Postgraduate Course: Governance of Water Resources (LAWS11346)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course intends to explore the main challenges linked to the governance of water resources, as discussed primarily in the context of international law.
Core aims:
1) to provide students with substantial background knowledge of the nature and specific characteristics of water resources and of water management, from physical, economic and social perspectives;
2) to introduce students to different forms of ownership of water resources and allocation of water rights;
3) to provide in-depth knowledge of the international law related to transboundary water resources;
4) to discuss current challenges surrounding the access to ¿ and security of ¿ freshwater resources at the crossroads of different areas of international law - international environmental law (including climate change and biodiversity), international human rights law, and international economic law.
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| Course description |
1. Introduction to the course
2. The hydrological cycle
3. Water ownership, water allocation and water rights
4. Management of water resources and regulatory tools
5. International Environmental Law and Water
6. International Law on Transboundary Watercourses (I)
7. International Law on Transboundary Watercourses (II)
8. Human Rights and Water resources
9. International Economic Law and water
10. The interface between different water-related areas of international law
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | At least one of the following:
International Law
WTO Law
International Investment Law
International Human Rights Law
International Environmental Law
and must be approved by the Course Organiser |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
| See graduate attributes
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Learning Resources
* McCaffrey, Stephen C., The Law of International Watercourses 2nd (The Oxford International Law Library,
2007) (not in library)
* Benevisti, E., Sharing Transboundary Resources: International Law and Optimal Resource Use, (Cambridge University Press, 2002)
* Boisson De Charzournes, et al, International law and freshwater: the multiple challenges (Edward Elgar, 2013)
* Boisson de Chazournes, Laurence, Fresh Water in International Law (Oxford University Press, 2013) (not in library)
* Weiss, Edith Brown, et al (eds), Fresh Water and International Economic Law (Oxford University Press, 2005) (not in library)
* Boisson De Chazournes, Lawrence and Salman M. A. Salman, Water Resources and International Law / Les Ressources en Eau et le Droit International (Recueil des Cours, 2005) (not in library)
* Caponera, Dante A., National and International Water Law and Administration: Selected Writings (International and National Water Law and Policy, 2003) (not in library)
* Leb, Christina, Cooperation in the Law of Transboundary Water Resources (Cambridge University Press 2013)
Journals:
* Water international
* International Journal of Water Governance
* Water Law
* International Journal of Global Environmental Issues
* International Journal of Water Resources |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Knowledge and understanding
a) Substantial knowledge of the challenges around water scarcity, and key principles of the law on transboundary water resources;
b) Critical analysis that covers and integrates the principles and the laws on water governance and other areas of law taught under the LLM programmes: Global Environment and Climate Change Law; International Law; International Economic Law; and International Human Rights Law.
2. Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry
a) Undertake independent research to identify relevant case studies related to water governance;
b) Use a significant range of legal rules, principles and practice associated with water governance and
other areas of international law.
3. Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
Develop students skills to:
a) Review, consolidate and extend knowledge in the area of water governance and management;
b) Deal with complex ethical and legal issues arising out of the governance of water resources.
4. Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication
a) Develop oral and advocacy skills;
b) Communicate with peers and instructors using technical/legal language in an accurate manner
5. Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness
a) Develop time management skills to cover the material provided in class and prepare assessments;
b) Exercise substantial autonomy and initiative to go beyond the reading material provided in class.
6. Technical/practical skills
a) Develop an ability to provide legal advice to a range of stakeholders in the area of international water
governance;
b) Identify, conceptualise and define the linkages between the rules and practice related to international economic, human rights and environmental law and the management of freshwater.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Students will be required to carry out independent study before each seminar based on a prepared reading list. Students will also have to consider set questions and issues in advance of each seminar which will inform discussion during the seminars. They are also expected to engage in independent research and study of primary and secondary sources as part of their assessment preparation.
Broken down the students will spend 200 hours in the following manner:
20 hours attending 10 seminars
140 hours preparing for and reflecting upon the seminars (14h x 10)
40 hours preparing for and writing essay
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| Keywords | Law,International Law |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr James Harrison
Tel: (0131 6)50 2040
Email: james.harrison@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Karin Bolton
Tel: (0131 6)50 2022
Email: Karin.Bolton@ed.ac.uk |
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