Course 2018-2019 a.y.

• The main characteristics of environmental law.
• The notion of environment.
• Principles of EU Environmental Law (i.e. sustainable development, the precautionary principle, the prevention principle; the source principle; the polluter pays principle).
• The environment in the Italian Constitution, in the European law and in the International law framework.
• Techniques for environmental management: market-based v.command-and-control regulatory strategies: overview.
• Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment.
• Regulation of specific sectors (ex. climate change and air pollution, renewable energies, strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assesment, waste management, water pollution).

• Understand the complex nature of environmental problems and the multiple ways in which law applies to and engages with environmental problems.
• Gain a deeper legal understanding of EU environmental principles and the concept of sustainable development.
• Analyze the various regulatory strategies involved in dealing with environmental problems and the role of the key actors involved in implementing such strategies within the EU.
• Gain a solid understanding of EU legal frameworks that apply to key environmental problems, including climate change, protecting the environmental media (air pollution, waste management), nature protection and the control of industrial emissions.
• Foster team work, critical and analytical analysis and problem solving (especially through case studies and class projects).

• Locate, read, and analyze EU and domestic environmental law.
• Recognize situations in which EU environmental law may be useful or essential.
• Be aware of relevant stakeholders, their preferences, and the path by which they can influence EU environmental law.
• Understand the particular challenges related to key environmental problems addressed by environmental law.
• Understand the process by which EU environmental law is negotiated.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Group assignments

Teaching method is based on active learning and includes lectures and several case studies (as an aid to understanding). Students are expected to ensure regular class attendance (at least 75%) and to actively participate in class discussions and teamwork. Slides and other materials are made available to students beforehand in order to facilitate note taking.

• Students sit a written open book exam consisting of one question to be answered in 60 minutes. This counts as 70% of the marks. Students may use their books and materials and the internet when answering the question. Answers must be emailed to both professors at end of the hour.
• Students must also work in-group (max. 6 students per group) to prepare a power point presentation (12 slides maximum) on a specific topic directly relevant to environmental law as it applies in the European Union. Each group are asked to select a topic at the beginning of the course.  The oral presentation takes place on the last two classes of the Course. The group assignment evaluation counts 30% of the marks.

Final written exam

Textbook(s), readings and other materials: 

• F. FRACCHIA, Environmental Law. Principles, Definitions and Protection Models, Editoriale Scientifica, Napoli, 2018.
• S. KINGSTON, et al, European Environmental Law, Cambridge University Press, 2017 ISBN 978-1-107-640443.
• Notes are provided with slides. 
• Other materials and selected readings are indicated at the beginning of the course and are available online.