LW3ENV-Environmental Law

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Kyriaki Noussia
Email: k.p.noussia@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module involves the study of national and international environmental law and regulation, taking a broad comparative and transnational approach to the subject. While the main focus of the module will be on English environmental law, the module may also draw on the environmental laws of other countries, hence this module examines the subject from a comparative and transnational perspective, which means that insights are gained from a range of countries globally, both from the Global North and the Global South.

Aims:

This module aims to provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of certain key areas of environmental law and regulation as elaborated principally at national level, but incorporating EU law, transnational law, and international law elements where relevant. The module is intended to provide students with an appreciation of the core elements or foundations of domestic environmental law and regulation. This is likely to involve a mix of both cross-cutting topics such as environmental trends and narratives, regulation as well as regulatory instruments (such as e.g. eco-labels and emissions trading), environmental citizenship and rights, the principles of environmental law (such as the precautionary principle), and ‘substantive’ topics like e.g., water pollution, biodiversity/nature conservation, climate law and climate change law and risk, mitigation mechanisms, food sustainability, law and ethics, decarbonization process in oil and gas,  animal-related law issues.

In addition to those listed in the Law School’s ‘core skills statement’, the module will encourage the development of:

• High-level oral communication skills through reflective, analytical class discussion.


• Advanced critical reading skills in relation to primary and/or secondary sources.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of the module, students will be expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and origins of environmental law including the scope of the subject and the justifications for regarding it as a distinct area of study.


• Demonstrate a substantive knowledge of the key foundation elements of national environmental law.


• Critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of relevant regulatory instruments.


• Appreciate the debates about who/what environmental law is designed to serve, including in the context of rights.


• Assess how effective environmental law is at tackling some key substantive areas of environmental law such as climate change, water pollution, and nature conservation (the precise topics may change from year to year).


• Analyse the role of the various principles of environmental law.


• Explain the role of enforcement in environmental regulation.


• Evaluate the place of risk in environmental law.

Additional outcomes:

Those skills listed in the School of Law's ‘Core Skills Statement’.

Outline content:

Precise topics may vary slightly from year to year but may include:

• Justifications for environmental law and the nature of the subject


• Principles of environmental law.


• Risk in environmental law


• Environmental rights


• Regulatory mechanisms of environmental protection


• Substantive legal regimes which apply in relation to for example water pollution, climate change and biodiversity/nature conservation.

Global context:

Although the main focus is on English environmental law, this module examines the subject from a comparative and transnational perspective, which means that insights are gained from a range of countries globally, both from the Global North and the Global South.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Teaching will be via a one (1) x  two-hour (2h) seminar fortnightly across both the Autumn and Spring Terms for a total of 10 seminars. The seminars will involve structured group discussion and brief oral presentation of material (either in class or recorded via podcast depending on student numbers). However, it may on occasions be necessary to change to a teaching pattern of weekly seminars all in one term only.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	10	10	2
Guided independent study:	89	89
Total hours by term	99	99	2
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	80
Oral assessment and presentation	20

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Assessed Essay:

One written assessed essay of not more than 10 pages formatted in accordance with the rules laid down in the School Guide (Programme Assessment). The essay is on a topic that students research and choose on their own and communicate to the teaching team by Seminar 3 of the module. The topic is confirmed in Sem. 4 and the deadline is usually early in the summer term

Relative percentage of coursework: 80%

Individual recorded presentation:

One fifteen (15) fifteen-minute oral presentation (individual) to be recorded and submitted online in designated dates before each Seminar. Topics are disseminated / populated  to students through a Google Doc (link and relevant announcements published on BB) and the topic that each student chooses to present on is to be chosen by students by week 1. Presentation submission deadlines are usually a few days before each Seminar (according to which presentation i.e., from which Seminar, students have chosen). 

Relative percentage of coursework: 20%

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Assignment: Reassessment under different essay title (One written re-assessed essay of not more than 10 pages formatted in accordance with the rules laid down in the School Guide (Programme Assessment))

Oral presentation may be via Teams or podcast replacement, as specified by module convenor (individual or group presentation -depending on the number of  students resiting: one fifteen (15) fifteen-minute oral presentation via Teams or podcast replacement)

In both cases reassessments to be held in accordance with University Regulations i.e. marks to be capped at 40% unless candidate is deemed not to have sat.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 18 October 2023