Comparative Law of Climate and Environmental Regulation

2 credits · Law School

Comparative environmental law is of growing importance to public and private institutions, in particular as the "triple crises" of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution continue to pose mounting risks to human populations and critical ecosystems. For example, as multi-national corporations engage in the same manufacturing and resource development activities around the world, it is important that corporate managers and their legal advisers understand how different legal systems regulate these activities to advance their respective climate and other environmental goals. To build that expertise, this course examines climate and environmental regulation in various legal systems of the world—from the common and civil law traditions to socialist laws, customary law, and Islamic law. Case studies from Canada, China, Europe, India, New Zealand, the United States, and other countries will be examined. Topics for comparative analysis include climate change, pollution control, habitat degradation, species protection, and impact assessment. [2]