD08pT3eYa3FCOkNHirOmsa0ALK8lg

 

-         Swinburn et al. The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change: The Lancet Commission report. The Lancet, 2019, 393(10173):791-846 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)32822-8/fulltext?rss=yes&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

Recommended Resources

Suggested:

-         Ison R and Straw E. The Hidden Power of Systems Thinking: Governance in a Climate Emergency. 2020, Routledge  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351026901

-         Friel S. Climate Change and the People’s Health. Oxford University Press, 2019

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Course overview. Lecture and discussion: Systems and the interconnectedness of climate change, inequality and health. Lecture and discussion: The drivers of consumption – understanding the emergence of consumptagenic systems. Lecture and discussion: Governing the system – courageous government; ethical and sustainable business models, strategic civil society, concerned citizens. Lecture and discussion: Case study urbanisation	Class presentation and Research essay
2	Lecture and discussion: Case study energy. Lecture and discussion: Case study food. Class presentations (individual) and discussion. Prep Research Essay.	Class presentation and Research essay

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Class participation	10 %	*	1, 2, 3
Class presentation	15 %	20/09/2021	1, 2, 3
Research Essay	75 %	15/10/2021	1, 2, 3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Class participation

Attendance and active engagement throughout both days of class

Assessment Task 2

Class presentation

Individual presentation. Present the example of a consumptagenic system that you uploaded onto the Wattle padlet before the class. Prepare a 10 minute presentation that identifies how that consumptagenic system contributes to climate change/inequality/poor health, and identify the drivers of that consumptagenic system. Student presentations will be held in class on Monday 20th Sept 2021.

Assessment Task 3

Research Essay

Select an example of a consumptagenic system. Describe how this system contributes to the trifecta of climate change, inequality and poor health. Identify the actors, interests, ideas and institutions driving the system. Discuss possible regulatory and governance responses to transform the system to one that is sustainable, healthy and equitable – discuss these responses in terms of government policy; business models, and civil society. 

Word count: 3,000 words max; Due: 15th October 2021

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students