International and European Environmental Law and Policy

In an era characterised by pressing environmental issues from climate change to energy crises, this module will provide an in-depth analysis of the foundations (history and policies) of environmental law both under EU Law and International Law. The module will provide students with the opportunity to explore the evolution of EU and international environmental law, analyse the core principles of environmental protection such as prevention, precaution, polluter pays, and environmental impact assessment, to name but a few, and the impact that environmental legal regimes have on trade, human rights, and increasingly international investment law. Other topics likely to be covered include climate change as a sustainable development challenge, different regulatory interventions from market instruments, command-and-control, to behaviourally informed interventions, and the interaction between risk, science, and precaution in the context of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The classes will feature a combination of lectures, invited lectures, seminar-style debates, and group presentations.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the module students should be able to

• Trace the evolution of International and EU Environmental Law
• Identify the core principles of environmental protection under EU law and International Law
• Critically assess the benefits and risks associated with precaution, prevention, and polluter pays
• Appraise different regulatory interventions in environmental law
• Critically assess the role and challenges of environmental impact assessment
• Assess critically the influence that environmental law has on human rights, trade, and investment law
• Research independently about contemporary environmental challenges

Assessment:

• 4,000 word essay (incl. footnotes) – 75%
• Group presentation (oral presentation and written submission) - 25%

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