74
F. Körner et al.
Labor and Social Affairs, Education and Science, Economy and Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Regional Development and Transport. The Ministry of Finance
was filled with the teaching staff.
The Workshops. In the following weeks of the semester, workshops were held
on relevant topics in the field of climate change, climate change adaptation and
sustainability. Due to funding received from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, it was possible to offer the speakers
a refund for their travel costs and expenses.
The first workshop on the topic of politics took place in the state parliament of
Saxony-Anhalt. Students were given a guided tour of the building by the Visitors’
Service, before the political sciences teaching staff explained how the legislative
process in Saxony-Anhalt works and which actors play a key role in it. In order to
also offer a practical perspective, a speaker of the Green Party parliamentary group
in the state parliament was invited. He talked about current issues of climate policy
in Saxony-Anhalt and answered students’ questions.
For the second workshop, an engineer from an institute which consults local
authorities on climate change mitigation and adaptation was invited. In this session,
students learned how to assess vulnerabilities regarding climate change in cities and
which measures there are to counteract. It was particularly interesting for the students
to hear about the expected effects of climate change for Magdeburg and the ideas to
avert and reduce them.
The topic of the third workshop was Education for Sustainable Development.
The teaching staff member from the department of Economic Didactic introduced
the students to the ideas of Education for Sustainable Development, its goals and
where it takes place. Based on current events, students had a discussion on the
Fridays for Future movement, which was relatively new at this moment, and whether
it would last and had the strength to change German climate politics. Additionally,
the official in charge of Education for Sustainable Development from the Ministry of
Environment of Saxony-Anhalt was invited for this session. In his presentation, he
explained the historical background to Education for Sustainable Development and
what activities in this area exist in Saxony-Anhalt. At the end students participated in a
common dilemma game as an example for a teaching or training method to stimulate
a conversation and discourse on the topic. In this game, players are assigned to
different fishing boats on a lake with limited fish stock over several seasons. The aim
is to catch as many fish as possible over the years. Each group secretly announces
how many fish they would like to fish in each season. Fish that remain in the lake
after each fishing season multiply by a certain factor to simulate the natural recovery
of fish stocks. The group with the most fish in the end wins (cf. BMU 2017). During
the game, the students experienced the difficulties involved in reconciling ecological
and economic aspects in a sustainable manner.
For the workshop on climate change and health a member of staff from the Federal
Environment Agency was invited. In his talk, he described the health challenges we
are and we will face as a result of climate change. The focus was on the increase in
heat extremes. Also, the development of Saxony-Anhalt’s climate change adaptation
strategy was presented by an official of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and
F. Körner et al.
Labor and Social Affairs, Education and Science, Economy and Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Regional Development and Transport. The Ministry of Finance
was filled with the teaching staff.
The Workshops. In the following weeks of the semester, workshops were held
on relevant topics in the field of climate change, climate change adaptation and
sustainability. Due to funding received from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, it was possible to offer the speakers
a refund for their travel costs and expenses.
The first workshop on the topic of politics took place in the state parliament of
Saxony-Anhalt. Students were given a guided tour of the building by the Visitors’
Service, before the political sciences teaching staff explained how the legislative
process in Saxony-Anhalt works and which actors play a key role in it. In order to
also offer a practical perspective, a speaker of the Green Party parliamentary group
in the state parliament was invited. He talked about current issues of climate policy
in Saxony-Anhalt and answered students’ questions.
For the second workshop, an engineer from an institute which consults local
authorities on climate change mitigation and adaptation was invited. In this session,
students learned how to assess vulnerabilities regarding climate change in cities and
which measures there are to counteract. It was particularly interesting for the students
to hear about the expected effects of climate change for Magdeburg and the ideas to
avert and reduce them.
The topic of the third workshop was Education for Sustainable Development.
The teaching staff member from the department of Economic Didactic introduced
the students to the ideas of Education for Sustainable Development, its goals and
where it takes place. Based on current events, students had a discussion on the
Fridays for Future movement, which was relatively new at this moment, and whether
it would last and had the strength to change German climate politics. Additionally,
the official in charge of Education for Sustainable Development from the Ministry of
Environment of Saxony-Anhalt was invited for this session. In his presentation, he
explained the historical background to Education for Sustainable Development and
what activities in this area exist in Saxony-Anhalt. At the end students participated in a
common dilemma game as an example for a teaching or training method to stimulate
a conversation and discourse on the topic. In this game, players are assigned to
different fishing boats on a lake with limited fish stock over several seasons. The aim
is to catch as many fish as possible over the years. Each group secretly announces
how many fish they would like to fish in each season. Fish that remain in the lake
after each fishing season multiply by a certain factor to simulate the natural recovery
of fish stocks. The group with the most fish in the end wins (cf. BMU 2017). During
the game, the students experienced the difficulties involved in reconciling ecological
and economic aspects in a sustainable manner.
For the workshop on climate change and health a member of staff from the Federal
Environment Agency was invited. In his talk, he described the health challenges we
are and we will face as a result of climate change. The focus was on the increase in
heat extremes. Also, the development of Saxony-Anhalt’s climate change adaptation
strategy was presented by an official of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and