Environmental Law

Environmental law deals with pressing legal and social issues within Australia and internationally that range from biodiversity protection to waste reduction. This subject provides an overview of fundamental environmental law concepts and principles, such as the precautionary principle. It charts the evolution of Australian environmental law in response to global environmental challenges, such as climate change, as well as national regulatory reforms. The subject equips students with a thorough grounding in environmental impact assessment law by reference to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). It examines the regulatory tools and approaches relevant to pollution control and ecological protection– including market mechanisms and offset models. This subject introduces international environmental law; dealing with issues such as trans-boundary harm and World Heritage protection, that have shaped Australian environmental law.