Courses

    Climate change, deforestation, urban sprawl, soil depletion, biodiversity loss and other forms of environmental degradation have the potential to dramatically impact human health and wellbeing around the globe in coming decades. Potential effects range from exacerbation of chronic respiratory illness, increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters, and changes in patterns of vector-borne infectious disease to food and water insecurity and migration of environmental refugees. This course will explore the role of environmental concerns in shaping the future development of global health law by focusing on two key issues: (1) the use of domestic and international health and human rights law as a tool for mitigation of climate change and other forms of environmental degradation; and (2) the use of law as a tool for adaptation to the health consequences of climate change and environmental degradation. The mitigation component of the course will focus on several recent cases brought before domestic and international tribunals seeking to enjoin environmentally harmful activities based in part on the health and human rights impacts of those activities. We will also discuss the impact of certain health policies on the environment. The adaptation component of the course will examine the ways in which domestic and international law might be reformed to better respond to the challenges posed by the health consequences of climate change and environmental degradation.

Evaluation will be based on the quality of class participation (20%) as well as two short projects (40% each), each consisting of a brief in-class presentation and a five-page paper.