This course is offered by the ANU College of Law to non-law students who are interested in environmental issues and are in the later years of their program.  It is usually taken as an out of college course.  In this regard, students should check their degree requirements before enrolling to ensure that the course may be counted as part of their degree.

The course seeks to examine environmental law from theoretical, contextual, and practical perspectives, taking a broad national and thematic approach rather than annotating the law of one jurisdiction.  The course will examine the sources of environmental law, looking at the roles of the common law, of statutes and the growing importance of international law.  The course will explore environmental regulation, including planning and licensing systems; environmental decision-making, including environmental impact assessment processes and exceptions to the usual decision-making process; enforcement of environmental controls through criminal and civil means and alternative sanctions; human rights and the rise of environmental rights, and environmental participation, protest and litigation.  The course will also look at philosophical and ethical bases for environmental protection and conservation, as well as an examination of the roles of scientific evidence and environmental values in environmental decision-making.

At the conclusion of this course it is expected that students will be able to:

• discuss and explain the sources and principles of environmental law in Australia
• discuss the historical, institutional and social context for environmental law-making in Australia
• formulate oral and written arguments in response to questions about contemporary environmental law
• utilise legal databases to research case law, legislation and scholarly journal articles.

A research paper (on a topic of the student's choice) worth 50% of the student's final mark and an exam, not a take home, worth 50% of the student's final mark.

Three hours of classes per week not lectures

96 units completed or the permission of the coordinator

Not available to Law students