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Unit of study_

LAWS6061: International Environmental Law

2025 unit information

This unit aims to provide an introduction to the framework, concepts, sources and techniques of international environmental law, and to provide an overview of international law responses to current and emerging environmental challenges. The history and framework of international environmental law will be examined before exploring a range of topical international environmental law issues, including atmospheric protection and climate change, hazardous substances and wastes, biodiversity and GMOs, the protection of marine living resources, the protection of freshwater resources and issues concerning trade. The unit will also survey the influence of international environmental law on domestic environmental law through case studies. Overarching themes will include the interdependence of environmental issues, the effects of scientific uncertainty on international environmental regulation, implementation of international environmental obligations between states at difference levels of economic development and the need for effectiveness in implementation and enforcement. Further information about this unit is available in the Sydney Law School timetable https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable, unit of study outline https://www.sydney.edu.au/units and academic staff profile https://www.sydney.edu.au/law/about/our-people/academic-staff.html

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Sydney Law School

Study level Postgraduate
Academic unit Law
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Critically analyse and apply general principles and key components of international environmental law to complex international legal scenarios.
  • LO2. Critically evaluate the historical development of international environmental law from the 19th to the 21st centuries and contextualise recent advancements both internationally and nationally (both in Australia and generally).
  • LO3. Critically examine the legal and institutional framework of international environmental law, including its relationship with general public international law, the roles of relevant institutions, and the ways in which international environmental law is administered.
  • LO4. Propose strategies for effective implementation of international environmental rules and assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of compliance mechanisms, existing and proposed,applied when these are applied to complex international legal scenarios.
  • LO5. Critically analyse Australia's role in international environmental law and how international environmental law is integrated into State and federal law.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Intensive April 2024
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Intensive April 2025
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Intensive April 2020
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive April 2021
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive April 2021
Block mode Remote
Intensive April 2022
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive April 2022
Block mode Remote
Semester 1a 2023
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.