Module Identifier
LAM9410
Module Title
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF GLOBAL ENERGY LAW AND POLICY
Academic Year
2008/2009
Co-ordinator
Dr Engobo Emeseh
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment One essay of 5,000 words  Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5  100%
Supplementary Assessment One essay of 5,000 words  Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5  100%
Semester Assessment 25 Hours   ONE ESSAY OF 5,000 WORDS  100%
Supplementary Assessment ONE ESSAY OF 5,000 WORDS 

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 appreciation 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

Rationale:
The module will give students an understanding of the impacts of energy use on the global environment, and critically evaluate the law and policy developed at the international, EU, and national levels for managing and mitigating these impacts. This is an area of study with great contemporary significance and an increasing amount of legal activity that is of practical relevance to potential students already working in various institutions (for instance, government departments, certain business organizations, and non-governmental organizations) and for whom the format of distance learning is for various reasons a preferred option.

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.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Through the study and analysis of quantitative research and data.
Communication Written communication is developed by the presentation of information and argument in written answers and in a more informal way by the use of Blackboard to encourage communication among students and between students and staff. Oral communication skills are developed at the residential study schools.
Improving own Learning and Performance Through the independent study of the subject at a distance.
Information Technology Via the teaching, study and learning which are essential to a course delivered via the medium of distance learning.
Personal Development and Career planning Independent learning enhances time management skills. Studying the module will also develop an enhanced capacity for critical thought and the ability to work independently.
Problem solving Through the examination and discussion of actual and hypothetical cases in relation to the environmental aspects of global energy law and policy
Research skills Students will be required to read and study beyond the set module texts and to locate further materials and research findings on the subject.
Subject Specific Skills This module provides students with the opportunity to identify, analyse, evaluate and practice a series of skills with respect to environment and human rights.
Team work Team working skills will be encouraged and developed in group activities and discussions at the residential study schools.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7