University of Sydney Law School declares climate emergency

Accepting the warnings delivered by climate scientists about the dangerous state of the earth's climate, the Board of The University of Sydney Law School has voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency.

The declaration highlights the important role that legal scholars and legal institutions have to play in addressing and adapting to the climate emergency.

The motion was moved by Professor Rosemary Lyster, Professor of Climate and Environmental Law and Co-Director of the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law (ACCEL), and seconded by Professor Tim Stephens an Australian Research Council Future Fellow who has a particular research focus on international environmental law.

“In passing this motion, the members of Sydney Law School recognise that as legal academics we have a moral duty to stand up, speak out and express our concern, from a justice perspective, for all of the people, ecosystems and species across the world facing an existential threat,” Professor Lyster said.

Read the story from The University of Sydney - “University of Sydney Law School declares climate emergency.”

Turnbull to rely on state schemes he once rubbished as reckless

State government anger over the federal government’s new energy plan is reaching boiling point, both because of the Coalition’s co-opting of what is supposed to be an independent board, and its decision to essentially rely on state-based renewable targets that it once derided as reckless.

Turnbull government relies on schemes it once called "reckless".

The seething anger from the states is completely overshadowing the proposal for the National Energy Guarantee, not least because it cannot be implemented without their approval.

But they have been astonished by the federal government’s decision to go behind their backs, obtain a policy proposal from the newly constituted Energy Security Board – which is supposed to report to the states through the COAG energy council – and then use the ESB directors to sell the idea to media, politicians and business.

Read the RenewEconomy story by Giles Parkinson - “Turnbull to rely on state schemes he once rubbished as reckless.”