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Unit of study_
LAWS6921: Comparative Climate Law
2026 unit information
This unit adopts a comparative approach to understanding the dynamics of one of the most pressing global environmental concerns - global climate change. The objective is to provide postgraduate and undergraduate students with an understanding of the legal frameworks governing one of the most pressing global issues - climate change. The outcomes include detailed knowledge and comparative analysis imparted by some of the world's leading climate law academics. In particular, the overarching international legal framework - the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its successors especially the 2015 Paris Agreement - will be discussed in detail. The unit will critically assess progress in meeting the aims of the Paris Agreement. The three largest international emitters are China, the United States, and the European Union. The legal and policy responses of these three jurisdictions will be critically analysed and compared. An Australian case study is set against international legal obligations and the efforts in the highest emitting jurisdictions. Students will engage with academic literature, lectures presented in mixed media formats, small group discussion and they will be given the opportunity to contribute original research by way of the research assignment. Refer to the Sydney Law School timetable - https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Critically evaluate the respective roles, responsibilities and institutional limits of governments, courts and international legal bodies in responding to climate change.
- LO2. Analyse how legal, policy, regulatory and fiscal measures are used to reduce emissions from the energy and forestry sectors.
- LO3. Evaluate the relationship between competition policy, market (de)regulation, energy security and emissions reduction in Australia’s National Electricity Market.
- LO4. Critically outline the legal, regulatory and policy issues associated with carbon capture and storage as an emissions avoidance technologiy in Australian and international contexts.
- LO5. Apply relevant legal research methodologies to the examination of comparative climate law issues to create sound legal arguments and communicate these to diverse audiences.
Unit availability
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