Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Defining Eez Claims From Islands: A Potential South China Sea Change, Robert Beckman, Clive Schofield

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

In the face of seemingly intractable territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea, the article examines how the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC), sets out what maritime claims States can make in the South China Sea and how it establishes a framework that will enable States to either negotiate maritime boundary agreements or negotiate joint development arrangements (JDAs) in areas of overlapping maritime claims. It provides an avenue whereby the maritime claims of the claimants can be brought into line with international law, potentially allowing for meaningful discussions on cooperation and maritime …

Another Titanic Change Is Needed To Save More Lives At Sea, Clive Schofield, John Mansell

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

How has our approach to saving lives at sea changed since the tragedy of the RMS Titanic in which 1,523 of the 2,228 people she was carrying died a century ago? Surprisingly, not much. Only this April the South Korean ferry Sewol capsized claiming 288 lives so far, many high school students.

We Need To Talk About How We Talk About Climate Change, Sharon Beder

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

How we talk about climate change has a lot to do with how we feel about it, and what we’re willing to do to act on it. Recent research from the US found that the terms “global warming” and “climate change” evoke different reactions: global warming is perceived as far more threatening.

While there is no similar research in Australia, over the past 25 years we’ve seen debate shift from the greenhouse effect to climate change to climate variability — with a corresponding decrease in action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Global warming, the US research found, is more likely …

A Cool Change, But What Has Pope Francis Actually Achieved?, Marcus O'Donnell

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

A year ago this week, the ageing, doctrinaire and aristocratic Pope, Benedict XVI, shocked keen Vatican watchers and the public alike by his sudden resignation. Few were prepared for the shockwaves that would follow.

The church had become embroiled in scandal after scandal: from corruption at the Vatican Bank through to its continuing refusal to deal with sexual abuse. It had lost, many would have thought irretrievably, what little relevance it still claimed in the contemporary world.

So nobody would have predicted that, less than a year later, Benedict’s successor would be lauded as Person of the Year by both …

So Hot Right Now: The Middle Ages In The Climate Change Debate, Louise D'Arcens, Clare Monagle

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

“Medieval” has become the accusation du jour in Australian domestic politics, used with equal conviction across the spectrum to discredit opponents’ views. One debate where this accusation has taken centre stage is over Australia’s response to human-induced climate change.

The Minerals Resource Rent Tax: The Australian Labor Party And The Continuity Of Change, John Passant

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to look at the recent history of proposals to tax resource rents in Australia, from Australia's Future Tax System Report (the "Henry Tax Review") through to the proposed Resource Super Profits Tax ("RSPT") and then the Minerals Resource Rent Tax ("MRRT"). The process of change from Henry to the RSPT to the MRRT can best be understood in the context of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) as a capitalist workers' party. The author argues that it is this tension in the ALP, the shift in its internal balance further towards capital and …

Adapting To The Health Impacts Of Climate Change In A Sustainable Manner, Damian Hoy, Adam Roth, Christelle Lepers, Jo Durham, Johann D. Bell, Alexis Durand, Padma Narsey Lal, Yvan Souares

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

The climate is changing is this is posing significant threats to human health. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing Pacific Island countries and territories due to their unique geophysical features, and their social, economic and cultural characteristics. the Pacific region also faces challenges with widely dispersed populations, limited resources and fragmented health systems. Over the past few years, there has been a substantial increase in international aid for health activities aimed at adapting to the threats of climate change. This funding needs to be used strategically to ensure an effective approach to reducing the health risk from …

Lobbying, Greenwash And Deliberate Confusion: How Vested Interests Undermine Climate Change, Sharon Beder

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

Politicians in many nations have not been responsive to community concerns about global warming because of a highly successful corporate campaign of misinformation and persuasion. Corporations that would be affected by measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions set out to confuse and deceive the public and policy-makers on the issue. They use corporate front groups, public relations firms and conservative think tanks to cast doubt on predictions of global warming and its impacts, to imply that governments do not know enough to act, to argue that the cost of reducing greenhouse gases is prohibitively expensive and to promote doubtful solutions …

Fish For The Future: Fisheries Development And Food Security For Kiribati In An Era Of Global Climate Change, Brooke M. Campbell, Quentin A. Hanich

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

The report provides background information for subsequent fisheries projects in Kiribati that aim to build food security, improve artisanal livelihoods and strengthen community engagement in fisheries governance. It provides information on the current status of Kiribati fishery resources (oceanic and coastal), their current governance and future challenges. Fish and fisher alike pay little heed to maritime boundaries and bureaucratic distinctions. This report covers both sides of the oceanic/coastal boundary because of the I-Kiribati communities’ interest in oceanic fisheries such as tuna and their heavy dependence on its fisheries resources for food security and economic development. The report focuses on two …