Law and Policy of Climate Change (LAWS0293)

This course focuses on law and policy on climate change at different levels of governance (international climate law, EU climate law, domestic climate law). The climate crisis presents us with major social, environmental and legal challenges, as well as complex climate governance systems. It is both conceptually and legally fascinating. Further, climate change is a whole-society, whole-legal system problem, and this course is important for everyone, not just environmental lawyers.

This course will examines the development of international climate change law and policy, the key EU governance approaches to climate change, and domestic climate laws. It will also address some of the difficult legal and policy issues at stake in different legal areas and different sectors, such as the role of democratic and technocratic inputs to climate governance.

Module Syllabus

The precise issues taught will vary, but a number of the following issues are likely to be included:

• The International Legal Framework
• The Paris Agreement
• The EU and climate change
• National approaches to climate law
• Climate justice
• Participation and democracy in the climate crisis
• Market mechanisms
• Climate litigation
• Sectoral impacts on climate, such as forests or aviation

Recommended Materials

Module reading lists and other module materials will be provided via online module pages, once students have made their module selections upon enrolment. No single book takes the approach envisaged for this module.

The convenor is happy to discuss reading if contacted by a student during the module.

Key information