Ateneo - UPO

The course is focused on the study of environmental law, in particular through the analysis of the principles of environmental law, supranational, European and state juridical frameworks, and the main instruments of environmental assessment and protection.

Suggested books with regard to the programme topics: G. ROSSI, A. FARI' (eds.), "Diritto dell'ambiente", Giappichelli, Torino, 2026; A. CROSETTI, F. FRACCHIA, R. FERRARA, N. OLIVETTI RASON, "Introduzione al diritto dell'ambiente", Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2018; P. DELL'ANNO, "Diritto dell'ambiente", CEDAM-Wolters-Kluwer, Milano, 2025.

The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the principles and rules governing environmental law, in particular with regard to the environment as a legal good protected by law, the public bodies responsible for intervention and control in this area, and the tools and procedures for assessing and preventing environmental risks.

For the fulfilment of the propedeucity, it is necessary to have already passed the Constitutional Law and Administrative Law exams.

Teaching will be based on lectures, with analysis and discussion of concrete law case studies.

Scholars and experts working in the field of environmental law, including foreign ones, may be invited to participate in the lecture. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam will be held in the traditional form of an oral examination, consisting of some questions related to the topics of the course's program. The way in which the student articulates the answer, as well as the mastery of the concepts and the level of depth of the topic, will allow Professor to assess the achievement, or not, of the course objectives. Different modes may be provided for attending students.

The course will focused on the following topics:
1. Introduction to Environmental Law;
2. Legal Sources of International Environmental Law;
3. European Environmental Law: Between a Market-Based Approach and the “Brussels Effect”. In particular: the European Green Deal;
4. The Environment in the Italian Constitution;
5. The Principles of Environmental Law, and in particular the “polluter pays” principle within the framework of the economic analysis of public law;
6. The environment in the division of legislative authority between the State and the Regions;
7. Institutional actors in environmental law and the exercise of their respective administrative functions;
8. The risk society and environmental risk assessment. In particular: Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
9. Public procurement and environmental protection: Green Public Procurement;
10. Environmental protection and non-authoritative approaches: Nudge Regulation and the One Health approach;
11. Climate justice.

To attain the knowledge and skills corresponding to the minimum sufficiency level, students will be asked to demonstrate that they have mastered the theory behind environmental law, as well as the general concepts of the topics covered in the course lectures, and that they have acquired the theoretical-practical tools to better interpret the complexity of the subject.