SDG Detail

LAW 2520: Climate Law and Policy

Postgraduate course

Project description

This course, open to both law and graduate students, offers a survey of historical and current efforts to address climate change in the United States. We will examine legal mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas pollution at the federal, state, and local level, as well as the interplay between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in shaping those mechanisms. The course will also cover efforts to address the emerging impacts of a changing climate. Students will read primary legal documents--including statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions--in order to evaluate the forces and institutions shaping American climate policy. Additional perspectives from climate science, economics, and political science will provide context as students analyze the evolution of climate law and policy. Grades will reflect class participation, two short papers, and a take-home exam.