To many observers who increasingly despair at the limp efforts by governments and corporations to address the climate emergency, environmental law can seem like one of the most viable strategies to meaningfully and swiftly address the crisis. Environmental law, given that it’s concerned with the protection of environmental ‘public goods’ or ‘commons’
The Right to a Healthy Environment may be implied in the Australian Constitution. I argue this position based on existing precedent regarding constitutional implications: the High Court recognises that rights may be implied in the Constitution if ‘necessary’ to protect the Constitution itself: Lange (1997)
Right Now set a challenge for a lucky bunch of postgraduate students at the Centre for Advancing Journalism (University of Melbourne). The pay off? Scale. Impact. Investigations. New journalists launching careers with skills, contacts and credibility in climate and human rights reporting.
As the climate crisis intensifies, so too does the language we use about the impacts of harmful human behaviour on the environment.
Experts have warned for some time that if international air quality standards aren’t met, we will face a preventable public health emergency. Global warming is making it worse.
Sunshine Avenue in the Melbourne suburb of Kealba is lined on one side with brick houses with well-tended gardens. At first glance, the western suburbs street looks little different from other post-war suburbs in this city. Except the houses are just metres away from a burning landfill site. A gentle breeze blows odour from the […]
Between 1956 and 1963, the Australian government authorised British nuclear tests on Anangu country. ‘Old story, new story’ chronicles these events at Maralinga.
Animals Make us Human is a collection of writings reflecting on the 2019/20 bushfires. Kirli Saunders talks about her essay for the book on the glossy black cockatoo.
Animals Make us Human is a collection of writings reflecting on the 2019/20 bushfires. David Lindenmayer talks about his essay for the book on the great gliders.
Racist water: In the remote Indigenous community of Laramba in the Northern Territory (NT), drinking water contains almost three times the maximum safe level of uranium recommended by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
As we approach another bushfire season, Bill Cotter recalls the devastation on Betka Beach after last summer’s fires and also the resilience of nature.
Farah Beaini, a Lebanese-Australian poet, shares a poem for her city and the Lebanese people following the recent explosions in Beirut.
