The Topic for 2009 will be Copenhagen Competition.

Four students will be selected by the Coordinator for the course, on the basis of academic record, previous experience in Environmental Law, International Environmental Law, or Climate Law. The students will represent ANU in the Copenhagen Competition and will be eligible to enrol in the course. Familiarity with International Law and/or negotiating, mooting, and research experience is desirable, as well as a willingness to devote a significant amount of time from 1 September 2008 - 12 March 2009 to the undertaking.

The Copenhagen Competition is presented by the University of Copenhagen as a student activity in the run-up to the UN Conference on Climate Change, COP15, in Copenhagen, Denmark, November 2009, where the replacement protocol for Kyoto will be negotiated. The Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, is hosting the competition that gives law students, from various places of the world, a chance to negotiate the Copenhagen Protocol before the "real" COP15 takes place. The vision of the competition is to let the students illuminate their innovative ideas. The final result of the competition - the draft text - will hopefully inspire governments all over the world in their negotiations at the COP15. The visions, however, goes beyond its perceived societal impact; it is also an opportunity for these top law students to advance their individual and collective scholarship in areas of critical legal analysis of the treaties they draft, negotiation abilities, team work, etc. The competition is by invitation only, and the ANU College of Law is one of the Universities invited to participate. The course which is designed around the Copenhagen Competition is in two phases: 1) written submissions on a successor international instrument to the Kyoto Protocol; 2) if the ANU College of Law team is then invited to the final phase, negotiation of a successor international instrument to the Kyoto Protocol.

This course involves participation in the Copenhagen Competition on climate change, consisting of preparation of written submissions and, if selected to compete in Copenhagen, participation in the oral rounds.  The written submissions are expected to consist of:

• A draft treaty consisting of draft articles on a specific range of Climate Change topics selected by the Competition organisers
• Treaty text commentaries in support of the understanding of the proposed draft articles
• A "vision statement" outlining the vision behind the approach of the draft articles and a concise explanation of their objectives and methods by which the objective will be obtained.

Students completing this course will:

• have an enhanced understanding of international law, international environmental law, and international climate law
• have enhanced understanding and appreciation of the processes engaged in by government and other international actors in the negotiation of international instruments
• be familiar with legal drafting and legal advocacy
• have advanced skills in legal negotiation
• have advanced skills in working in a team environment.

Members of the Copenhagen team are expected to prepare the written submissions and participate in the internal ANU practice negotiating sessions. Assessment reflects the performance of the team through the entire Competition period. The mark awarded to each team member may also take account of their individual performance.

Completed or completing five LAWS courses at 1000 level.