LAW2520

Climate change poses an existential threat to our planet. This course, open to law school students and graduate students from other schools, provides a survey of the legal and political mechanisms and social forces that may be leveraged to support decarbonization of global energy systems and adaptation to a warming planet. We will start with a brief introduction to climate science and then consider the international, federal, state and local legal regimes applicable to climate change, with an emphasis on U.S. law and policy. We will also consider the societal dynamics animating public and private net-zero commitments and the role that the environmental justice movement has in advancing climate justice. This course will include guest appearances by luminaries and practitioners in the climate space. Grades will reflect class participation, two short papers, and a take-home exam.