Environmental Law in Australia - LAWS8068

Description

LLM Specialisations

Recommended Prior Knowledge

Learning Outcomes

• Know the origins and sources of environmental law and recognise the various pressures and influences on the search for optimal environmental protection policies.
• Explain and critically evaluate the efficacy of environmental law within the context of contemporary national and international challenges.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) and explain the difficulties faced by decision-makers in implementing these principles.
• Have a good understanding of and be able to analyse the framework of laws for environmental planning, development control, environmental impact assessment and protection of biodiversity in NSW and nationally.
• Have sound knowledge of the workings of the New South Wales Land and Environment Court.
• Assess the opportunities, difficulties and challenges the community faces when engaging in environmental decision-making and implementation.
• Navigate and apply key environmental legal texts, both statutory and judicial, to hypothetical fact scenarios.
• Demonstrate effective oral communication skills by discussing and debating course concepts in a scholarly, reflective and respectful manner.
• Demonstrate effective written communication skills by articulating legal concepts clearly, persuasively and appropriately.
• Demonstrate an ability to incorporate a range of legal and interdisciplinary research sources in written communication with appropriate referencing.

Main Topics

• Global environmental issues and the development of international environmental law
• The common law and statute as sources of environmental law
• Commonwealth, State and local responsibilities
• Commonwealth environmental law
• Environmental planning
• Development control
• Environmental assessment, enforcement and scrutiny
• Biodiversity conservation

Assessment

Course Texts