School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Law and Administration
  • Unit Code

    LAW2602
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Nachshon GOLTZ

Description

This unit aims to provide students with an insight into environmental law. This is an introductory unit with a focus on the structure and content of domestic legislation and the international framework that exists to protect the environment. This unit considers the general themes and principles in this area, the procedural requirements for environmental impact assessment of certain activities under WA and Commonwealth law, environmental planning, sustainability, contemporary issues and the legal remedies that are available to address some of the challenges that environmental problems present. Particular attention is placed on current issues with an emphasis on climate change and the Federal and international environmental taxation regimes. The topics taught in this unit cover a wide range of issues of contemporary relevance. The underlying purpose is to provide a solid grounding in the basic principles of domestic and international environmental law as applied in a particular context. Throughout this unit, students will also be encouraged to critically reflect on whether the legislation in Western Australia adequately addresses the critical environmental needs of the State and whether within the planning context the law is workable and systematic.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed one of the following units: LAW1100, LAW1116, LAW1600, SCI1181

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded LAW5610

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain sources and key legal principles of environmental law to inform environmental planning, domestically and internationally.
  2. Identify the appropriate institutions and government bodies dealing with environmental matters.
  3. Analyse the processes by which environmental laws are made and interpreted including in courts and tribunals, domestically and internationally.
  4. Research current environmental concerns through the lens of non-legal sources to help make informed decisions around environmental planning.
  5. Evaluate current environment concerns through the lens of non-legal sources.

Unit Content

  1. Current issues.
  2. Legal proceedings in an Environmental Law context.
  3. Environmental planning and assessment within a legal context.
  4. Sustainable development and environmental law.
  5. Role of government in environmental law.
  6. International and domestic environmental legislation.
  7. Sources and themes of environmental law.
  8. Introduction to environmental law.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Students will prepare case plans and structures to develop their ability to read and analyse legal and non-legal materials, and will construct legal arguments and presentations on case scenarios to develop written and oral communication as well as legal reasoning skills.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentWritten Submission10%
AssignmentMajor Assignment30%
ExaminationFinal Examination60%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentWritten Submission10%
AssignmentAssignment30%
ExaminationFinal Examination60%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

LAW2602|2|1

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Law and Administration
  • Unit Code

    LAW2602
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Nachshon GOLTZ

Description

This unit aims to provide students with an insight into environmental law. This is an introductory unit with a focus on the structure and content of domestic legislation and the international framework that exists to protect the environment. This unit considers the general themes and principles in this area, the procedural requirements for environmental impact assessment of certain activities under WA and Commonwealth law, environmental planning, sustainability, contemporary issues and the legal remedies that are available to address some of the challenges that environmental problems present. Particular attention is placed on current issues with an emphasis on climate change and the Federal and international environmental taxation regimes. The topics taught in this unit cover a wide range of issues of contemporary relevance. The underlying purpose is to provide a solid grounding in the basic principles of domestic and international environmental law as applied in a particular context. Throughout this unit, students will also be encouraged to critically reflect on whether the legislation in Western Australia adequately addresses the critical environmental needs of the State and whether within the planning context the law is workable and systematic.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed one of the following units: LAW1100, LAW1116, LAW1600, SCI1181

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded LAW5610

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain sources and key legal principles of environmental law to inform environmental planning, domestically and internationally.
  2. Identify the appropriate institutions and government bodies dealing with environmental matters.
  3. Analyse the processes by which environmental laws are made and interpreted including in courts and tribunals, domestically and internationally.
  4. Research current environmental concerns through the lens of non-legal sources to help make informed decisions around environmental planning.
  5. Evaluate current environment concerns through the lens of non-legal sources.

Unit Content

  1. Current issues.
  2. Legal proceedings in an Environmental Law context.
  3. Environmental planning and assessment within a legal context.
  4. Sustainable development and environmental law.
  5. Role of government in environmental law.
  6. International and domestic environmental legislation.
  7. Sources and themes of environmental law.
  8. Introduction to environmental law.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Students will prepare case plans and structures to develop their ability to read and analyse legal and non-legal materials, and will construct legal arguments and presentations on case scenarios to develop written and oral communication as well as legal reasoning skills.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentWritten Submission10%
AssignmentMajor Assignment30%
ExaminationFinal Examination60%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentWritten Submission10%
AssignmentAssignment30%
ExaminationFinal Examination60%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

LAW2602|2|2