LAW599
Climate Change Law
(Majekolagbe, A)
Prerequisite courses:
Prerequisite for:
Instructor(s): Adebayo Majekolagbe
Method of presentation: Seminar
METHOD OF EVALUATION:
1. Policy critique and presentation (not more than 3000 words): 20%
2. Major paper (not more than 10,000 words): 70%
3. Public engagement (blog, op-ed, round table, creative media etc.): 10% (Public engagement could focus on subjects covered in policy critique and/or major paper)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Law 599 Climate Change Law is designed to stimulate critical thinking about climate change law both as an international and domestic construct. The class is encouraged not to take law as a ‘given’, but to situate it in its ecological and socio-economic contexts. We consider climate change legal frameworks under three modules. Module one focuses on international climate change law: history, principles, law, and institutions. In module two, we consider climate change law in Canada, contestations surrounding its development, the role of the courts, and the responses of federating units and private entities. The issues arising in global climate change governance including the increasing linkage between climate change and human rights, the buzz around just transition, and law and climate engineering are turned to in module three.
At the end of this course, you will have an in-depth understanding of international and domestic climate change law, be able to engage in critical reflection and analysis of climate change as a super-wicked complex problem, undertake independent and thoughtful legal research, and engage in strategic and effective oral and written communication on climate change laws and policies.
SPECIAL COMMENTS:
Climate change (and by extension climate change law) is an ever-evolving field. Feel free to reach out to me if there are critical subjects or matters arising not captured above that you would like to learn about in this course.
Description updated 2022-23. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.
REQUIRED TEXTS (IF ANY):
Online materials will be made available. Independent research is strongly encouraged.