Postgraduate Course: International Climate Change Law (LAWS11245)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides a critical introduction to climate change as one of today's most complex global governance challenges. It provides an in-depth understanding of the international climate change regime and its intersections with other areas of international law, including current developments in the pursuit of climate justice. |
| Course description |
This course will provide students with a thorough understanding of the evolution and functioning of the international climate change regime, including its core treaty instruments (the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement), political processes, its relationship with climate science, and key outstanding challenges. As the climate change regime does not provide the full picture of international law relevant to climate change, the course will also look at key interactions with other areas of international law, such as the law of the sea, human rights, and migration. Attention will be paid to the latest developments inside the climate change regime, such as the annual COP, and beyond, including requests for advisory opinions from international courts and tribunals.
Across the range of topics covered in this course, the legal implications of climate change will be examined within their wider political and socio-economic context, and from a range of perspectives, including critical and decolonial approaches. Students will be able to critically reflect on the potential and limitations of international law relating to climate change, both as part of the problem and as a crucial tool in the pursuit of global climate justice.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 25 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Summative Assessment:
This course will be assessed by 2 components:
1) A 4000 word essay, which is worth 80% of the overall course mark;
2) A 1000 word essay, which is worth 20% of the overall course mark. |
| Feedback |
Feedback on the formative assessment may be provided in various formats, for example, to include written, oral, video, face-to-face, whole class, or individual. The course organiser will decide which format is most appropriate in relation to the nature of the assessment.
Feedback on both formative and summative in-course assessed work will be provided in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course.
Feedback on the summative assessment will be provided in written form via Learn, the University of Edinburgh's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop the technique of writing in a clear and concise fashion by both planning and writing your essay submission to a deadline and within a word limit.
- Extend your oral skills by requiring you to take a full part in the seminar discussions and by making presentations in class.
- Demonstrate key intellectual skills, such as collecting, organising and evaluating evidence. This course requires you to develop your skills in presenting evidence in a balanced way and analysing the weak and strong points of arguments to synthesis these in the process of solving problems.
- Evidence developed skills in time management, working independently and taking responsibility for your own work.
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Reading List
| Please contact the Course Organiser for further information on an indicative bibliography. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Climate,Environment,Climate Change,Law,International,Level 11,Postgraduate,International Law |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Rozemarijn Roland Holst
Tel:
Email: r.rolandholst@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Susanna Wickes
Tel:
Email: Susanna.Wickes@ed.ac.uk |
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