Handbook

This course examines the origins, evolution and practice of international climate change law, tracing it  through to domains normally associated with private law and markets. It begins with an overview of the  scientific, economic and normative debates about climate change and then examines the Australian and international legal regimes related to climate change. This includes the United Nations  Framework Convention on Climate Change, its Kyoto Protocol and more recent negotiations. It will  consider the relationship between climate change and other areas of international law and  policy,  including forest protection and carbon trading.

The course examines ongoing debates about national emissions regulations, as well as more localised  attempts to build a low emissions economy. The course will provide international  comparisons to better  situate Australia’s legal regime.  

Main topics

• The science and economics of climate change
•  History of the International climate regime
• Structure and framework of UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol
• Climate finance and international development (REDD)
• Climate law and policy in Australia
• ‘Baseline and credit’ and other carbon pricing laws
• Carbon sequestration
• Case studies with cross-cutting issues with private law (such as property access for resource companies)
• Climate change litigation

The course will be useful for students intending to work in a wide range of practice areas, from commercial and energy law to planning, policy and international development. It will be valuable for students interested in the relationships between law, science, technology, ethics and government for a world where the boundaries between nature and culture are increasingly blurred by the shifting climate.