National Environmental Law Association (NELA)

⏳ Final chance - NELA's 2024 Essay Competition closes this Friday! 🗞️ 📃 Are you passionate about how innovations in law can tackle Australia’s environmental and climate challenges? This is your final opportunity to contribute your ideas and insight. The theme for this year’s Annual Essay competition is “Innovations in Australian Environmental and Climate Law.” Whether you have a groundbreaking solution, analysis or perspective on legal reforms, we want to hear from you! 🌏 ⚖️ ✨ Don’t let this chance slip by to showcase your knowledge - the clock is ticking - and your ideas could inspire change! Head to our website for full details and submission: https://lnkd.in/grgb5bMw

There is only one week left to enter our 2024 Essay Competition! This year’s theme is ‘Innovations in Australian Environmental Law or Climate Law”. ⚖️ 🌏🌿 Don’t miss your chance to participate! Write an essay showcasing your insights on emerging topics within the area of environmental and climate law. Hurry - the deadline is fast approaching! Head to our website to submit your essay now https://lnkd.in/grgb5bMw

NELA's final event for the year is on this Friday! In person and online tickets are still available, head to our website to register now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gmJ57UWr

A reminder to all students that the NELA 2024 Essay Competition closes on 13 December! To view the details or submit, visit the Essay Competition page on our website: https://lnkd.in/grgb5bMw

Tickets are still available for NELA’s Inaugural Biennial Lecture, ‘Human Rights and Rights for Nature in the Net Zero and Nature Positive Transition’. Head to our website to get yours now! https://lnkd.in/guYUM8M2 Held in person in Syndey and available to stream online, the event will explore the implications of establishing new legal rights, including human rights and rights for nature, intended to lead to better management and regulation of the human-nature relationship. Our third speaker is Ilona Millar, partner in Gilbert + Tobin’s Banking + Projects group, specialising in Climate Change and Sustainability. Ilona previously headed the climate change group of a global law firm and has worked for over 20 years on climate law and finance, including the development of law and policy and its implementation by both governments and the private sector. This experience extends to complex multi-jurisdictional transactions as well as the development of innovative responses to climate change and sustainability problems.

Early bird tickets for NELA's inaugural biennial lecture close tonight! Head to our website now to secure yours before they're gone https://lnkd.in/guYUM8M2 Our final event of the year, ‘Human Rights and Rights for Nature in the Net Zero and Nature Positive Transition’, will feature lectures from three leading legal minds, including Associate Professor Ian Fry, an expert in international environmental policy and law at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University in Canberra. Dr Fry is dual citizen of Australia and Tuvalu and has worked for the Tuvalu government for over 21 years and was appointed as their Ambassador for Climate Change and Environment 2015-2019. Dr Fry is the former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change. He was recently reappointed as the International Climate Change and Environmental Advisor for the Tuvalu government.

Have you got your ticket to NELA’s inaugural biennial lecture? We are looking forward to hearing from Dr Erin O'Donnell, one of our three speakers at this exciting event. Tickets are available at our website https://lnkd.in/guYUM8M2 Dr Erin O’Donnell is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School. She is a water law and policy expert, and she is recognized internationally for her research into the legal rights for rivers and Indigenous rights to water. Since 2018, Erin has been a member of the Birrarung Council, the voice of the Yarra River in Melbourne. She has also worked for the World Bank, examining water markets and their role in water security and sustainable development. In 2023, Erin commenced an Australian Research Council-funded fellowship to explore the opportunity of treaty to address aqua nullius, increase Traditional Owner power and resources in water, and create more sustainable and legitimate settler state water laws. Her book, Legal Rights for Rivers: Competition, Collaboration and Water Governance is available from Routledge at https://lnkd.in/grfUQAMN

Tickets are available now for our inaugural biennial lecture, ‘Human Rights and Rights for Nature in the Net Zero and Nature Positive Transition’, NELA's flagship event for 2024. Held in person in Sydney and online, this event will feature three mini-lectures from leading legal minds to explore the implications of establishing new legal rights, including human rights and rights for nature, intended to lead to better management and regulation of the human-nature relationship. To get your tickets or find out more about the event, head to our website: https://lnkd.in/guYUM8M2

NELA was delighted to host an inspiring seminar on Wednesday night on the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition at the offices of our Supporting Partner, Ashurst. A rapid transition to renewable energy will be crucial to address the climate crisis, but can we make such a transition nature positive? Progress in the planning of Renewable Energy Zones and transmission infrastructure, and biodiversity mapping offers much promise, but the question remains as to what we should do about projects that are in the pipeline now, which are stalling in a planning and environment assessment system that is not fit for purpose. Key takeaways from the event: + The renewable energy industry is engaged in finding good solutions, but they need support from Government for meaningful consultation with local communities, for early and robust decisions, and to incentivise best practice (Clean Energy Council) + Compelling new analysis undertaken by the Biodiversity Council suggests that key conflicts are emerging in the state of Queensland from renewable energy projects and infrastructure currently planned for highly biodiverse areas, but this does not need to be the case. Indeed, with political will and funding, it is possible to achieve a transition to renewables whilst avoiding biodiversity hotspots. + The Victorian government is developing an exciting new biodiversity mapping tool to identify biodiverse areas in Victoria and inform the planning of renewable energy projects and infrastructure. The mapping tool will be used to inform policy decisions but is not yet planned to create strict ‘no go’ zones for development.   This is an ongoing discussion NELA will continue to engage on across jurisdictions. Thanks to all our speakers brendan wintle, Bronya L., James Todd, Mitch Watson and our partner Ashurst for hosting and Jeff Lynn for chairing the evening.

Are you excited to hear from our interdisciplinary panel at NELA’s Melbourne event Integrating Planning in Victoria: Energy & Biodiversity? Hosted by Ashurst, the event is on this Wednesday! Our panel will include James Todd, Chief Biodiversity Officer & Director Arthur Rylah Institute, DEECA and Brendan Wintle, Professor in Biodiversity Conservation & Director of the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute at University of Melbourne. Head to our website to learn more about the event and our panellists, and to get your last minute tickets! https://lnkd.in/gXwhSxwf