LAWS3302 Environmental Law

The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change.

Credit: 6 points Availability: Semester 1 Old unit code: 200.302

Outcomes: Students are able to (1) understand and explain the key concepts of (ecologically) sustainable development, environmental harm, pollution, and the guiding principles of environmental law; (2) understand, analyse and apply the principal legal techniques of pollution control including administrative legal instruments such as policies, licences and notices, property rights, and civil and criminal liabilities; (3) understand, analyse and apply the State and Commonwealth regimes of environmental impact assessment; (4) identify and understand the ethical issues underpinning environmental law; and (5) apply the above concepts to the issue of climate change. Students also have the opportunity to develop their research and communication skills.

Content: This unit provides an introduction to environmental protection law in Western Australia in its national and international contexts. It focuses on the law relating to pollution controls and environmental impact assessment. The unit considers a range of legal techniques and principles applied to environmental protection.

Assessment: This includes tutorial attendance and participation (10 per cent), written essay (30 per cent) and a final examination (60 per cent).

Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.

Unit Co-ordinator(s): Sharon Mascher

Location: UWA (Crawley)

Mode: on-campus

Unit Rules:

Prerequisites: LAWS1108 Torts II, LAWS1106 Criminal Law II, LAWS2205 Property II and LAWS4400 Constitutional Law I

Co-requisites: LAWS3385 Administrative Law I

Advisable prior study: LAWS3385 Administrative Law I, LAWS3386 Administrative Law II and LAWS4401 Constitutional Law II

Contact hours—lecture: 2 hrs per week; tutorials: 1 hr per fortnight

Unit Web Page: http://www.uwa.edu.au/page/98379

Note: Some unit web pages are still under construction and will be available in 2009.

Recommended Reading

A reader for the unit is available for purchase at the Co-Op Bookshop. Copies of the readers are also available on Closed Reserve.

The unit focuses on two pieces of legislation and relevant case law:

Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) with the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987 and Environmental Impact Assessment Administrative Procedures made under the Act

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth)

Assistance with study skills, including English language skills, is available free of charge from Student Services for all enrolled students (see http://www.studysmarter.uwa.edu.au/). Student Services location: Second Floor, South Wing, Guild Village; telephone: 6488 2423.

Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary Reading', 'Recommended Reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available at the University Co-operative Bookshop (from early January) and appropriate administrative offices for students to consult. For first-year units the Bookshop will endeavour to make available photocopies of book lists for individual units. Books marked with an asterisk (*) are available in paperback.

Unit Resources

Unit Coordinator

Sharon Mascher