Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit is designed to provide students with an introduction to the domestic and international framework of environmental law. Students will learn to identify the key principles and cases which have shaped the development of environmental law and to critically analyse the law's effectiveness as a response to environmental concerns that include climate change, protection of the marine environment, protection of the polar regions, and biodiversity in Australia and in other part of the world. Students will gain a practical understanding of the way national and international institutions operate to influence the way the environment is protected, with a particular focus on the role of non-government organisations, transnational corporations, United Nations bodies and the Bretton Woods Institutions. Students will examine the law's operation in the context of current and emerging issues, developing their ability to think critically and present reasoned arguments in relation to contemporary problems in environmental law and policy.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitLearning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain the principles of domestic and internation...
Learning Outcome 01
Locate the sources of state, federal and internati...
Learning Outcome 02
Critique environmental law
Learning Outcome 03
Develop and communicate reasoned opinions about th...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Introduction to environmental law
- Key concepts and principles in environmental law
- Federal governance and Commonwealth/State relations
- Planning and development controls
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Pollution control
- Biodiversity
- Climate law
- Natural resources management: water law
- First Nations and environmental management
- Environmental conflict and the courts
- The future of environmental law and governance
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy is designed to assess knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law, applying knowledge, skills and understanding acquired in Priestley units.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each of the learning outcomes listed.
Overview of assessments
Research Essay This assessment is designed to d...
Research Essay
This assessment is designed to develop critical and research skills, as well as knowledge in a specialist area of Environmental Law.
50%
Final Examination. The examination will assess y...
Final Examination.
The examination will assess your knowledge, skills and ability to address problems in Environmental law.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Mode: Lectures, tutorials, electronic consultation, library tasks and presentations or Online lectures and activities.
Duration: 3 hours per week over 12 weeks or equivalent. Students are expected to spend 150 hours in total for this unit.
This level three elective unit allows students to demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding in a specialist area of law applying knowledge, skills and understanding acquired in Priestley units.
Our strategy is to encourage students to creatively engage with unit content and to apply prior learnings to new legal problems.
The unit is designed to be delivered in intensive, weekly or online. We have taken a multimodal learning approach to provide accessibility and flexibility to our students and a student-focused approach that increases depth of learning and engagement through actively utilising Canvas.