LAW-40043 - International Environmental Law
Coordinator: Mario Prost Tel: +44 1782 7 33097
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

First or second class honours degree in Law or a related discipline (such as politics, criminology, sociology or history), or appropriate professional qualifications and/or experience

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module offers a critical perspective on the development of international environmental law. It provides a grounding in the legal norms, institutions and processes of the field, and explores current environmental global issues such as biodiversity loss, trade and environment, food security and climate change through specific treaty regimes. Drawing on a range of legal, policy and other literature, the module highlights key challenges facing the regulation of the environment today.

Aims
The module offers a critical perspective on the development of international environmental law, i.e. the principles and rules of international law which have as their primary object the protection of the natural environment. The module examines the history, development and sources of international environmental law, and provides a grounding in the legal norms, institutions and processes of the field. The course then proceeds with a thorough examination of specific environmental issues such as climate change, wildlife conservation, biodiversity loss, toxic waste or animal rights through specific treaty regimes. Drawing on a range of legal, policy and other literature, the module highlights key challenges facing the regulation of the environment today.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/law-40043/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

Situate the historical development of international environmental law within colonial and postcolonial contexts: 1,2
Think critically about the basic rules, principles, institutions and processes of international environmental law: 1,2
Open discussion on some of the structural limits and biases of international environmental law: 1,2
Develop and defend informed opinions and express them clearly in writing and orally within the discipline's accepted methods of proof and argument: 1,2

Study hours

Seminars: 10 x 2 = 20 hours
Class preparation: 50 hours
Essay preparation: 50 hours
Viva preparation: 30 hours
Total = 150 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Essay weighted 60%
2,500 words research essay
Student will write a 2,500 word research essay. Students may choose from a list of proposed topics or formulate their research question in discussion with the module leader.

2: Viva weighted 40%
Structured interview
The viva will involve a 20 minutes structured interview of the student that will serve three complementary purposes: 1. Verify that the student is responsible for the written submission (research essay). 2. Probe depth of knowledge, by asking questions on key claims/arguments from the essay. 3. Probe breadth of knowledge, by asking questions on areas not covered in the research essay.