Climate Change Law

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

This subject will provide a general outline of climate change law and regulation at an international, national and local level. This will be supplemented by more detailed examination of specific topics, such as international law frameworks, and federal policy and law responses such as emissions trading schemes and adaptation responses. Principal topics may include:*

• The scientific basis for projections of global warming and the existing and predicted physical impacts of climate change
• The drivers for climate change law
• The international legal framework, including the UNFCCC and associated international instruments, together with likely trends in international law
• The federal legislative framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation with responses, including market measures, such as emissions trading schemes and the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
• The nature of climate change litigation
• The integration of energy/greenhouse gas emissions impact considerations into planning law, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
• The scope of state-based legislative and regulatory responses to climate change
• Climate change law and regulation and its impact on corporate entities and other organisations (case study).

* Climate law is a field in a considerable state of flux at the present. Consequently, case studies and other topics may vary with changes in relevant law and policy.

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

• Understand the scientific basis for projections of global warming and the impacts of climate change in an ecological, social and economic context
• Understand the international, regional and local factors that produce climate change
• Understand the international legal framework governing climate change issues and likely future trends, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and associated international instruments
• Understand federal and state legislative responses to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including market measures and energy-related measures such as mandatory renewable energy targets
• Be able to critically evaluate the various legislative and regulatory mitigation and adaptation measures at federal and state level.

In-class presentation and written essay 1,000-1,500 words (25%) (10 May)
7,500 word research paper (75%) (21 June) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.