Handbook

This unit examines the way in which the international community tackles existing and future environmental problems (broadly defined), including new technologies and climate change, as well as hazardous waste disposal, animal welfare, etc. International obligations and Australian domestic obligations in respect of these various environmental issues will be examined, as will the way in which these obligations subsequently penetrate into the national legal order.

An important feature of the unit is to break down the partition between international environmental law and other areas of the law. For instance international climate change law does not operate in insulation from banking and finance; International biodiversity and animal welfare issues have to operate alongside international trade law; The health, environmental and human rights obligations of companies in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) context require insight into transnational litigation, including conflict of laws.