ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Convenors: Dr Jane Holder, Professor Richard Macrory, Professor Joanne Scott
About the course
Environmental protection poses unique challenges to the law. In this course on the
law and policy relating to environmental regulation, we will critically assess the role
that law has to play in regulating and protecting the environment by examining a
range of contemporary environmental issues including genetically modified
organisms, international trade, biodiversity, and climate change. This will give us the
opportunity to discuss the relationship between science and law, risk regulation, and
the incorporation of ecological theories in law, as well as issues relevant to
environmental litigation such as public participation and access to information.
We will begin by considering key concepts such as 'environment’ and 'sustainable
development’ from a theoretical perspective, and the transposition of such concepts
into legal norms. We will then examine regulatory philosophies and mechanisms,
ranging from traditional regulatory approaches such as private civil liability through
public mechanisms such as 'command and control’ regulation, as well as 'alternative'
approaches e.g. the use of fiscal instruments and self-regulation.
Although we use UK environmental law and policy as a case study for examining
issues of environmental law and policy, we also consider international environmental
law, EC environmental law, and draw upon examples from other jurisdictions.
There will be the opportunity to attend a short residential field trip.
Students who have taken this course have since practised environmental law as
solicitors, barristers, and civil servants at local and central levels of government and
have also gone on to work at various NGOs.
Method of teaching
The course will be taught by seminar discussion. It is expected that each member of
the class will attend all meetings of the class, prepare for each class and be prepared
to contribute to class discussion.
Two essays must be completed during the course. One of these may be 'timed’ in
preparation for the examination.
Course leaders
Please contact either of us for further information:
Dr Jane Holder, Centre for Law and the Environment, Faculty of Laws, UCL, Tel:
020 7679 1407; email: uctljbh@ucl.ac.uk.
Professor Joanne Scott, Faculty of Laws, UCL; email: j.scott@ucl.ac.uk
Professor Richard Macrory, Director, Centre for Law and the Environment, UCL, Tel:
020 7679 1440; Email: uctlrbm@ucl..ac.uk
Assessment
7,000 word essay worth 50% plus one and a half hour unseen examination in the May
worth 50%.
Course materials
You will be provided with materials including articles, and chapters from Jane Holder
and Maria Lee, Environmental Protection, Law and Policy (CUP, forthcoming). You
might find it useful to buy your own copy of S. Bell and D. McGillivray,
Environmental Law (OUP, 2005, 6h ed).
You might also wish to purchase a copy of Blackstone's Environmental Law Statutes
(2006).
Dr Jane Holder