On completion of this course students will be able familiar with the basic conceptual vocabulary, derived primarily from the social science disciplines, that have come to define the notions of sustainability and sustainable development. Equally, they will become familiar with the associated basic conceptual vocabulary, derived primarily out of law, which has informed the legislative and regulatory promotion of sustainable development.

Building on this familiarity, students will be expected to understand and utilise the concepts, associated theories and substantive evidence in political economy and law to describe, explain and analyse the environmental economy with a view to improving their policy and planning capacities. The main objective of the course is thus to ensure that students are confident and fluent in the basic conceptual language and theories of sustainability and which will then deployed by them in later courses, thesis research and professional life.

In fulfilling this main objective students will be expected to develop their critical and problem-solving skills, to be able to express their skills in both written and oral forms. The ability to specify the essential political-economic and/or legal characteristics of an environmental problem, to subsequently trace the origins of that problem, to assess the effect of that problem and to outline possible sustainable responses to that problem