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Environmental Law (LAWS70068)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
July
Lecturers
Alice Palmer (Coordinator)
Brendan Sydes
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | July |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject is designed as an overview of environmental law for students without a legal background who are admitted to courses through the Office for Environmental Programs. It will provide an examination of the development and current scope of Australian environmental law, with a focus on the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) and Victorian laws relevant to pollution control and biodiversity protection. There will also be an introduction to international environmental law.
Principal topics will include:
- Diversity in environmental law approaches, including relationships with other regulatory areas such as planning and natural resource management, and the use of financial measures and economic instruments in regulation
- The importance of international law, recognising that environmental protection issues cross territorial and regulatory boundaries
- Greater integration between relevant disciplines concerned with environmental protection, particularly science
These themes will be illustrated by case studies, which could be situated within the following areas:
- Ecologically sustainable development and changing conceptions of the 'environment'
- Environmental actors, including public interest litigation
- The interaction of law and science, with a focus on the precautionary principle
- The range of legal and regulatory tools used in environmental law, including market mechanisms
- Integration and complexity challenges in implementing environmental law with a focus on biodiversity protection
- International law trends including trade and environment and trans-boundary harms
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should:
- Gain an understanding of the evolution of environmental law and the factors driving change at international and domestic levels
- Appreciate the pervasive nature of environmental law across jurisdictions
- Understand the influence of other disciplines, such as science, on the scope, direction and character of environmental law
- Be able to analyse the nature of current environmental law approaches such as the 'regulatory mix'
- Be familiar with key case studies that illustrate the dynamic trends in environmental law
- Understand the need for integration across many areas of law to achieve environmental goals, such as ecologically sustainable development
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
This subject is only offered to students from the Office for Environmental Programs.
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
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Presentation of an assigned reading
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Take-home examination
| 3 - 6 September | 80% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- July
Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 30 Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 23 June 2021 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 21 July 2021 to 27 July 2021 Last self-enrol date 28 June 2021 Census date 21 July 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 6 August 2021 Assessment period ends 6 September 2021 July contact information
Lecturers
Alice Palmer (Coordinator)
Brendan SydesEmail: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
- 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