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Climate Law, Economics and Finance (LAWS90268)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
December
Lecturer
Arjuna Dibley (Coordinator)
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | December |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Climate change has traditionally been a topic of interest to those interested in the environment. However, it is increasingly being understood as a phenomenon which is driving systemic change to the structure of the economy and the financial system. This subject offers students this economic perspective of climate change law and policy. It considers a range of legal, policy and financial tools that governments around the world have used to try and manage climate change, such as carbon pricing, green fiscal spending, climate risk disclosure and emissions regulations. It critically evaluates these legal, financial and policy approaches, and the economic theory underpinning them.
The course will introduce students to these climate change legal and policy approaches through case studies across different themes (carbon markets, sustainable finance, energy, transportation) and geographies. Guest speakers with legal, sustainable investment and public policy backgrounds will join the course to speak to some of these case studies. By drawing together economic theory and practitioner-informed case studies, the course will provide students with the knowledge, tools, and networks to critically assess and participate in the future development of regulatory regimes, policies and financial mechanisms which might help arrest global warming.
Principal topics will include:
- An introduction to climate science,
- Key debates in climate change economics
- International and domestic law frameworks
- Market-based legal mechanisms: pricing carbon externalities
- Information based regulatory approaches to carbon emissions
- Emerging legal risks – greenwashing, climate litigation and investor actions
- Green industrial policy, state-owned enterprises and innovation ecosystems
- Emissions caps, performance standards and other forms of regulation
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should be able to:
- Describe the way in which economic theories have influenced climate change law and policy development
- Ask considered questions to expert practitioners working on climate change law, policy and finance about economic and legal principles underpinning their work
- Explain a range of legal and policy mechanisms for managing carbon emissions, including market-based mechanisms, information-based mechanisms, green industrial policy mechanisms and regulatory approaches with references to the economic theories underpinning them
- Evaluate a climate change law and policy mechanism designed to manage emissions in the economy, and analyse its effectiveness through a detailed research paper.
Last updated: 14 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
This subject is best suited for those without previous specialisation in economics and finance.
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 14 March 2024
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Questions of guest speakers - Students will be assigned to ask thoughtful questions of guest speakers | During the teaching period | 15% |
Written assignment - Students will choose a topic related to the syllabus to explore in detail.
| 5 February 2025 | 75% |
| Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance is required. | N/A |
Last updated: 14 March 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- December
Principal coordinator Arjuna Dibley Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 6 November 2024 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 4 December 2024 to 10 December 2024 Last self-enrol date 11 November 2024 Census date 5 December 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 10 January 2025 Assessment period ends 5 February 2025 December contact information
Lecturer
Arjuna Dibley (Coordinator)
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352), International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 14 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Laws Course Graduate Diploma in Laws Course Master of Environmental Law Course Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law Course Master of Commercial Law - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-masters@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 14 March 2024