European Environmental and Climate Law

It is highly recommended that students have a basic understanding of EU law before participating in the course (e.g. Public EU Law, 5 ECTS or equivalent knowledge).

The objective of the course is to familiarize the students with the fundamentals of European environmental and climate law. After successful completion of the course, students will:

• Know the fundamental elements of European environmental and climate law
• Identify key legal actors and legal instruments of European environmental and climate law
• Understand the key regulatory framework in place to implement the environmental aims objectives, including climate of the EU
• Identify the main regulatory challenges for EU environmental and climate law from an international and national and perspective
• Understand the multi-level system of environmental and climate governance that involves the EU, its Member States and international environmental law
• Recognise the key legal concepts of European environmental and climate law and apply the concepts in their further studies

This course unit develops the following generic traits:

• internationality
• sustainability and responsibility
• critical thinking

Josephine van Zeben & Arden Rowell, A guide to EU environmental law (2021).

Additional reading material:
Geert Van Calster and Leonie Reins, EU Environmental Law (Edward Elgar 2017)
Marjan Peeters and Mariolina Eliantonio, Research Handbook on EU Environmental Law (Edward Elgar 2020)

Lecture slides, instructions and other supporting study materials will be made available through eLearn Moodle.

The course is compulsory for students in the MDP on Environmental Policy and Law who are majoring in environmental and climate change law. The course is open to everyone with sufficient knowledge of law or legal studies.

The course is taught fully in English.

Starting from 1.8.2025 this course will replace the course 5311737 European Environmental Law (5 cp).

Courses YO00EU97 European Environmental and Climate Law and 5311737 European Environmental Law are equivalent; therefore, a student may complete only one of these courses. Credits can be awarded for only one of these courses.