EPOKA UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF LAW
COURSE SYLLABUS
2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR
COURSE INFORMATIONCourse Title: INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW |
| Code | Course Type | Regular Semester | Theory | Practice | Lab | Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAW 503 | B | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) | Dr. Eglantina Farruku efarruku@epoka.edu.al |
| Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | Dr. Eglantina Farruku efarruku@epoka.edu.al |
| Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Language: | English |
| Compulsory/Elective: | Compulsory |
| Study program: (the study for which this course is offered) | Integrated second cycle study program in Law |
| Classroom and Meeting Time: | |
| Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Code of Ethics: |
Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline" |
| Attendance Requirement: | |
| Course Description: | International Environmental Law offers a concise, conceptually clear, and legally rigorous introduction to contemporary international environmental law and practice. The book covers all major environmental agreements, paying particular attention to their underlying structure, main legal provisions and practical operation. |
| Course Objectives: | The objective of the course is to create a basic knowledge of the leading environmental issues provided by Albanian, European and international legislation. The course focuses on the rights and obligations resulting from ratifications by the main Conventions on environmental issues. As well as it focuses on the rights and obligations of decision-makers in environmental issues. |
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BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE
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| 1 | International Environmental Law offers a concise, conceptually clear, and legally rigorous introduction to contemporary international environmental law and practice. |
| 2 | The book covers all major environmental agreements, paying particular attention to their underlying structure, main legal provisions and practical operation. |
| 3 | It blends legal and policy analysis, making extensive reference to jurisprudence and scholarship and addressing the interconnections with other areas of international law, including human rights, humanitarian law, trade and foreign investment. |
| 4 | The material is structured into four parts – Foundations, Substantive Regulation, Implementation, and International Environmental Law as a Perspective – which helps the student to navigate the different areas of international environmental law. |
| 5 | The objective of the course is to create a basic knowledge of the leading environmental issues provided by Albanian, European and international legislation. |
| 6 | The course focuses on the rights and obligations resulting from ratifications by the main Conventions on environmental issues. |
| 7 | As well as it focuses on the rights and obligations of decision-makers in environmental issues. |
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COURSE OUTLINE
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| Week | Topics |
| 1 | Emergence and Development of International Environment. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a concise introduction to the main developments that form the backbone of modern international environmental law...pg.1-25 |
| 2 | Main Features of International Environmental Law. understanding the main features of international environmental law is useful both from a theoretical standpoint – to circumscribe international environmental law as a discipline – and from a practical one – to understand its sources, methods and operation...pg.27-56 |
| 3 | The Principles of International Environmental Law. To understand the importance of the principles and concepts of international environmental law, as well as the difference between these two categories, it is helpful to first introduce some analytical distinctions. These distinctions will allow us to present the fundamental principles and concepts that conform the structure of international environmental law in the light of the two main values advanced by this body of law, namely prevention and balance...pg.58-99 |
| 4 | Oceans, Seas and Freshwater. This chapter begins the presentation of substantive regulation in international environmental law by focusing on the rules governing oceans, seas and freshwater. First, it will be analyzed the distribution of jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and then turn to the duties of States in the protection of the marine environment, both in general and in connection with specific sources of pollution or geographical areas...pg.107-140 |
| 5 | Protection of the Atmosphere. The atmospheric issues tackled are as diverse as fumes emissions with transboundary effects, climate change, the acidification of the environment or the depletion of the ozone layer. This is not to say that a small number of overarching principles cannot be identified, as does Part XII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)1 for the marine environment...pg.147-187 |
| 6 | Species, Ecosystems and Biodiversity. The protection of wildlife was one of the first concerns of international environmental regulation. Although the focus of this regulation has changed significantly over time, from primarily economic considerations to conservation per se and increasingly to a combination of both (through ‘natural capital’ and ‘ecosystem services’ approaches), this body of norms– tackling issues as diverse as the exploitation of fur seals,1 whaling,2 trade in endangered species,3 the preservation of ecologically, culturally or aesthetically valuable sites4 or, more recently, the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms5 or the access to genetic resources and the sharing of related benefits6– has profoundly influenced the development of international environmental law...pg.148-197 |
| 7 | Dangerous Substances and Activities. An important aspect of the instruments that we have studied in previous chapters is that they are designed to protect a certain object against various threats, including pollution (e.g. as a factor in habitat degradation). This applies, in particular, to many conventions on the protection of species, spaces and biodiversity...pg.251-286 |
| 8 | Implementation: Traditional Approaches. The traditional approach in this area assumed that compliance with international obligations only depended upon a State’s will to comply. From a substantive law perspective, the main mechanism to encourage compliance was to make any violation costly for the State, notably through the application of secondary norms of State responsibility...pg.293-324 |
| 9 | Midterm |
| 10 | Implementation: New Approaches. Technical and financial assistance are intended to give developing States the means to create the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of their environmental obligations. Other techniques aim to increase efficiency to reduce the cost of compliance with environmental obligations...pg.328-351 |
| 11 | Human Rights and the Environment. Environmental protection and human rights law have influenced each other in many ways. The main prism through which this complex relationship has been analysed and understood is that of ‘synergies’. One underlying condition for the full respect of at least some human rights is an environment of sufficient quality to avoid significant impacts on human health and living standards...pg.357-403 |
| 12 | Environmental Dimensions of International Security. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze how the environmental dimension of international security has been increasingly reflected in international law, whether to protect the environment from armed conflict or, conversely, to address environmental threats as conflict drivers...pg.410-448 |
| 13 | Environmental Protection and International Economic Law. This chapter points out the connection between environmental protection and economic development. The latter finds expression in an increasingly important body of norms regulating investment, trade and technology at the international level..pg.452-498 |
| 14 | Review |
| Prerequisite(s): | - |
| Textbook(s): | Pierre-Marie Dupuy and Jorge E. Viñuales, International Environmental Law, Second Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2018 |
| Additional Literature: | 1 - Maglosia Fitzmaurice, David M. Ong, Panos Merkouris edts (2010) Research handbook on International Environmental Law, Elgar press, London. 2 - Edward Elgar, Cheltenham Jason J. Czarnezki (2011) Everyday Environmentalism: Law, Nature & Individual Behavior, ELI Press, Washington D.C. |
| Laboratory Work: | |
| Computer Usage: | |
| Others: | No |
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COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
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| 1 | Upon completion of this course, students will be able to provide a broad and practical theory of general and comparative knowledge of environmental laws. |
| 2 | Students will be able to obtain an intensive understanding of the leading environmental Conventions at the end of the course. |
| 3 | Students will be stimulated to discuss and compare environmental problems. |
| 4 | At the end of the period, students will receive essential knowledge on the rights and obligations of decision-makers in environmental matters; and the rights and obligations of citizens in environmental issues. |
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COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution) |
| No | Program Competencies | Cont. |
| Integrated second cycle study program in Law Program | ||
| 1 | Fitimi dhe përdorimi i njohurive të avancuara në fushën e drejtësisë dhe jurisprudencës, mbështetur në tekstet mësimore, materialet dhe burimet e tjera shkencore. | 5 |
| 2 | Fitimi i njohurive rreth çështjeve dhe problematikave të fushës së drejtësisë, së bashku me analizën e aspekteve historike, shoqërore e politike. | 5 |
| 3 | Fitimi i njohurive rreth organizimit të shtetit. | 5 |
| 4 | Fitimi i njohurive rreth kapaciteteve të analizës lidhur me konceptet dhe ndarjet kryesore të degëve të së drejtës. | 5 |
| 5 | Përmirësimi i aftësive për të punuar së bashku me disiplinat kryesore të shkencave sociale dhe disiplinat e tjera të cilat janë të lidhura me drejtësinë. | 4 |
| 6 | Fitimi i njohurive rreth drejtësisë duke përthithur terminologjinë profesionale të fushës. | 5 |
| 7 | Përcaktimi i ngjarjeve dhe temave komplekse, nëpërmjet zhvillimit të diskutimeve dhe bërjes së sugjerimeve të reja në përputhje me hulumtimet e fushës. | 5 |
| 8 | Fitimi i aftësive në përdorimin e programeve kompjuterike dhe të teknologjisë së informacionit me qëllim arritjen e qasjes në dijen aktuale. | 3 |
| 9 | Përmirësimi i të menduarit kritik dhe aftësive në kryerjen e hulumtimit në mënyrë të pavarur. | 5 |
| 10 | Fitimi i njohurive për të folur në një gjuhë të huaj në një nivel të mjaftueshëm për të komunikuar me kolegët dhe për të kuptuar zhvillimet bashkëkohore në fushën e drejtësisë dhe të jurisprudencës. | 5 |
| 11 | Fitimi i aftësive për të respektuar vlerat shoqërore, shkencore dhe etike gjatë mbledhjes dhe interpretimit të të dhënave që kanë të bëjnë me zhvillimet shoqërore dhe atyre në drejtësi. | 4 |
| 12 | Ndërgjegjësimi në lidhje me rëndësinë e të drejtave të njeriut dhe mjedisit. | |
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COURSE EVALUATION METHOD
|
| Method | Quantity | Percentage |
| Midterm Exam(s) |
1
|
30
|
| Term Paper |
1
|
30
|
| Final Exam |
1
|
40
|
| Total Percent: | 100% |
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ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)
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| Activities | Quantity | Duration(Hours) | Total Workload(Hours) |
| Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) | 14 | 4 | 56 |
| Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Mid-terms | 0 | ||
| Assignments | 1 | 26 | 26 |
| Final examination | 1 | 26 | 26 |
| Other | 0 | ||
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Total Work Load:
|
150 | ||
|
Total Work Load/25(h):
|
6 | ||
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ECTS Credit of the Course:
|
6 | ||
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CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER
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The syllabus is a good detailed work plan, but the students are responsible for being aware of any changes made to it, as announced in class. The academic policies followed in this course are per those presented in the central norms and regulations of Epoka University, with adaptations and specifics in particular of the elements of the implementation of the course in practice. |