Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the fundamental notions on climate change and sustainability law.
With specific reference to the International Law module, the objective is to provide the student with the fundamental notions of: sustainable development and general principles of international environmental law; rules of particular international law on the prevention of climate change; procedures to prevent violation of climate change treaties; link between environmental protection and human rights regulations; practices of the United Nations and regional human rights protection systems relevant to sustainable development and climate change; "human rights based" approach to climate litigation.
At the end of the International Law module, the student must have acquired the ability:
- to recognize, interpret and correctly apply the principles of international environmental law and the treaties that contribute to forming the international legal framework on climate change;
- to know the functioning of the non-compliance procedures of the climate modification treaties;
- to know and correctly apply the relevant international human rights law rules on sustainable development and climate change;
- to independently study the issues relating to climate change in international environmental law;
- to independently investigate the "climate dispute" pending before national courts and guarantee bodies established by human rights treaties;
- to apply the acquired knowledge to concrete cases and to support their theses with appropriate language properties and arguments.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course, after having provided students with basic scientific knowledge concerning climate change, investigates the role of International Law, European Union Law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Tax Law in mitigating climate change and adapting to its detrimental consequences. In particular, the International Law module will be focused on: 1) the notion of sustainable development and the principles of international law that contribute to its realization; 2) the international legal framework on climate change: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the Kyoto Protocol; and the Paris Agreement; 3) climatic changes and protection of human rights.
Full programme
The programme of the International Law module includes:
- The notion of sustainable development and the principles of international environmental law;
- The international legal framework on climate change: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the Kyoto Protocol; the Paris Agreement;
- Non-compliance procedures relating to breach of climate change treaties;
- Sustainable development and protection of human rights;
- Human rights and climate litigation before national courts;
- The fight against climate change in the face of the guarantee mechanisms established by the human rights treaties.
Bibliography
For the International Law module, the readings are:
- A. Fodella e L. Pineschi (a cura di), La protezione dell'ambiente nel diritto internazionale, Giappichelli, 2009, le seguenti parti: Capitolo V (I principi generali), pp. 95-129; Capitolo VI (Protezione dell'ambiente e tutela dei diritti umani), pp. 133-160; Capitolo IX (La soluzione delle controversie in materia ambientale e le procedure di non conformità), pp. 217-219; 229-233; Capitolo X (La dell'atmosfera e della fascia d'ozono e la prevenzione dei cambiamenti climatici), pp.237-239; 247-260;
- M. Montini, Riflessioni critiche sull'Accordo di Parigi sui cambiamenti climatici, in Rivista di Diritto internazionale, 2017, pp. 719-754.
Teaching methods
The course includes both lectures and interactive moments with students, consisting mainly in the analysis and discussion of international documents and international and national court rulings, available on the Elly platform. Students will have access to the recordings of the lectures or to equivalent audiovisual material.
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam is written and consists of a multiple choice test and two open questions.
Knowledge and understanding will be assessed with 10 multiple choice questions, aimed at verifying effective knowledge of the fundamental concepts relating to the five modules.
The ability to apply knowledge and autonomy of judgment will be ascertained by inviting the student to discuss the general notions in the light of two hypothetical cases.
The ability to communicate will be ascertained by assessing the student's ability to use the appropriate technical terminology and to correctly apply particular rules or principles.
Learning skills will be assessed through an overall assessment of the answers given to the test questions.
Other information
Information relating to the other modules that make up the course are available in the syllabuses of the respective Professors (Prof. Petraglia; Prof. Antonio D’Aloia; Prof. Francesco Vetrò; Prof. Alberto Comelli; and Prof. Marco Inglese).
