JUS5911 - Spring 2014

Syllabus/achievement requirements

Knowledge

During this course, students will acquire a good understanding of the following topics based on the literature, lectures and case studies:

  • Foundations and sources of international climate and energy law.
  • Principles of international climate: Common But Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities, Sustainable development, Precautionary Principle, Polluter Pays principle, Sovereignty, Jurisdiction
  • Implementation, enforcement and non-compliance procedures
  • Main legal issues related to the international climate change regime (in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol)
  • Main issues related to the regulation of renewable energy (access to natural resources, energy production, transportation, supply and consumption patterns)
  • The issues of climate change, energy security, sustainable development and human rights
  • The relationship between international trade rules and international climate & energy law.

 

Within some of these topics a case study is used as a point of departure for a thorough examination of a specific issue. The cases will be presented at appropriate times during the course, and relevant material will be handed out.

The course will mainly have public international law components, but will also include comparative studies, which highlight fundamental parallels/differences in terms of law principles, enforcement and regulatory techniques. There are a variety of national regulatory approaches to climate change.

 

Skills

  • Ability to analyse and compare core norms and rules of the international climate regime
  • Skills in finding legal sources relevant to the climate and energy legislation
  • Ablity to analyse conflict potential between different norms (both in climate and in energy law)
  • Engage in discussions about such conflicting norms and assess potential solutions

 

General competence

  • Understanding of the political and economic context of norms in international climate law and in energy law
  • Make use of legal analysis of these norms in:
  • the study of other fields of law (e.g. human rights law, international trade law, investment law)
  • the analysis, drafting and interpretation of national legislation 
  • Understanding of complexity, scientific uncertainty and cost effectiveness in the regulation of renewable energy sources

 

Literature

Compendium for sale in the bookshop, Akademika, DN (Domus Nova, St. Olavs plass 5, entry from Pilestredet). Bring your student identification card when buying compendium.

 

Books

Catherine Redgwell: International Regulation of Energy Activities, in M. Roggenkamp, C. Redgwell, A. R?nne, I. del Guayo (eds.): Energy Law in Europe: National, EU and International Law and Institutions, Oxford University Press, 2007, (pp.13-144) (131 p).

J. Bradbrook and R. D. Wahnschafft: International Law and Global Sustainable Energy Production and Consumption, in Bradbrook, Lyster, Ottinger and Xi (eds.): The Law of Energy for Sustainable Development, IUCN, Cambridge University Press, 2005, Chapter 11, pp.181-201 (20 p).

Rene Lefeber and Sebastian Oberthuer, Key features of the Kyoto protocol’s compliance system, Jutta Brunnee (et al.) eds., Promoting Compliance in an Evolving Climate Regime, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp 77-101 (24 p)

Edith Brown Weiss, Strengthening Compliance with Climate Change Commitments, Holger P. Hestermeyer et.al (eds.) in: Coexistence, Cooperation and Solidarity, Liber Amicorum for Rüdiger Wolfrum, Volume I, Martinus Nijhoff, 2012, 693-720 (27 p)

Jutta Brunnée, The Global Climate Regime: Wither Common Concern?, Holger P. Hestermeyer et.al (eds.) in: Coexistence, Cooperation and Solidarity, Liber Amicorum for Rüdiger Wolfrum, Volume I, Martinus Nijhoff, 2012, 721-736 (15 p).

Christina Voigt: Security in a Warming World: Competences of the UN Security Council for Preventing Dangerous Climate Change, in: C. Bailliet (ed.): Security: A Multidisciplinary Normative Approach, Brill Publishers, Leiden, 2009, pp. 291-312 (21p). ( to be Distributed during class)

 

Compendium for sale in the bookshop, DN

Content of the compendium

 

Philippe Sands et.al, Principles of International Environmental Law, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp 274-298 (24 p)

Juergen Lefevre: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading: A Background, in: M. Bothe and E. Rehbinder (eds.): Climate Change Policy, Eleven International Publishing, 2005, pp. 103-130 (27 p)

Christina Voigt: The Deadlock of the Clean Development Mechanism: Caught between Sustainability, Environmental Integrity and Economic Efficiency, in: B. Richardson, S. Wood, H. McLeod-Kilmurray og Y. Le Bouthillier (eds.): Climate Law and Developing Countries: Legal and Policy Challenges for the World Economy, Edward Elgar, 2009, pp. 235-261 (26 p).

Taylor and Francis /Routledge: G. Ulfstein and J. Weksman, 'The Kyoto Compliance System: Towards Hard Enforcement' in OS Stokke and others (eds.) Implementing the Climate Regime. International Compliance (Earthscan, London Sterling, VA 2005) pp 39-65 (26 p)

Jutta Brunnee et al, Overview over legal issues relevant to climate change, in: Richard Lord et.al. (eds.), Climate Change Liability, Cambridge University Press, 2012, 23-49 (26 p)

Hari M. Osofsky, The Inuit Petition as a Bridge? Beyond Dialectics of Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples Rights in: William C.G. Burns and Hari M. Osofsky, Adjudicating Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 2009, 272-291 (19 p)

Andrew Strauss, Climate Change Litigation: Opening the Door to the International Court of Justice, in: William C.G. Burns and Hari M. Osofsky, Adjudicating Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 2009, 334-356 (22 p)

Articles

The following chapters and articles are available from the University Library by using "BIBSYS ASK" online-system.

You may search for journals (printed and e-journals) by using "BIBSYS Ask" or "Find e-Journal". Both are available at the English home page of Unversity of Oslo Library: http://www.ub.uio.no/english/

IPCC Summary for Policy makers, 2007, available at: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-spm.pdf (18 p)

J. Werksman and Kirk Hubertson, Aftermath of Copenhagen: Does International Law have a Role to Play in a Globale Response to Climate Change?, 25 Maryland Journal of International Law 109, 2012, 109-142 (33 p).

Lavanja Rajamani, The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action and the Future of the Climate Regime, International and Comparative Law Quarterly 61:2 (2012), 501-518 (17 p)

Edith Brown Weiss: Climate Change, Intergenerational Equity, and International Law, in: Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, 2008, pp. 615-628 (13 p).

Voigt, Christina (2008) WTO Law and International Emissions Trading: Is there Potential for Conflict?, 1 Carbon & Climate Law Review, 52-64. Reprinted in: (2008) 4 Environmental Liability, 136-147 (11 p).

Christina Voigt: State Responsibility and Climate Change Damages, 77 Nordic Journal of International Law, 2008 Nr.1-2, pp. 1-22 (21 p).

Charlotte Streck: Forests, Carbon Markets, and Avoided Deforestation: Legal Implications, 3 Carbon and Climate Law review (CCLR), 2008, pp. 239-247 (8 p).

Arild Angelsen and Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff: What are the key design issues for REDD and the criteria for assessing options? In: Angelsen, A. (ed.): Moving ahead with REDD: Issues, options and implications, CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia, 2008, pp. 11-22 (available at: http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BAngelsen0801.pdf). (11 p)

David Brown, Frances Seymour and Leo Peskett: How do we achieve REDD co-benefits and avoid doing harm?, in: Angelsen, A., (ed.): Moving ahead with REDD: Issues, options and implications, CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia, 2008, pp. 107-118 (available at: http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BAngelsen0801.pdf (11 p)

H. Tegner Anker, B. Egelund Olsen and A. R?nne: Wind Energy and the Law: A Comparative Analysis, Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, Vol. 27 No 3, May 2009, pp.145-178 (33 p)

Suggested supplementary reading

You may search for articles by using “BIBSYS Ask” http://www.ub.uio.no/english/

  • Teresa Thorp, Climate Justice: A Constitutional Approach to Unify the Lex Specialis Principles of International Climate Law , Utrecht Law Review, 2012, Vol.8(3), p.7
  • Cameron, Edward; Limon, Marc, Restoring the Climate by Realizing Rights: The Role of the International Human Rights System , Review of European Community and International Environmental Law (RECIEL), Volume 21, Number 3, 1 November 2012 , pp. 204-219(16)
  • Joost Pauwelyn, The End of Differential Treatment for Developing Countries? Lessons from the Trade and Climate Change Regimes, Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, Special Issue: Assessing Progress in International Environmental Law, Volume 22, Issue 1, pages 29–41, April 2013
  • Daniel Farber, Beyond the North–South Dichotomy in International Climate Law: The Distinctive Adaptation Responsibilities of the Emerging Economies, Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, Special Issue: Assessing Progress in International Environmental Law, Volume 22, Issue 1, pages 42–53, April 2013
  • Harald Winkler & Lavanya Rajamani , Climate Policy (2013): CBDR&RC in a regime applicable to all, Climate Policy, DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2013.791184
  • Lavanja Rajamani, EU Climate Change Unilateralism, European Journal of International Law Issue Vol. 23 (2), p 469-494, (2012)
  • Steven Ferrey, The Failure of International Global Warming Regulation to Promote Needed Renewable Energy, 37 B.C. Envtl. Aff. L. Rev. 67 (2010),
  • Stuart Bruce, International Law and Renewable Energy: Facilitating Sustainable Energy for All?, Melbourne Journal of International Law, Vol. 14, No. 1, June 2013
  • From Barriers to Opportunities: Renewable Energy Issues in Law and Policy, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, http://environment.research.yale.edu/publication-series/4801
  • RE Benedick ‘The Montreal Ozone Treaty: Implications for Global Warming’ (1990) 5 AmUJIntlL&Pol 227–34.(American University Journal of International Law and Policy)
  • D Zaelke and J Cameron ‘Global Warming and Climate Change—An Overview of International Legal Process’ (1990) 5 AmUJIntlL&Pol 249–90.
  • TC Schelling ‘Some Economics of Global Warming’ (1992) 82 The American Economic Review 1– 14..(American University Journal of International Law and Policy)
  • PGG Davis ‘Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol’ (1998) 47 ICLQ 446–61.(AmUJIntlL&Pol )
  • K Nowrot ‘Saving the International Legal Regime on Climate Change? The 2001 Conferences of Bonn and Marrakesh’ (2001) 44 GYIL 396–429.
  • C Streck ‘The Evolution of the CDM in a Post-2012 Climate Agreement’ (2009) 18 Journal of Environment and Development 227–47.

 

Select Documents

 

  • Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (adopted 10 December 1997, entered into force 16 February 2005) (1998) 37 ILM 32.
  • UN Conference on Environment and Development ‘Rio Declaration on Environment and Development’ (14 June 1992) UN Doc A/CONF. 151/26/Rev 1 vol I, 3.
  • UN Conference on the Human Environment ‘Stockholm Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment’ (16 June 1972) UN Doc A/CONF.48/14/Rev 1, 3.
  • United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (concluded 10 December 1982, entered into force 16 November 1994) 1833 UNTS 397.
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties ‘Decision 1/CP.13: Bali Action Plan’ (14 March 2008) UN Doc FCCC/CP/2007/6/Add.1, 3.
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties ‘Decision 24/CP.7: Procedures and Mechanisms relating to Compliance under the Kyoto Protocol’ (21 January 2002) UN Doc FCCC/CP/2001/13/Add.3, 64.
  • Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (adopted 22 March 1985, entered into force 22 September 1988) 1513 UNTS 324.
  • Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (concluded 23 May 1969, entered into force 27 January 1980) 1155 UNTS 331.
  • “An Inuit Petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for Dangerous Impacts of Climate Change” (http://www.ciel.org/Publications/COP10_Handout_EJCIEL.pdf) (Petition can be found here: http://www.inuitcircumpolar.com/files/uploads/icc-files/FINALPetitionICC.pdf
  • International Council on Human Rights Policy: Climate Change and Human Rights (Summary) (http://www.ichrp.org/files/summaries/35/136_summary.pdf) and Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Doc. A/HRC/10/61; 15 Jan 2009)
    (See also: E. Cameron and M. Limon, Restoring the Climate by Realizing Rights: The Role of the International Human Rights System, 21 RECIEL 3, 2012,pp. 204-219

  • Submission of the Maldives to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
    Maldives Submission under resolution HRC7/23 - FINAL ‐‐ 25 September 2008 (pdf)

Case Law

GATT/ WTO

Canada — Certain Measures Affecting the Renewable Energy Generation Sector (Complainant: Japan; EU, USA, China, Australia, Norway and others joined) 13 September 2010, Canada and Japan appealed in February 2013

Canada — Measures Relating to the Feed-in Tariff Program (Complainant: European Union) 11 August 2011; Canada and EU appealed 13 February 2013

China — Measures concerning wind power equipment (Complainant: United States) 22 December 2010

 

European Union and Certain Member States — Certain Measures Affecting the Renewable Energy Generation Sector (Complainant: China) 5 November 2012

India — Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules (Complainant: United States) 6 February 2013

Published Nov. 21, 2013 1:50 PM - Last modified Jan. 24, 2014 9:48 AM
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