Law and Policies of Social Rights Protection in Europe

The course provides an overview of the Law & Economics principles underpinning environmental protection and the green transition, with particular attention to their connections with social justice issues and the design of public policies. The first part analyzes environmental protections through the Law & Economics framework of property rules, liability rules, and inalienability rules, highlighting their rationale and efficiency. The second part will be aimed at understanding environmental problems within the economic theory and relate them to social justice and public policy.

At the end of the course, students will have acquired advanced knowledge of legal and economic tools for environmental protections. They will be able to assess the interplay between economic and legal dimensions in safeguarding the environment, as well as the relationship between environmental law and economic criteria, with applications to public policy. Moreover, the student will be able to independently identify and analyze environment issues and their linkages with the concept of sustainable development. Finally, the student will develop strong oral and written skills, including the ability to argue with logical rigor and appropriate use of language when engaging with instructors and classmates.