Syllabus/achievement requirements

The following reading list is common for the courses taught at bachelor’s and master’s level. Note that there are different achievement requirements:

  • Master’s level (15 credits): A good understanding is required
  • Bachelor’s level (10 credits): A general understanding is required

Course description|

This course addresses international environmental law. It is based on an introduction to general topics of international environmental law. Thereafter follows a more detailed examination of the following five topics: sustainable development, biodiversity, climate change, trade and environment, and EC environmental law. Within each of these topics a case is used as a point of departure for a thorough examination of a specific issue. The cases will be presented at appropriate times during the course, and relevant material will be handed out.

Requirements

Achievement requirements for master’s level (15 credits):

Students are expected to have prior knowledge of international law. Recommended introductory reading:

  • Antonio Cassese: International Law, Oxford University Press, 2005, 2nd ed, or
  • Carl August Fleischer: Folkerett, 8th ed., Universitetsforlaget, 2005, or
  • Morten Ruud og Geir Ulfstein: Innføring i folkerett, 2nd. ed., Universitetsforlaget, 2002.

Requirements

Students are expected to have a thorough understanding of the following topics based on the literature, lectures and case studies:

  • Foundations and sources of international environmental law.
  • Principles of international environmental law.
  • Implementation, enforcement and non-compliance procedures.
  • Main issues related to protection of biodiversity and biosafety (in particular the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety).
  • Main issues related to the international climate change regime (in particular the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol).
  • Main issues related to protection of the marine environment, including relevant rules of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
  • The issue of the environment and human rights.
  • The relationship between international trade rules and international environmental law.
  • Principles and bases of the European (EC) environmental law.

Achievement requirements for bachelor's level (10 credits):

Students are expected to have prior knowledge of international law. Recommended introductory reading:

  • Antonio Cassese: International Law, Oxford University Press, 2005, 2nd ed, or
  • Carl August Fleischer: Folkerett, 8th ed., Universitetsforlaget, 2005, or
  • Morten Ruud og Geir Ulfstein: Innføring i folkerett, 2nd. ed., Universitetsforlaget, 2002.

Requirements

Students are expected to have knowledge of the following topics based on the literature, lectures and case studies:

  • Foundations and sources of international environmental law.
  • Principles of international environmental law.
  • Implementation, enforcement and non-compliance procedures.
  • Main issues related to protection of biodiversity and biosafety (in particular the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety).
  • Main issues related to the international climate change regime (in particular the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol).
  • Main issues related to protection of the marine environment, including relevant rules of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
  • The issue of the environment and human rights.
  • The relationship between international trade rules and international environmental law.
  • Principles and bases of the European (EC) environmental law.

Literature

Literature

1. Foundation and Sources of International Environmental Law

Alexandre Kiss and Dinah Shelton: International Environmental Law, 3rd ed., New York ) 2004 (“Kiss and Shelton”), chapters 1 (pp. 11-38) and 3 (pp. 69-100) .

2. Principles of International Environmental Law

Philippe Sands: Principles of International Environmental Law, 2nd ed., Cambridge 2003 (“Sands”), chapter 6 (pp. 231-290).

3. Implementation, Enforcement and Non-Compliance Procedures.

Kiss and Shelton, chapter 6 A, B (225-236). Sands chapter 5 (pp. 171-218).

4. Biodiversity and Biosafety

Patricia Birnie and Alan Boyle: International Law and the Environment, 2nd. ed., Oxford 2002 (“Birnie and Boyle”) chapter 11 (pp. 545-590, exclusive section 3, 2, a pp. 556-559).

B. Eggers and R. Mackenzie, The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 3 Journal of International Economic Law 525, 2000, pp. 525-543.

5. Climate Change Sands, chapter 8 Climate Change (pp. 357-381).

Ulrich Ellinghaus, Peter Ebsen and Hannes Schloemann, The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS): A Status Report, 1 JEEPL 1 , 2004, 3-9.

6. The Marine Environment and the Law of the Sea Kiss and Shelton: chapter 11, A-C (pp. 495-515). Birnie and Boyle, chapter 13, sections 4-7 (pp. 655-683).

7. Environment and Human Rights Kiss and Shelton, chapter 15 A,B (pp. 661-680). Sands chapter 7 International human rights (pp. 291-307).

8. Trade and Environment Thomas J. Schoenbaum, “International Trade and Environmental Protection”, in Birnie and Boyle, Chapter 14, pp. 698-750.

9. European Environmental Law Jan Jans: European Environmental Law, 2nd. ed., Groningen 2000, chapter 1 (pp. 3-66). Peter G. G. Davies: European Union Environmental Law, Ashgate 2004, chapter 6 (186-216).

Bound copies of the above mentioned chapters and articles are available for purchase at the book store Gnist Akademika. (“International Environmental Law 3” and “International Environmental Law 4”.)

Published Oct. 24, 2006 10:00 AM - Last modified Nov. 21, 2006 3:53 PM