This course will examine how public international institutions use their legal instruments to address climate change. It will trace the history of the 1999 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its multiple successor agreements, culminating in the Paris Agreement of 2015. It will cover how other multilateral institutions have incorporated climate obligations into their agreements, including the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the UN International Civil Aviation Organization’s CORSIA agreement, and the UN International Maritime Organization’s measures for global shipping. Cross-cutting questions will include how the balances struck in the Paris Agreement informed these subsequent negotiations, and how effective these agreements are. The course will also review how the global trading system is grappling with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and bilateral FTAs’ appropriate role in addressing climate change. It will conclude with consideration of recent climate litigation in international courts.
For details on class times, days of the week, instructors, and grading and exam details, please view the Michigan Law Class Schedule.