Navigating Law, Ethics, and Investment in the Green Economy

Catalog description

This course examines the intersection of sustainability, law, and finance to explore how policy, regulation, and private capital interact to shape the clean energy economy. With a focus on both U.S. and global frameworks, students will analyze the role of environmental law, administrative enforcement, and government incentives in supporting innovation and shaping market behavior. Students will explore how legal risk, ESG mandates, and regulatory complexity impact business strategy and investment decisions. Through readings, simulations, and real-world case studies - including venture financing of clean tech firms and ethical dilemmas in global supply chains - students will build practical fluency in how sustainability issues influence corporate governance, entrepreneurial ventures, and international dealmaking. Topics include environmental and administrative law, the Inflation Reduction Act, public-private partnerships, venture capital, ESG and CSR distinctions, international clean energy negotiations, and state-level green investment policies. Weekly instruction will incorporate current events and culminate in group-based legal and investment simulations.