The peoples of Asia and the Pacific Region need access to modern and reliable energy services to better their lives and livelihood. To provide energy access for all will require significant public and private sector investments in energy infrastructure. However, climate change is now broadly recognised as humanity's greatest single challenge. Energy related CO2 emissions worldwide are projected to increase significantly by 2030, with much of this increase coming from Asia. Moreover, Asia and the Pacific will suffer severe climate related disasters and many of climate change's worst effects.

This course introduces students to the challenges of designing energy policy, law, and regulation to meet the very different needs and objectives of countries within the Asia Pacific. In doing so it will consider the need to expand energy access, increase energy security, develop energy infrastructure, secure good energy governance; all while promoting clean energy to limit Asia's contributions to climate change. It will introduce students to both economic regulation and environmental regulation of energy, including how changes to economic regulation may improve environmental sustainability. It will also cover energy sector regulatory reforms (introduced by governments to move from public-sector to private sector models of energy provision), and will consider their effectiveness.

In considering these thematic issues, the course will (i) consider case-studies and draw upon examples of national policy and regulation from the People's Reupublic of China; India; South-east Asia, and the Pacific Islands; (ii) investigate examples of regional energy cooperation, such as: the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Energy Regulators' Network, the Asia Pacific Dialogue on Clean Energy Governance and Regulation, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Pacific Power Association; and (iii) consider the relevance of international climate and energy law for the Asia-Pacific.

At the end of the course, students should:

• know the key climate and energy problems that must be surmounted in different countries in the Asia Pacific, and understand why and how policy and regulatory responses must be country specific;
• understand the political, legal, governance, and practical challenges to establishing, implementing and enforcing clean energy regulation across a range of jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific;
• be familiar with a range of policy approaches, and regulatory models and tools, applicable to different cultural and jurisdictional contexts in the Asia-Pacific;
• be able to provide policy and/or legal advice on the appropriate response to energy challenges faced by a particular country, or sub-regional group (ie ASEAN) within the Asia Pacific.

Class participation and a research assignment of 7,000 - 8,000 words

Four days face-to-face lectures and interactive class discussion plus private study.

Enrolled in 7300, 7312, 7883, 6300 OR prerequisite of one of the following:

LAWS8182 Principles of International Law

LAWS8001 Introduction to Law, Governance and Development

LAWS8189 Fundamentals of Environmental Law

A backgournd in either energy law or policy; law in an Asian country; law in a Pacific country; international law; or law and devlopment would be useful.

Reading materials will be prepared for the course.

Access to internet