Environmental Justice and the Law

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• an understanding of key concepts and issues in environmental law and policy;
• an understanding of the ways in which different bodies use the law to respond to environmental harms and threats;
• an understanding of environmental law principles, including the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principles, common but differentiated responsibility, inter- and intra-generational justice, among others;
• knowledge of key international domestic environmental instruments;
• a critical awareness and understanding of a wide range of social justice implications of environmental harms and environmental law;
• an understanding of judicial responses to climate crisis, judicial activism and climate change litigation.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• critically understand the relationship between law and justice and recognise the law's socially situated meanings.
• link theoretical approaches and practical problems;
• adeptly conduct independent research on interdisciplinary themes;
• critically understand the relationship between law and justice and recognise the law's socially situated meanings;
• interact critically and skillfully with materials in environmental law and justice, including theories of justice, and Indigenous, feminist and decolonial theory;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• communicate and engage in debate in a contextually appropriate manner;
• respond to feedback.
• formulate arguments, engage with and respond to other's arguments;
• critically analyse and interpret diverse resources and texts;
• identify and understanding the competing interests and different dimensions of complex legal problems;

The module will begin with a discussion and analysis of key concepts in environmental law, with a focus on the concept of environmental justice. Each of the subsequent seminars will focus on a single theme (water, plastic pollution, climate change, animals, biodiversity extinction etc) or a single case study and evaluate the law related to the theme, the justice dimensions, and the ways in which different parties use, subvert or resist the law.

The teaching programme will consist of 10 x 2 hour weekly seminars.

The two-hour seminars will be opportunities for discussion and critical thinking about concepts and case studies within the broader theme. Readings, video clips and other materials will be placed on Blackboard in advance of each seminar.

Learning activities include:

• Discussion and debate on contentious issues in environmental law,
• Reading and research assisted by reading lists, video clips and other materials;
• Accessing electronic resources in the form of journals and case materials;
• Reviewing and critically engaging with complex concepts and situations;
• Formulating and presenting in oral and written form reasoned and structured arguments.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Blog Post

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback:
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.