This course is concerned with the institutional arrangements and legal principles that underpin the practice of environmental and planning law.

The course examines environmental law from both theoretical and practical perspectives, taking a broad national and thematic approach. Whilst it places particular emphasis on the applicable Commonwealth, NSW and ACT law, the course reviews fundamental concepts, useful tools and insights with which to understand and critically analyse environmental law.

The course commences with an introduction to concepts relating to defining the 'environment', including the notion of 'ecologically sustainable development'. It then considers environmental law in a federal system.

This is followed by consideration of the role of local and state/territory governments in the implementation of environmental protection objectives through statutory land-use planning and other measures (including consideration of techniques for development control such as environmental impact assessment).

The course also covers regulatory strategies and techniques for pollution control, climate change and energy law, the enforcement of environmental protection measures (including the topics of standing and access to justice), as well as environmental litigation.

At the conclusion of this course students should be able to:

• show familiarity with fundamental terminology, rationale, theories and approaches of Australian environmental law;
• demonstrate an understanding of the core components of environmental and planning law and the legal tools used to advance environmental protection while facilitating infrastructure development and resource use;
• explain the interaction between different policy and legal instruments and between various jurisdictions within Australian environmental and planning law;
• demonstrate an ability to apply the principles of environmental law from relevant cases and statutes to a given set of hypothetical facts, and to present an argument;
• comment critically on the outcome and reasoning in cases studied during the course and identify the considerations of policy evident within them;
• demonstrate an ability to research and write in detail about specific issues within the field of environmental law by critically analysing relevant primary and secondary materials; andconfidently present their analysis of environmental law issues to peers.

Please refer to the course home page

Three hours per week.

Completed or completing five LAWS courses at 1000 level.

Please refer to the course home page.