HUK370

School of Law \ Law

3

6

Elective

English

-

Law

In this course, the history, basic concepts and principles of sustainable development are examined in light of the international treaties and judicial decisions. In the context of the course, the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development are analysed and some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as ending poverty, reducing inequality, ensuring responsible consumption and production, combating climate change, and conserving the oceans, sea and marine resources are elaborated on in the framework of relevant international legal instruments.

A Boyle, D Freestone (eds), International Law and Sustainable Development: Past Achievements and Future Challenges (OUP 1999).
MC Cordonier, A Kalfhan, Sustainable Development Law: Principles, Practices and Prospects (OUP 2004) D French, International Law and Policy of Sustainable Development (Manchester University Press 2005).
N Schrijver, "The Evolution of Sustainable Development in International Law: Inception, Meaning and Status", R des C, 2007, T. 329, pp. 217-412.
N Schrijver & F Weiss (eds), International Law and Sustainable Development: Principles and Practice (Martinus Nijhoff 2004).
N Schrijver, ‘A new Convention on the human right to development: Putting the cart before the horse?’ Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights. 2020;38(2):84-93.
Clark DA, The Elgar Companion to Development Studies (Edward Elgar 2006)
Bill Hopwood, Mary Mellor, Geoff O’Brien, ‘Sustainable Development: Mapping Different Approaches’ (2005) 13 Sustainable Development 38–52.
K Rittich, ‘Theorizing International Law and Development’ in F Hoffman and A Orford (eds), Oxford Handbook on the Theory of International Law (OUP 2016) 821.
Virginie Barral, ‘Sustainable Development in International Law: Nature and Operation of an Evolutive Legal Norm’ (2012) 23 EJIL 377-400.

The course seeks to determine the meaning and scope of the concept of sustainable development, in particular its nature and legal implications in public international law. The essential content of the concept is identified under three pillars: 1) economic development, 2) social development, 3) environmental protection. The course aims to examine some techniques, institutions, mechanisms and procedures in international regimes such as those relating to environmental protection, protection of human rights, and the international economic order, that can help integrate the various components of sustainable development and help to achieve this objective. 

1. Develop skills to analyse political, legal and social discussions on sustainable development.
2. Identify various actors and sources of international law that create a sustainable development legal framework.
3. Acquire the ability to identify principles, norms, and reasoning techniques that strengthen sustainable development in national and international practice.
4. Capable of carrying out independent and/or group research in the field of law and sustainable development, using both library and electronic resources.
5. Present the research results in English, and discuss and justify the arguments in the paper based on legal documents.
6. Analyse the impact and interaction of sustainable deveopment law on other areas of law and find solutions to contemporary legal challenges, for example, those imposed by the emerging technologies related to artificial intelligence.
7. Familiarize with the national and international discussions on sustainable development and follows recent developments.

Week 1: Sustainable Development and Law: Evolution, basic concepts, content
Week 2: History, meaning, status: Brundtland, Rio, MDGs, SDGs: From Industrial Society to Network Society: Globalization, International Trade and the Development of the Political Economy of the World
Week 3: Law and Development: Principles of Sustainable Development: Rule of law, human rights, and governance
Week 4: Law and Development: Treaties and Jurisprudence: Implementation of SGDs in court decisions
Week 5: Research Methods in Sustainable Development Law: Finalization of assignment topics and deadlines dates.
Week 6: Human Rights and Sustainable Development I: Ecosystem, biodiversity & climate change: global environmental protections
Week 7: Human Rights and Sustainable Development II: Fresh water and food security; The strategic environmental assessment of activities, substances and hazardous wastes
Week 8: Human Rights and Sustainable Development III: Poverty & inequality: law as a tool of poverty alleviation
Week 9: Business and Sustainability I: Corporate social responsibility and sustainability
Week 10: Business and Sustainability II: Corporate legal responsibility and sustainability
Week 11: Miscellaneous interdisciplinary topics: Governance, Education and Science System Sufficiency, Income and Labor, Consumption Patterns and Lifestyles, Green Growth, Rebound effect
Week 12: Final remarks, future prospects

• Participation %10
• Essay %35
• Presentation %15
• Final %40