Can a river have legal rights? I visited the jungles of Colombia to find out
The Atrato River has been awarded rights. But it will be tough to translate these abstract ideals into actual progress.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Environmental law
Displaying 1 - 20 of 108 articles
Australia’s $1 billion loan to Adani is ripe for a High Court challenge
The proposed loan of Commonwealth money to Adani is on shaky constitutional ground, potentially paving the way for High Court challenge which could change the dynamics of federal-state funding.
Shrinking and altering national monuments: Experts assess Interior Secretary Zinke’s proposals
Environmental law and natural resource experts respond to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's proposals to shrink four national monuments and allow logging, fishing and other activities in six more.
New law finally gives voice to the Yarra River’s traditional owners
New legislation has recognised the Yarra River as a single, living entity. But what does that mean in practice?
Climate change is a financial risk, according to a lawsuit against the CBA
A new lawsuit against the CBA puts climate change in a new legal light: a financial hazard. The case opens up fresh lines of attack on institutions that contribute to climate change.
Is a healthy environment a human right? Testing the idea in Appalachia
Are all people entitled to live in a clean and healthy environment? A legal scholar says yes, and argues for using this principle to address damage from polluting industries in Appalachia.
How environmentalists can regroup for the Trump era
Green groups fighting Trump's anti-environmental agenda should heed precedents from the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations. They can also learn from the Australian experience.
Does Scott Pruitt have a solid case for repealing the Clean Water Rule?
The Clean Water Rule spells out which streams, wetlands and other water bodies receive federal protection. The Trump administration wants to repeal it, but will face high hurdles in court.
When a river is a person: from Ecuador to New Zealand, nature gets its day in court
New Zealand just conferred personhood upon the Whanganui River, giving it standing to legally defend its rights. Can this novel strategy save the environment?
Around the world, environmental laws are under attack in all sorts of ways
Legislation designed to protect wildlife is being rolled back or ignored in all sorts of ways in all sorts of places, according to a new global database of attacks on green tape.
Court ruling is a first step toward controlling air pollution from livestock farms
Large livestock farms, known as CAFOs, have polluted air and water in many communities. A recent court decision will force CAFOs to report their air emissions from manure and other sources.
The Great Barrier Reef’s safety net is becoming more complex but less effective
The Great Barrier Reef is in crisis, as a second wave of coral bleaching hits. But the system of bodies and laws that protect it are getting more complicated – and less productive.
After 25 years of trying, why aren’t we environmentally sustainable yet?
Why, after decades of international agreements, are we still damaging the environment? New research, looking at dozens of unsuccessful policies, has uncovered the basic elements of failure.
EU wildlife laws should be celebrated – and retained – not treated as red tape
Some Brexiteers see EU withdrawal as an excuse to weaken environmental protections.
Three rivers are now legally people – but that’s just the start of looking after them
New Zealand's Whanganui River and the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers in India have been given the right to 'sue' over issues like pollution. The challenge now is to ensure these legal rights are enforced.
What Trump misses about regulations: They produce benefits as well as costs
President Trump has ordered federal agencies to cut two regulations for every new one they enact – ignoring the fact that many regulations produce large social benefits.
Can legal activist Scott Pruitt undo clean air and water protections as head of EPA?
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has sued the federal government repeatedly. If he becomes head of EPA and tries to weaken environmental laws, opponents are likely to do the same to him.
Carmichael mine jumps another legal hurdle, but litigants are making headway
Queensland's Supreme Court has backed the state government's decision to approve the proposed Carmichael coal mine. But environmental groups have scored some key legal points on climate considerations.
Turnbull wants to change Australia’s environment act - here’s what we stand to lose
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's proposed changes to Australia's national environment act will significantly reduce judicial oversight on environmental decisions. Here's why that matters.
Australia’s coal politics are undermining democratic and Indigenous rights
Can Australia achieve fair and open decision-making and a just and sustainable energy transition when big coal players are involved?
Top contributors
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Adjunct researcher, Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland
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Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University
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Lecturer, University of Melbourne
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Research Fellow, Deakin University
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PhD Candidate, GPEM, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Law, Vermont Law School
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Professor of Climate and Environmental Law, University of Sydney
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Honorary Fellow in Economics, The University of Queensland
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Botanist, University of Queensland, The University of Queensland
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Lecturer in Law, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Environmental Law, University of Maryland, Baltimore
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Associate Professor ANU College of Law and Associate Director of the ANU Centre for Climate Law and Policy, Australian National University
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Professor & Director, Marine Futures Lab, University of Western Australia
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Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University
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Minter Ellison Climate Change Scholar, Queensland University of Technology
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