Overview

This topic considers the application, in international, national and regional contexts, of laws to protect the environment. It examines the specific legislative and legal responses to concerns about the use of natural resources and the problems of environmental degradation. Contemporary issues in environmental protection such as biodiversity and the management … For more content click the Read More button below.

Aims

This topic aims to:

  • Examine the structure and constitutional responsibilities for environmental law in Australia
  • Examine how international obligations impact on domestic environmental law and policy
  • Examine the operation of biodiversity and conservation laws in place in South Australia and nationally and the cases that have interpreted those laws
  • Examine the pollution laws in place in South Australia and nationally and the cases that have interpreted those laws
  • Integrate the above with an understanding of the nature and significance of environmental issues and concepts (e.g., sustainability, biodiversity, integrated natural resource management) and how we have developed legislative responses to them
  • Integrate Environmental Law with other related subjects offered in the course, notably those on property, torts and land use planning and as an application of constitutional and general public law principles
  • Provide students with the opportunity to undertake a study of a particular environmental issue of their choice and to consider how law and legislation might apply to its solution

Learning outcomes

On completion of this topic you will be expected to be able to:
1.
Identify and discuss the major environmental and land use issues in Australia
2.
Know (and be able to refer to) the main environmental legislation and case law that comprises environmental law in Australia and know how those laws might effectively address those issues
3.
Understand, and be able to describe, the social, economic and political contexts in which environmental law sits; and be able to explain how these contexts shape environmental law and policies
4.
Undertake through your case study, a practical application of the learning outcomes and be able to describe how we might utilise or create legal and administrative options to deal with a specific issue

Requisites information

Pre-requisites:
Anti-requisites: