International Law of Resources, Environment and Trade

The course provides an introduction to fundamental legal concepts and key areas of international environmental and trade law. It begins with basic legal terminology, different fields of law, and methods of legal interpretation. The second part focuses on international environmental law, including general legal principles and specific treaty regimes concerning natural resources and environmental protection. The final section examines international trade law with particular emphasis on the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Furthermore, the course explores the relationship between trade law and environmental law, highlighting the interaction and potential conflicts between economic interests and environmental protection policies worldwide.

The following course/module was developed at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg.

Learning outcomes / Competencies:

The purpose of the cluster is to give an introduction to the basic terms of law and to legal problems related to resources, environment and trade. Students without a law background will be enabled to understand the characteristics of these fields as such, before turning to a range of more specific questions. Students will be able to analyze international environmental law and trade law as well as be in a position to solve clashes between these two fields of law.