Environmental Law
Environmental Law
Latest news
In the Media
Australia’s climate neglect on trial in Torres Strait Islands
Rebecca Monson writes in The Saturday Paper
The Safeguard Mechanism deal: How hard are the caps and do they matter?
Andrew Macintosh writes in Renew Economy
Get the basics right for National Environmental Standards to ensure truly sustainable development
Peter Burnett writes in The Conversation
Whistleblower critical of carbon credit scheme review
Andrew Macintosh speaks to ABC Radio National Background Briefing
Carbon reports intrinsic to position on world stage
Andrew Macintosh quoted in
Australia’s safeguard mechanism remains in danger from flawed credits
Andrew Macintosh writes in Australian Financial Review
‘Well-designed’: Chubb review backs controversial carbon credit scheme
Andrew Macintosh quoted in The Sydney Morning Herald
Chubb review of Australia’s carbon credit scheme falls short – and problems will continue to fester
Donald Butler, Andrew Macintosh write in The Conversation
Ian Chubb's carbon credits review released after claims of 'environmental and taxpayer fraud'
Andrew Macintosh quoted in The Canberra Times
‘Complete elation’ greeted Plibersek’s big plans to protect nature - but hurdles litter the path
Peter Burnett writes in The Conversation
Upcoming events
Thinking hard about lawyers, corporations and the environment: A Conversation with Professor Steven Vaughan
- Professor Steven Vaughan
Hosted by the ANU College of Law Visitors Committee, this seminar will be presented by Professor Steven Vaughan (University College London).
Lawyers Are To Blame For Climate Change. Yeah Nah Yeah?
- Professor Steven Vaughan
Join Professor Steven Vaughan of UCL Laws who will talk about the role of lawyers in exacerbating climate change for their clients.
Past events
Advancing energy sustainability by governance leadership in artificial photosynthesis
- Nate Lewis, Caltech
- Chennupati Jagadish, ANU
- Dohyung Kim, Berkeley
- James Blackmore, Kansas
This workshop builds upon unique Australian interdisciplinary research and collaborations to develop novel approaches to governance leadership in the frontier renewable energy technology of artificial photosynthesis (making fuels, food and fertilizer from sunlight, water, atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide).
Oral presentation - Ecologically sustainable development: Success in principle, failure in policy
- Peter Burnett
Peter Burnett has been researching Australia’s national policies on Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD).
Understanding transformation/paradigm shift in climate adaptation law through analysing knowledge construction
- Paul Govind
Building a more effective system of climate law starts with questioning knowledge construction at its base. To provide effective adaptation solutions a modern iteration of climate law (especially conceived at the international level) needs to respond to the complexity of impacts that are characteristically contextual and localized in nature.
Constitutional Protection for Political Protests: Brown v Tasmania
- Bob Brown, The Bob Brown Foundation
- A/Prof Amelia Simpson, ANU College of Law
The Centre for International and Public Law and The Australia Institute are pleased to host a discussion of the High Court’s decision in Brown v Tasmania [2017] HCA 43.
Japan-Australia energy dialogue
There is an urgent need to redesign energy policy and law in Australia and Japan in order to promote innovation and achieve deep decarbonisation. This is necessary to meet the Paris Agreement targets which include zero net emissions shortly after 2050.
The Annual Kirby Lecture on International Law - The duality of water: Conflict or co-operation
- Justice Melissa Perry, Federal Court of Australia
Water is key to the existence of life. From the nourishment of our physical selves, to sanitation, health, agriculture, and energy production our existence and way of life depends upon access to adequate and reliable supplies of fresh-water.
Twenty Years of the EPBC Act – looking back, looking forward
Join the National Environmental Law Association and ANU College of Law for a timely discussion of our national environmental laws.
LRSJ Seminar: Access to Justice and the Rule of Law
- The Hon Justice Rachel Pepper
Join Justice Rachel Pepper (BA ’91, LLB (Hons) ’94),, Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW, as she explores access to justice and the rule of law.
The Commonwealth’s power to use the ADF to provide civil aid during disasters and pandemics
- Professor Anne Twomey
During the January bushfires, the Prime Minister observed that using the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to provide aid was ‘testing the limits of constitutionally defined roles and responsibilities’. The ‘Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements’ was established to inquire into these limits.
EPBC Act: Federal environment reform in an age of climate crisis
Join our expert panel as we discuss how our laws protect our national landmarks, conserve vulnerable ecosystems and safeguard our species amid an extinction emergency.
LRSJ Virtual Recruitment Drive 2021
Join the Law Reform and Social Justice (LRSJ) annual launch and recruitment drive to hear from our director, Associate Professor Matthew Zagor, our student leaders to learn about how to get involved.
The Lawful Forest: A Critical History of Property, Protest and Spatial Justice
- Dr Cristy Clark
Hosted by the ANU College of Law Visitors Committee, this seminar will be presented by Dr Cristy Clark (University of Canberra Law School).
LRSJ presents Dark Waters movie and panel discussion
Join the ANU Law Reform and Social Justice and ANU Film Group in the movie screening of Dark Waters. The screening is followed by an eminent panel of environmental law experts and activists: Dr Jonathan Liljeblad (ANU College of Law Senior Lecturer), Melanie Montalban (ACT Environmental Defenders Office Managing Lawyer) and Annika Reynolds (LRSJ GreenLaw founder).
The Antarctic Treaty at 60: Reflections, Current Realities and Future Challenges
This symposium aims to review the 60-year history of the Antarctic Treaty and reflect upon the strengths and weaknesses of the associated Antarctic Treaty System. Australia’s role will be particularly considered and the future of the Treaty will be assessed.
Australia's National Environmental Law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- Dr Peter Burnett
Join Dr Peter Burnett as he reflects on recent independent reviews of Australia’s most important single environmental law and the future of reform proposals in this fraught area of regulation and policy.
Responding to climate change: what is the role of law?
- Professor Mark Howden
Hosted by the ANU College of Law Visitors Committee, this seminar will be presented by Prof Mark Howden (ANU Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions).
LRSJ Launch and Recruitment Drive 2022
Join the Law Reform and Social Justice (LRSJ) annual launch and recruitment drive to hear from our director, Associate Professor Matthew Zagor and our student leaders to learn about how to get involved.
The Annual Kirby Lecture in International Law: Why It’s Time to Terminate the TRIPS Agreement
- Professor Anne Orford
The 2022 Annual Kirby Lecture in International Law, hosted by the Centre for Public and International Law, will be delivered by Professor Anne Orford (Melbourne Law School).
Collision of Law & Climate Change
Join the ANU College of Law and the ANU College of Science for a discussion on law and climate change.
Book launch: 'Towards the Environmental Minimum'
- Dr Stefan Theil
- Professor Andrew Macintosh
- Associate Professor Emma Aisbett
Launch of 'Towards the Environmental Minimum: Environmental Protection through Human Rights' (Cambridge University Press, 2021) by Stefan Theil.
In conversation: Senator Hilda Heine
- Senator Hilda Heine
Join Senator Hilda Heine at the ANU College of Law, co-hosted by the ANU Gender Institute.
Pacific priorities and perspectives of the law in an era of climate change
- Judge Neroni Slade
Hosted by the ANU College of Law Visitors Committee, this seminar will be presented by Dame Meg Taylor and Judge Tuiloma Neroni Slade.
Environmental constitutionalism: A masterclass with A/Prof Ron Levy
- Associate Professor Ron Levy
Passionate about environmental law and policy? Interested in exploring emerging global phenomena in environmental constitutionalism? Join Associate Professor Ron Levy for this must-attend online masterclass that will expand your knowledge on this subject.
