JJUA55190U International Energy Law and Sustainability - NOTE: the course is cancelled in the spring semester 2020

The main objective of the course is to provide the students with a legal understanding of a topic at the core of the global, regional and national agenda. The interaction between different regulatory instruments, relevant policies of development and use of natural resources and various environmental and sustainability impact issues will be treated in the light of international law, European Union law and national law. A further aim of the course is to develop students’ insight into ways in which economic, environmental and sustainability considerations influence the resolution of legal conflicts.

The course is covering the following topics:

1. Introduction to the Energy and Environment Scene

• What is Energy Law and its sources?
• The major energy fuels, sectors and activities: Gas, oil, coal, renewables, nuclear, electricity, heat, and conservation & production, transport, transmission, distribution, supply and trade. 
• Institutional framework: International organizations, European Union institutions and national governments
• The environmental impact of energy production and use and beyond the carbon economy.
• The balance in policy development - from public control and monopolies to market liberalisation against environmental consequences.
• Globalisation, cooperation, and the Sustainability Revolution.

2. Regulatory Models and the Interaction Between Different Instruments

• The structure of the industry – public and private, monopoly and competition-exposed structures.
• Allocation of rights and duties between the industry and the government.
• Statutory regulation, licence systems, tendering, planning systems, negotiation systems, taxes and subsidies.

3. Application of Basic Principles of international and EU Treaties to the Energy Sector

• The Impact of International Environmental Law Principles on the Energy Sector.
• Introduction to the regime on climate - the 1992 Climate Convention (UNFCCC), the 1997 Kyoto and the 2015 Paris agreements
• Free movement of goods, competition rules and State aids.

4. Energy Security

• Securing energy in an unstable world.
• East-West co-operation and investment protection in the energy field based on the European Energy Charter Treaty

5. Energy Production: Exploration and Exploitation of Oil and Gas

• The rights of coastal and other states in the mineral resources of the oceans and the sea bed.
• Licensing regimes - award and conditions - EU and national regulation.
• State taking and Regulation of Resource Interests under international law.
• Pollution and Protection of the Environment in relation to Oil and Gas Activities.
• Environmental Impact Assessment and abandonment of offshore installations.

6. Renewables, nuclear power, energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage

• Wind, solar and biofuels.
• Regulatory instruments and public support.

7. Energy Supply and Use: Electricity, Gas, Heat, and Trade

• The internal energy market directives and regulations
• Licence regimes - award and conditions.
• Rights of transit and third party access to grid systems.
• Price regulation and planning requirements
• Smart cities, grids and meetering
• Consumer protection and involvement

The course builds upon the MA education by applying legal methodology within the specialised area of the energy sector at large that includes both international, EU and national law aspects. This means that the students are requested to understand, identify, analyze and solve legal issues and questions in an essential and complex political, legal and technological setting where many conflicting goals must be balanced.