Module Information

Module Identifier
LAM9410
Module Title
Climate Change Law and Policy
Academic Year
2017/2018
Co-ordinator
Semester
Distance Learning

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Module Assessment  Written Assignment of 5,000 words  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and remit of international frameworks and institutions involved in the evaluation of evidence for the link between energy use and climate change.

Show a critical appreciate of the implications of the development of international environmental law on the legislative and policy responses in this area.

Critically evaluate the role of scientific, political, economic and social influences (including environmental non-governmental organizations) over law and policy development on climate change and on the institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) set up to tackle this issue at the global level.

Display a detailed understanding of the policies, legal instruments and mechanisms adopted to tackle climate change at the international, EU and national levels and present well informed critical analysis of these issues.

Access the relevant literature and materials in this field and use them to engage in a critical discussion of the subject.

Brief description

The module will begin with an exploration of the problem of climate change and its connection with energy generation and use globally. This will be followed by a study of the legislative instruments, and other mechanisms that have been developed to tackle this challenge at the international, EU, and national levels. This will involve a discussion of concepts such as emissions trading, Clean Development Mechanism, sequestration and the use of low-emissions technologies and renewable energy. The discourse in the module will be against the background of underlying factors (such as political, scientific, social, and economic) which make the development of law and policy in this area extremely difficult.

Content

1. An introduction to global energy use and climate change.
2. The science, politics and economics underlying climate change law and policy.
3. International law instruments and policy to tackle climate change.
4. The EU law and policy on climate change.
5. National (UK) responses to climate change.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7