‘Environmental law and climate change – shaping a greener future’ is the theme for the Law Society Diploma Centre’s 2021 Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) starting on Tuesday, 18 May.

MOOCs are free online courses open to everyone as part of the Law Society’s public legal-education initiative.

Since the public legal-education stream launched in 2014, the Diploma Centre’s MOOCs have attracted over 14,000 participants from over 70 countries.

The courses feature online recorded and streamed presentations, together with interactive discussion forums and quizzes that allow participants to engage directly with expert presenters.

This year’s MOOC will provide participants with a comprehensive guide to the key legal and ethical issues affecting the environment and climate.

It will examine many hot topics including:

• Climate change (international/EU/national obligations),
• Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021,
• Climate justice and environmental enforcement,
• Circular economy,
• Green finance,
• Fast fashion,
• Plastics,
• Renewable energy, and
• Biodiversity, sustainability, ecocide and green crime.

Focus on greener future

There will also be a focus on what each of us can do as individuals to shape a greener future.

The online MOOC has mass appeal, and is completely free to all-comers.

Speakers include a raft of leading environmental lawyers, academics, climate scientists and conservationists, as well as representatives from NGOs.

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, will speak on the topic of climate justice.

There are eight CPD points available for completing this MOOC.

The course runs over a five-week period, starting on 18 May.

For further information and to sign up, visit: https://mooc2021.lawsociety.ie.