Courses / Module

Environmental protection is one of the most significant issues of our time. It faces considerable challenges, e.g. through biodiversity loss and climate change, as well as being affected by increased human populations, war and disease. Addressing these is a highly complex matter and engages with numerous disciplines.

This module seeks to introduce students to some of the issues and challenges, focussing on legal structures, regimes and toolkits. It considers the underpinnings of environmental law and governance, as well as its multilevel nature and the importance of EU and international law within Ireland. It will then typically engage with two or three substantive regimes, e.g. nature conservation, water pollution, waste or climate change (this may be considered through examining issues such as agriculture, where these regimes overlap and interact). The module will also consider recent developments, e.g. the climate cases, the role of climate strikes, Brexit etc.

The precise content of the module is subject to change and may vary, including from year to year.