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Climate Change Law (LAWS70293)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
May
Lecturers
Associate Professor Margaret Young, Coordinator
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | May |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Climate change is a pressing environmental, economic and social problem. Global warming is predicted to have wide-ranging impacts, and it presents enormous challenges for conventional models of law and socio-economic governance due to its pervasive character, long-term effects and the need for dynamic change in many of the fundamental areas of life. This subject examines the challenges for law in driving that change, from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its associated Paris Agreement, to international trade and litigation, to federal and state legislative responses, through to local effects including on Indigenous peoples. The lecturer is active in research and advice in climate change law and governance in the international and domestic law spheres.
Principal topics include:
- The scientific basis for global warming and physical impacts of climate change
- The international legal framework, including the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement and associated international instruments
- Social and cultural impacts and legal responses, such as human rights protection
- The schemes for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).
- The role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in climate change governance, particularly with respect to renewable energy technologies and the disciplining of fossil fuel subsidies
- The interaction of climate change regimes with other international law frameworks; eg World Heritage, refugee law, human rights and security
- The federal legislative framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation, including direct action plans, market mechanisms and carbon trading
- State-based legislative and regulatory responses to climate change
- Climate change regulation and its impact on corporate entities
- Bio-sequestration and carbon capture and storage
- The nature of climate change litigation
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have an advanced and integrated understanding of the scientific basis of global warming and its impacts in an ecological, social and economic context
- Be able to critically examine, analyse, interpret and assess the international legal framework governing climate change issues and likely future trends, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement and associated international instruments
- Be an engaged participant in debate regarding federal and state legislative responses to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including an emissions trading scheme, associated market measures, direct action and energy-related measures such as mandatory renewable energy targets
- Have a sophisticated appreciation of the trade law implications of climate change governance
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to independently examine, research and analyse the various legislative and regulatory mitigation measures at federal and state level
- Have the communication skills to clearly articulate and convey complex information regarding domestic and international regimes focussing on or relating to climate change
- Be able to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and learner in the field of climate change law.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
In-class presentation (maximum 10 mins)
| 10% | |
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 5 August | 80% |
Take-home Exam
| 19 - 22 June | 80% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- May
Principal coordinator Margaret Young Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24-34 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 8 April 2020 Pre teaching requirements The pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 6 May 2020 to 12 May 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 April 2020 Census date 7 May 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 June 2020 Assessment period ends 5 August 2020 May contact information
Lecturers
Associate Professor Margaret Young, Coordinator
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist printed materials will be made available free of charge from Melbourne Law School prior to the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor Course Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law Course Master of Commercial Law Course Master of Environmental Law Course Master of Public and International Law Course Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies Course Master of Law and Development Course Master of Laws Major Climate Change Major Tailored Specialisation Major Climate Change Major Tailored Specialisation Major Tailored Specialisation - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022