International Climate Change Law and Policy

Learn about the evolution and architecture of international law and policy to combat climate change. Take a close look at the 2015 Paris Agreement (UNFCCC) from both a legal and economic perspective.

Play Videofor International Climate Change Law and Policy

4 weeks

2–3 hours per week

Instructor-paced

Instructor-led on a course schedule

Free

Optional upgrade available

This course is archived

Future dates to be announced

International Climate Change Law and Policy

• About
• What you'll learn
• Syllabus
• Instructors
• Ways to enroll

About this course

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This course will equip you with the fundamentals of International Climate Change Law and Policy. You will learn to critically assess Environmental Economics theory and its application to climate change policy, including the use of market-based policy approaches such as environmental taxes and emissions trading.

International Climate Change Law and Policy will discuss a range of controversial debates, reflecting the highly politicised nature of international Climate Change Law.

The course is of particular interest to professionals in environmental and resources sectors, public policy, government sector, non-government sector and private sector (e.g. sustainability consulting).

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At a glance

• Institution: NewcastleX
• Subject: Law
• Level: Intermediate
• Prerequisites:

  None.

• Language: English
• Video Transcript: English

What you'll learn

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• Critically assess the causes of Climate Change and distinguish its impacts in relation to different countries and generations,
• Understand the legal principles, rules and institutions of the international climate change regime,
• Explain how markets function and fail by applying the Theory of Externalities,
• Compare and contrast Taxes and Cap-and-Trade, with a focus on efficiency and effectiveness,
• Demonstrate intercultural awareness and sensitivity to the social and economic perspectives of other nations.

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Syllabus

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Week 1: Introduction to Climate Change and the Social Cost of Carbon

• The Scientific Evidence
• Key Polluting Countries
• Introduction to Carbon Accounting
• Projected Impacts
• Valuing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Introduction to the Social Cost of Carbon

Week 2: Evolution and Architecture of the International Climate Change Regime

• The United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• The Kyoto Protocol
• The Paris Agreement: A new paradigm of international cooperation

Week 3: Climate Change Policy and The Theory of Externalities

• Introduction to the theory of Externalities
• The Pigouvian Tax
• Problems with Pigouvian Taxation

Week 4: How Prices Can Save the Global Climate: The Standard-Price-Approach

• The Standard-Price-Approach
• Taxes vs. Cap-and-Trade
• Efficiency and Effectiveness

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Learner testimonials

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"Great course, just enough detail too learn from but not too much that you are bogged down in the minutiae. Great overview!!"

- Past CCL201x Student

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About the instructors

Elena Aydos

Senior Lecturer • The University of
Newcastle, Australia

Sven Rudolph

Associate Professor • Kyoto University,
Japan

Christopher Kellett

Professor • The University of
Newcastle, Australia