This course will cover the following topics:
- Theories of environmental decision-making including the use of expert science in decision-making.
- Political, administrative and institutional contexts.
- Models of environmental regulatory regimes based on scientific information and the assessment of risk.
(For example, environmental impact assessment, gene technology, hazardous chemicals, fisheries management regimes, forestry, endangered species). - Sources of scientific uncertainty and standards of ‘regulatory science'.
- Theory, method and law of risk assessment.
- Legislative standards of preventive and precautionary regulation.
- Case law on standards of science.
- The precautionary principle in international law and in international trade disputes.
- Interpreting and implementing the precautionary principle in domestic law (threshold test and precautionary action).
- Scientific uncertainty, the precautionary principle, and the threshold test.
- Legal and institutional reform.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Identify, analyse and critically evaluate regulatory regimes that incorporate risk assessment and risk management approaches to achieve environmental protection;
- Examine, analyse and reflect on scholarly and theoretical material from multiple disciplines about the nature and use of expertise in environmental and administrative decision-making;
- Examine, analyse and reflect on relevant administrative law about expertise in administrative decision-making including in environmental risk assessment regimes;
- Apply relevant law and theory to critically evaluate environmental risk assessment regimes;
- Independently develop and execute research and analysis of a problem or aspect of environmental risk assessment regimes and communicate in written form.
Indicative Assessment
- Class participation (10%) (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Research Essay (6,000 words). (90) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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Workload
Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 26 hours of face to face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours. Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have 3 contact hours per week.
Click here for the LLM Masters Program timetable.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 3
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.