Ateneo - UPO

The course, divided into three modules – European Environmental Law, Ecology, and Applied Economics for Sustainable Development – provides an integrated understanding of the main legal, ecological and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

The European Environmental Law module introduces students to the institutional and regulatory framework of the European Union and to the relationship between EU law, Italian law and international environmental law. Particular attention is paid to the European Green Deal and its implementation, climate change and climate litigation, the circular economy, waste, by-products and end-of-waste, corporate due diligence and environmental sustainability reporting, and the role of consumers in the ecological transition.

The Ecology module introduces the main taxonomic groups and their relationships with the environment, providing the basic knowledge required to understand the role of organisms within environmental systems and the main interactions between organisms and their environment.

The Applied Economics for Sustainable Development module introduces the main quantitative tools for the empirical analysis of economic and environmental phenomena. It covers the foundations of econometrics and probability, simple and multiple linear regression models, interval estimation and hypothesis testing, prediction and model fit, and models for binary dependent variables. These techniques are applied to issues related to the different dimensions of sustainable development.

For textbooks and teaching materials, please refer to the syllabi of the individual modules

The course aims to provide students with the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills required to understand and analyse the main issues relating to environmental protection and sustainable development, by integrating legal, ecological and economic perspectives.

At the end of the course, students will have acquired:

basic knowledge of the main concepts and instruments of European environmental law and of their interaction with international law and the Italian legal system;
knowledge of the main taxonomic groups and their relationships with the environment, contributing to an understanding of ecosystem processes and balances;
basic knowledge of the main econometric and statistical techniques used for the empirical analysis of economic, environmental and social phenomena;
the ability to critically analyse complex environmental issues by taking into account their legal, ecological and economic dimensions;
the ability to apply the acquired knowledge to concrete cases and problems relating to environmental sustainability.

The prerequisites follow the course regulations, which are referred to for appropriate instructions

Teaching activities include lectures, case studies and analysis of practical materials, discussion of concrete issues and, for the Applied Economics for Sustainable Development module, exercises and laboratory activities aimed at data analysis using statistical software.

The three modules are designed, where appropriate, to encourage an integrated approach combining legal, ecological and economic perspectives in the analysis of environmental and sustainable development issues.

For information concerning individual modules, teaching materials, additional activities and specific arrangements concerning teaching activities, students are invited to consult the pages of the individual modules and the communications provided by the respective lecturers.

Attendance is strongly recommended.

The exam consists of a test aimed at verifying the level of knowledge and understanding of the contents of the three modules that make up the teaching.

The evaluation takes into account knowledge of disciplinary content, the ability to apply acquired knowledge to the analysis of concrete problems and cases, the ability to establish connections between the legal, ecological, and economic aspects of sustainable development, as well as the ownership of language and the ability to argue. The final grade will be determined by the average of the grades achieved in the three modules.

See the detail sheet for each individual form

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, students will have acquired basic knowledge of the main legal, ecological and economic issues relating to environmental protection and sustainable development. In particular, they will understand the main instruments of EU environmental law, the relationships between organisms and their environment, and the foundations of the main econometric techniques used for empirical analysis.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Students will be able to apply the acquired knowledge to concrete cases and environmental issues, identifying the relevant legal, ecological and economic aspects. They will also be able to interpret basic quantitative results and apply the methodological tools acquired to the analysis of sustainable development data.

Making judgements

Students will be able to critically assess complex environmental issues, identifying their different dimensions and relating scientific evidence, economic instruments and legal rules.

Communication skills

Students will be able to describe and discuss major environmental issues using appropriate terminology and to clearly communicate the relationships between the legal, ecological and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

Learning skills

Students will acquire the ability to independently deepen the topics addressed during the course through the consultation of legal sources, scientific material, empirical data and specialist literature.