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Vår 2023

JUR-3622 International Environmental Law and Climate Change in the Arctic - 15 stp


The course is administrated by

Det juridiske fakultet

Type of course

International Environmental Law and Climate Change in the Arctic is a course at a master level.

Students at the five year integrated master´s degree programme in law (Master i rettsvitenskap) may choose this course as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the elective part of the programme´s fifth year, cf. Studieplan for graden Master i rettsvitenskap ved UiT med tilhørende fagbeskrivelse for 5. avdeling.

Followed by necessary application and admission process, other students on master level may also choose this course.


Course contents

This course offers a broad introduction to international environmental law, after which students will gain a specialized insight into the legal framework applicable to the Arctic region. The Arctic region is environmentally vulnerable, and is thus greatly affected by climate change. Climate change threatens biodiversity, the livelihoods of Arctic indigenous peoples, and leads to sea level rises and changing weather patterns, amongst others. This, in turn, leads to increased shipping in the Arctic as well as fisheries moving up further North. The North West Passage and the Northern Sea Route will likely be used for commercial shipping in the near future, leading to increased risks of oil pollution in the vulnerable Arctic ecosystems.

International environmental law is a rapidly developing field that seeks to mitigate effects of climate change and protect the environment. It involves a multitude of multilateral treaties, declarations and other instruments of international law. This course aims to provide students with an introduction to the major concepts, cases and principles that together shape the body of international environmental law. Students will learn how these concepts and principles apply in the Arctic, especially in the context of climate change.

The course covers the following topics:


Admission requirements

Students admitted to this course must be on master level. A basic knowledge of public international law and/or the law of the sea is desirable.

For information about the application process, contact theUiT Admissions Office or visit their web-pages.


Objective of the course

Knowledge:

Having passed the exam, the student shall have acquired:

Skills:

Having passed the exam, the student is able to

General Competence:

Having passed the exam, the student:


Language of instruction

English

Teaching methods

This course uses interactive and dynamic teaching methods. The course will consist out of both lectures and seminars comprising a total of 30 hours. The course will include a practical exercise (in the form of a moot court, or otherwise) and student presentations of a small research project. Students are encouraged to participate actively during the lectures and seminars. Students are expected to be prepared for lectures and seminars by studying the corresponding literature of the curriculum. Students should study independently in periods when there are no lectures or seminars.

Students will write a research essay of 5 pages (double-spaced) about one of the topics made available to them. They should engage critically with their research question, demonstrate independent thinking, and structure their arguments accordingly. They are free to use the literature in the curriculum, but are also encouraged to find additional literature in academic books or journals. Students are expected to present their research projects in the form of an oral presentation to the rest of the class. The essay must be handed in before the presentation.


Date for examination

School exam 25.05.2023

The date for the exam can be changed. The final date will be announced at your faculty early in May and early in November.