| Medium of instruction: | English | ||||||||||||||||||
| How and when to apply: | Applications for 2024 intake will be invited around September of this year. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Admission requirements: | All applicants must fulfill the General Admission Requirements and the English Language Proficiency Requirement prescribed by the University’s
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| Duration: | Full-time: one year (normative study period) – two years (maximum study period). Part-time: two years (normative study period) – three years (maximum study period). | ||||||||||||||||||
| Campus: | The CUHK Graduate Law Centre, 2/F, Bank of America Tower, Central. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Programme requirements: | 24 units: including 12 units of required courses and 12 units of elective courses. Students should pass all the assessments with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in order to be recommended
Full-time mode (1 year)
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| Delivery mode: | A 3-unit course will usually have three teaching hours per week.
Classes are held during daytime and evenings of weekdays and daytime |
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| Study options: | Students may take elective courses offered in other LLM Programmes and the JD Programme offered by CUHK LAW subject to availability |
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| Additional learning & development opportunities: | The Sir TL Yang Society Mooting Exchange Programmes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tuition fees: | HK$6,060 per unit* for a total of 24 units within the normative |
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| Further study options: | Master of Philosophy in Law (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy in Laws (PhD) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Student housing: | There is a shortage of on campus student accommodation for non-local postgraduate students. When relocating to Hong Kong students are advised they will need to rely on (readily-available) private off-campus accommodation during |
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Master of Laws (LLM) in Energy and Environmental Law
The LLM in Energy and Environmental Law aims to offer students an in-depth understanding of the legal aspects governing the key challenges of energy security and environmental protection. Students are trained for practice in the areas of energy investment and trade, project finance and infrastructure development, clean energy and climate change mitigation, with a focus on the specific energy and sustainability challenges of the Asia-Pacific region. The courses build on the expertise in energy and environmental law and investment and trade law at CUHK, and benefit from the participation of leading international practitioners in the field of energy and environmental law.
Thank you for your interest in the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme.
Energy and environmental law concerns sectors of vital importance for contemporary society.
Specialised lawyers are needed to help governments, companies and civil society ensure energy security and address the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “annual investments in low carbon electricity supply and energy efficiency are projected to rise by several hundred billion dollars per year before 2030.” For young lawyers, the field of energy and environmental law offers great professional opportunities and the potential to make a difference.
With its focus on China, and more generally on East and South East Asia, the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme provides a unique perspective to the study of energy and environmental law. China is the world’s largest energy consumer and producer. China is also the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases that faces acute local environmental problems. In the region, many countries need to secure investments in energy production and transportation to ensure secure and sustainable energy supply. In China and the region, massive investments are made in clean energy production. According to the People’s Bank of China, “achieving national environmental goals during the 13th Five-Year Plan period will require an annual investment of at least 2 trillion Chinese yuan (US$320 billion) into environmental protection, energy efficiency, clean energy, and clean transportation.”
The LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme offers specialised training in the legal aspects governing energy trade and investments, including the regulation of energy markets, the drafting of energy contracts and project finance agreements, and the resolution of cross-border energy trade and investment disputes. It gives you a deep understanding of the functioning of energy systems (electricity, natural gas, oil, coal, renewable energy) and the role of law in ensuring energy security and environmental protection at the local and global level.
We look forward to sharing with you our passion and expertise in these fields.
Professor Hao ZHANG
Deputy Programme Director (LLM Energy and Environmental Law)
Required Courses:
- Clean Technology Law
- This course deals with the legal and regulatory aspects of clean technologies, focusing on the clean energy transition and innovation in the energy sector. It aims to introduce the main regulatory principles that apply to the reorganisation of energy systems towards sustainability and decarbonisation.
- International and Comparative Energy Law
- This course looks at the legal responses to the challenge of energy security at the global, regional and national level. Besides the regulation of energy investment and energy trade, the course examines the liberalisation of energy markets (i.e. the opening of energy markets to competition)
- International Environmental Law
- This course studies the policy instruments, legal principles and strategies to address the main regional and global environmental problems at present. Subjects of study include climate change, waste management, local air pollution, marine pollution and loss of biodiversity.
- Principles of Environmental Law
- This course deals with the main principles underlying the regulation of the environment, with a focus on Hong Kong. The course critically studies the effectiveness of the Hong Kong legal system in the prevention of environmental harm and the enforcement of environmental law.
- Chinese Energy Law
- This course will introduce energy law and regulation in China with a focus on the governance and regulatory systems that underlie each type of energy supply, such as electricity, coal, oil and gas. Attention will be devoted to the green economic transition and its associated legal and regulatory systems in China, including renewable energy law, energy efficiency regulation and energy conservation law. The regulatory issues surrounding China’s outbound energy investment and some emerging regulatory issues in China’s energy sector will also be addressed.
- Chinese Environmental Law
- This course introduces the basic environmental legal concepts, principles and mechanisms in Chinese law, considers the dynamic interaction between economic development and environmental protection in China, and investigates the development and operation of Chinese environmental law, with a focus on law-making, regulatory control and judicial remedies in both preventing and remedying the harm of air pollution, water pollution and solid waste contamination.
- Clean Energy and Climate Law
- This course introduces the legal principles governing the international approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and introduces the main concepts relating to the regulation of investments in clean energy production and trade in clean energy products. Besides climate change law, topics covered by this course include the support of clean energy technologies, the access of clean energy producers to the network infrastructure, contracts governing the trade in clean energy.
- Disaster Law
- This course concentrates on the links between environmental law, climate change and the regulation of domestic and cross-border energy undertakings from the perspective of disaster risk reduction. What can comparative and international environmental law contribute, at a time when: (i) climate change will almost certainly increase the risks posed by the natural environment; and (ii) the energy industries are operating in more remote and environmentally pristine (e.g. the Arctic) regions?
- Dispute Resolution in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector
- This course studies the law applicable to the resolution of energy disputes, with a focus on investment arbitration and commercial dispute settlement. The rapid increase in the number of arbitral awards and trade-related decisions in the energy industry has highlighted the crucial importance of investment, trade and commercial law for the energy industry.
- Financial Markets: Law and Operation
- This course examines the growth of securities markets in Hong Kong against the theoretical backdrop of market structure and quality, addressing recent important topics like high frequency trading, dark pools, distributed ledger technology (‘blockchain’) and the dramatic growth of available derivatives products and their trading on the markets. Special attention will be given to development of markets in fossil fuels and energy contracts.
- Oil and Gas Law
- This course focuses on the means by which the state controls exploitation of its oil and gas reserves. Following a number of introductory lectures, students will participate in interactive seminars considering topics such as: energy security; licensing; upstream taxation; health, safety and environmental regulation; and international maritime boundaries and joint development.
- Project Finance and Infrastructure Law
- This course introduces the legal principles governing the development and financing of infrastructure projects, with a focus on the energy sector. The course explores the legal aspects of project fi nance, including the structuring of public private partnerships, the interrelation between financial institutions, investors and other actors, and the negotiation and drafting of energy purchase agreements and other key project and finance documents.
Professor Anatole Boute is a member of the Brussels bar (2005-2009), specialising in the field of energy and environmental law, in particular energy market liberalisation, renewable energy and energy tariff regulation. He holds a PhD in law from the University of Groningen (2007-2010), was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Aberdeen Center for Energy Law (2011-2015), and a Legal Advisor to the World Bank Russia Renewable Energy Programme (2011-2016). He is the author of Russian Electricity and Energy Investment Law (Leiden/Boston: Brill Nijho , 2015).
Professor Benoit Mayer is an expert in climate change law and international environmental law. His research has focused in particular on the international law on climate change, the concept of climate migration in international law, and the application of customary international law to environmental matters.
Professor Zhang holds a PhD from Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne in Australia. His research focuses on Chinese and comparative energy and climate law and has published widely on these topics. He serves as the associate editor for the refereed journal – Climate Law.
Professor Zhao specialises in Chinese environmental law and climate change law and policy. Her research interest covers pollution regulation, environmental tort, public participation, and climate governance. She has published in international refereed law journals on climate change, environmental enforcement, public participation, environmental dispute resolution, environmental impact assessment, and cleanup of contaminated land etc.
Professor David DONALD (Emeritus)
Professor David Donald is an expert on the historical development and operational infrastructure of fi nancial markets, and their interrelation with energy markets. He has written on the Hong Kong stock and futures exchanges and the operation of derivative products. He is currently studying “ financialisation” – which is how the financial markets aff ect the real economy and the price of its commodities, including through energy commodity derivatives.
Professor Dr. Kaj HOBÉR, Visiting Professor (Honorary)
Professor Dr Hobér is a Professor of International Investment and Trade Law at Uppsala University and the Honorary Visiting Professor at CUHK. He has been Chairperson of the board of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce since 2016. He is also widely regarded as an arbitrator and has been appointed to panels of large scale arbitral disputes in more than 200 international arbitrations, commercial as well as treaty based, (including many chairmanships) across a variety of tribunals which include the SCC, ICC, ICISD and the LCIA, amongst others. He is an associate member of 3 Verulam Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London with 35 years of experience in private practice in the area of international dispute settlement.
Professor John PATERSON, Visiting Professor (Honorary)
Professor Paterson is one of the co-founders of the Centre for Energy Law at the University of Aberdeen. He has been involved in a range of international multidisciplinary projects in research, teaching, consultancy and training in the field of energy law. He co-edits UK Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, now in its 3rd edition, and has published and presented widely in the field.
The CUHK LLM Programme is the first international master programme in China in Energy and Environmental Law. The rapid energy and economic development in China and elsewhere in the world amidst the growing global concern for climate change requires legal practitioners to be environmentally savvy as well as being pro ficient in their normal legal practice. Legal practitioners will need to develop skills to be able to identify and help address environmental issues whether they practise in the contentious or non-contentious areas. I believe the CUHK LLM Programme will make a great contribution in building a future talent pool to e ffectively handle clients’ requirements to address environmental issues.
In the context of increasing investment in energy in a range of jurisdictions and consequently the likelihood of disputes which will arise, the need for lawyers specialised in energy and infrastructure law has never been stronger. This LLM Programme provides a great opportunity for learning in these areas.
Tackling the issues of energy security and climate change are crucial in Asia’s next step of development. National and international law is indispensable in creating incentives for sustainable development, preventing regional and global confl icts and enhance transborder cooperation. The new Master Programme strengthens Hongkong’s role as an international hub of academic and professional exchange – and as a bridge between Asia-Pacifi c and Europe.
Energy security and climate change are the key challenges of the 21st Century. By providing intensive training in the legal aspects of energy supply and environmental protection, the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme contributes to addressing these challenges.
With the growth of cross-border energy deals and disputes, and concerns over climate change driving growth in renewable energy, specialised practitioners and academicians in energy law are more in demand than ever. Our energy clients require the lawyers that advise them to have a solid understanding of their business and the particular legal challenges that they face.
The LLM in Energy and Environmental Law is a unique programme for lawyers to gain expertise in fields of law of increasing importance. Specialised lawyers are urgently needed to contribute to addressing the energy, environmental, climate and infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century.
The LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme organises a series of guest lectures to enrich students’ understanding about the topical issues and legal practices related to energy and environmental law. The guest lectures are delivered by prominent and experienced legal practitioners and experts from leading law firms, consultancy and prestige academic institutions to share ideas and practices that help students gain a broader perspective and develop practical insights into areas such as energy security and WTO law, and merger and acquisition transactions in the energy industry. The guest lectures also offer students opportunities to enhance their learning experience by exploring interdisciplinary perspectives and connecting with the dynamic and cutting-edge energy and environmental law community.
- Model Petroleum Contracts: Drafting and Working with Contracts Frequently used in the Energy Industry
- A Crisis or an Opportunity? The Trade War Between the US and China in the Solar PV Sector
- Eurasian Gas Market Integration: Implications for Chinese Energy Security
- The Energy Charter Treaty: what can it offer to major energy producing and consuming countries such as China?
- NGOs and the Environmental Public Interest Litigation in China by Dr. Zhang Qing
Taking into account the importance for energy and environmental lawyers to understand the basic principles of energy systems and environmental protection measures, the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme organizes various visits to important energy and environmental sites. These site visits may include:
- China Light and Power (CLP) Castle Peak Power Station (4,108MW coal- red power station);
- CLP Power Low Carbon Energy Education Centre;
- Guangdong Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant;
- T-Park waste-to-energy facility; and
- Water treatment works.
For newly admitted students/applicants
The Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change Asia-Paci c (RECAP) of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) is committed to support students who will shape the Asian energy and climate politics as future decision makers. In this sense, RECAP-KAS is very pleased to cooperate with CUHK Law and support the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme by providing individual scholarships and internship opportunities. KAS is aimed at mutual exchange of ideas and experiences. The goal of KAS is to establish long-term relationships with the alumni/ae, who will become part of the global network of KAS. KAS is a Political Foundation in Germany, funded by the German Parliament. In Germany, 16 KAS regional offices offer a wide variety of civic education conferences and events. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. As a think-tank and consulting agency, our soundly researched scientific fundamental concepts and current analyses are meant to offer a basis for possible political action. RECAP-KAS is based in Hong Kong SAR / PR China and supports the political dialogue in the Asia-Pacifi c region and with Europe concerning challenges of energy security and climate change. For further details please refer to www.kas.de/recap/en/ or email to recap@kas.de for more information.
CUHK has established a close working relationship with Sunshine Law Firm. Sunshine Law Firm has been consistently recognized as a leading PRC law firm in energy and environmental law by Chambers, International Financial Law Review, Asian Legal Business, China Law and Practice, etc. The firm provides scholarships for two LLM students at CUHK in the 2018 academic year and offers these LLM students internship opportunities in the firm’s general corporate or M&A practices or with the firm’s Environment, Resources and Energy Center in the firm’s offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou or Guangzhou. For further details of Sunshine Law Firm, please refer to www.sunshinelaw rm.com. Applicants for the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme will be considered for the above scholarships based on their application materials and interviews with the Donor, if any. Applicants should also submit a personal statement and two reference letters.
For current students
The below four courses are CEF reimbursable courses under the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law (LEL) Programme. LEL students may claim reimbursement for taking the below courses commencing between 14 December 2021 and 13 December 2025, subject to the fulfilment of the requirements prescribed by Government’s Labour and Welfare Bureau.
- International and Comparative Energy Law
- International Environmental Law
- Principles of Environmental Law
- Project Finance and Infrastructure Law
Click here for more courses
APPLICANTS
Yes. However, you can only study one programme at a time. Therefore, if more than one of your applications are successful you must choose only
No. The application fee once paid is
Yes. Any application received without the payment of the application fee will not be processed until the application fee
Yes. Students may apply for admission before completion of a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) provided that they are in the final year of study. In this situation any offer will be made subject to the condition that all requirements for graduation in the Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and for admission to the LLM programme are satisfied prior to commencing the
Yes. You can apply for admission to join a LLM programme before fulfilling the English Language Proficiency Requirement, but you must fulfill the Requirement and provide documentary proof prior to commencing the LLM programme. Any admission offer will be made conditional on you fulfilling the English Language
No. The Hong Kong Immigration Department has advised that in general it is unlikely that they will issue student visas to non-local applicants who intend to study part-time in Hong Kong. Therefore non-local students are strongly advised to study full-time in order to facilitate their student
Your official university transcript and confidential recommendations should be sent directly from your university and referees to CUHK LAW in
CUHK LAW selects applicants on the basis of academic merit. CUHK LAW welcomes applications from applicants around the world based upon the philosophy that diversity enriches the
No. However, applicants who do not possess a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) obtained in Hong Kong or in an English-speaking country are required to fulfill the English Language Proficiency Requirement of the
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS AND NEWLY-ADMITTED STUDENTS
No. On receipt of formal offers students will need to make their own arrangements for the payment of the deposit should they wish
Meanwhile, eligible local applicants may apply for financial support under Non-means-tested Loan Scheme from
Overseas students may check with organizations, government authorities etc, of their home countries if there is any financial
For information on other scholarships, please click here.
Application materials are disposed of after the end of each admission exercise. New applications will be
Newly admitted students are required to pay the tuition fees on or before the payment due date stated in the debit note in the admission package. Current students will receive a debit note at the beginning of each term, and are required to settle the tuition fees on or before the payment
Students who have not completed the programme requirements within the normative study period may apply to postpone the expected graduation date by submitting the Application Form for Change of Expected Graduation Date to CUHK LAW. The maximum extension is up to one year. The application is subject to the approval of CUHK LAW. The academic status of those students studying outside the normative study period will become “continuing”. Extra tuition fees may be charged for continuing students and the fee level for continuing student is subject to
Applicants should refer to the website of the Immigration Department for details concerning employment
| Tel: | (852) 3943 4310 |
| Fax: | (852) 2994 2505 |
| E-mail: | lawpgadm@cuhk.edu.hk |
| Address: | Faculty of Law 6/F, Lee Shau Kee Building The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, New Territories Hong Kong |
What Our Students Say
"The Environmental and Energy LLM provided me with remarkable opportunities to experience international knowledge sharing through participation in two international conferences, both in Environmental and Energy aspects. It has equipped me with the skills and knowledge to confidently pursue a career in the environmental and energy field or a possible Ph.D. in the future. This LLM challenges your understanding of not just law but also draws in aspects of economics and geopolitics that help you understand the complex nature of regulating these areas both locally and internationally."
"I have been fortunate to be awarded the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarship from KAS RECAP for LLM in Energy and Environmental Law. The LLM program provides a micro and macro understanding of energy and the relationship between energy and the environment. The lectures are well-organized and well-structured and the faculty offers a large number of elective courses. The faculty hosts diverse and interactive lectures and seminars by visiting professionals which provide an opportunity to engage with various ideas and a invaluable chance to network. Being part of the vibrant culture of Hong Kong has been a culturally enriching experience."
"After studying law as an undergraduate, I became interested in environmental protection and the fight against climate change. Studying the LLM Energy and Environmental Law at CUHK has been, without a doubt, a very rewarding experience. By studying the course, I was able to further equip myself with the crucial knowledge and know-how to help contribute to environmental protection, as well as expanding my personal network. The course syllabus is very well-organized and there was a large pool of electives that covered my interests. The faculty and its members are highly skilled, knowledgeable, yet always approachable and helpful. Studying the LLM program has been a fruitful experience for me and I very much recommend it to anyone considering the programme."
"I very much enjoyed my study at CUHK. I joined the LLM in Energy and Environmental Law Programme in the first year after its creation. Although it was just newly launched, the courses were well-structured and of the highest quality, and the professors are all experts in their respective fields. They were supportive and always ready to help. I greatly advanced my understanding of energy and environmental law. The LLM in Energy and Environmental Law was truly an enriching experience. I was impressed by the various educational site-visits, such as a tour to of a nuclear power plant, coal-fired power plant, water treatment plant, T-Park Waste-to-Energy facility, etc. I was honoured to join international workshops and speak with distinguished scholars. I also benefited a lot from guest lectures and seminars that covered my interests in energy and environmental law issues. All these gave me the opportunity to better understand the energy sector and broadened my horizons. Studying here was a highly valuable experience for me and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone considering the programme."
