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| DROI0960-1 | Environmental Law
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| Duration : | 30h Th |
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| Number of credits : |
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| Lecturer : | Michel Delnoy |
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Language(s) of instruction :
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| French language |
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Course contents :
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| Environmental law is a young discipline which is rapidly developing. It is no longer possible to ignore the practical repercussions of this domain. It affects a wide range of actors, from companies and public bodies themselves down to individual citizens and it covers a wide range of subjects. By means of illustration, take recent European legislation on, among other things, energy performance of buildings, cleaning polluted land, environmental offences, environmental sanctions and environmental responsibility.
The youth and rapid development of the field makes it difficult to learn about for a lawyer wanting to embark on a career in this field, whether as a lawyer, judge, company lawyer, civil servant, environmental advisor, member of an environmental group, etc. The aim of this course is to present a structural overview of the subject.
After having defined the contours of environmental law, the course will initially retrace the subject's historical roots and present the elements which differentiate it from other fields of law. We will particularly look at concepts such as "common heritage", "sustainable development", "integration", "participation", "precaution" etc.
This introduction will be followed by three large sections:
- the actors in environmental law: international, European, Belgian and Walloon bodies, associations, individuals etc. ;
- the instruments of environmental law: permits, plans, regulations, principles, sanctions, access to information, participation, education, access to justice, etc. ;
- the fields of action of environmental law: protection of flora and fauna, protection of the air and climate, fight against noise, classified establishments, cleaning polluted land etc.
Although the course is as far as possible constantly updated to take account of the numerous legislative and regulatory modifications that constantly change the face of this legal field, it will mainly cover the principles and general and common rules, which remain constant. |
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Learning outcomes of the course :
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| The course does not aim to transmit an encyclopaedic knowledge of environmental law, indeed it would be impossible to do so. It aims to outline the basic elements of the subject, the way of thinking and the reflexes required, as well as the databases available, so that students can subsequently carry out independent legal research and find the answers to the questions that may be put to them in the course of their professional practice.
At the end of the course, students should be able to reconstruct and explain the basic principles which govern environmental law, apply these principles to practical cases and find the rules which have not been taught but which enable students to answer questions which have not been covered in class. |
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Prerequisites and co-requisites/ Recommended optional programme components :
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| Following this course requires a Bachelor Diploma in Law. |
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Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
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| Lectures are restricted to teaching essential theoretical information in the subject matter. In any case, numerous practical examples will be incorporated into the teaching as well as indispensable case law references. As large a part as possible of the sessions will involve interaction between the teaching staff and students. The teacher will regularly as questions to ensure that students have understood the subject matter and students are invited to submit questions to the teacher either during class or outside class '(see below). Systematic reference will be made to information databases. Reading will be recommended, and documentary analysis will be required, the results of these will be examined during later sessions.
Two guest speakers will participate to shed light on specific aspects of the subject.
Organisation of the rest of the course will depend on the number of students registered: study of administrative documents, in-depth oral presentation by each student on a particular question, which will be taken into account during the evaluation, hypothetical problem solving in groups, etc. are planned, depending on the number of students. Decisions about the way the course will be run will be made after discussion with students during the first lesson. |
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Recommended or required readings :
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| A detailed outline of each lesson will be put online at the latest on the day of the lesson in question or shortly after.
Students can also expect to be required to read reference books, recommended reading and a bibliography, both in paper and electronic form. |
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Assessment methods and criteria :
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| The exam will certainly cover the ability to reproduce information and answers to questions which will demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge to practical situations. The ability to understand the questions is obviously indispensable, as is the ability to reflect upon different parts of the course and (sometimes hierarchical) relationships between them - and to structure ideas in a logical way and present them correctly. |
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Contacts :
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| Students are invited to individually ask any questions relating to the course. Questions and requests for appointments relating to the organisation and logistics of the course can be submitted to the lecturer via a student representative.
The lecturer is available in between classes, after class or at any other time by appointment.
Questions and requests for appointments can be made to Ms. Hélène Bouchat, by email: helene.bouchat@bours-law.be |
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