Course | Columbia Law School

This course begins with an overview of the causes and effects of global climate change and the methods available to control and adopt to it. We will then examine the negotiation, implementation and current status of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. The focus will then turn to the past and proposed actions of the U.S. Congress, the executive branch and the courts, as well as regional, state and municipal efforts. The Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act will receive special attention. We will evaluate the various legal tools that are available to address climate change, including cap-and-trade schemes; carbon taxation; command-and-control regulation; litigation; securities disclosures; and voluntary action. The roles of energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, nuclear power, coal, and forestry and agriculture will each receive close attention. Implications for international human rights, international trade, environmental justice, and international and intergenerational equity will be discussed. The course will conclude with examination of the special challenges posed by China; proposals for adaptation and geoengineering; and business opportunities and the role of lawyers.