Law Commons^™

Climate Change And Pacific Island Food Systems The Future Of Food, Farming And Fishing In The Pacific Islands Under A Changing Climate, Johann D. Bell, Mary Fp Taylor, Moses Amos, Neil L. Andrew

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

The peoples of the Pacific region live across a vast swathe of the world's largest ocean, mostly on isolated islands and atolls. The region includes countries that are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters.

A Climate-Informed, Ecosystem Approach To Fisheries Management, Adel Heenan, Robert S. Pomeroy, Johann D. Bell, Philip L. Munday, William Cheung, Cheryl Logan, Russell E. Brainard, Affendi Yang Amri, Porfirio Alino, Nygiel Armada, Laura David, Rebecca Rivera-Guieb, Stuart Green, Jamaluddin Jompa, Teresa Leonardo, Samuel Mamauag, Britt Parker, Janna Shackeroff, Zulfigar Yasin

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

This paper outlines the benefits of using the framework for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) for dealing with the inevitable yet unclear impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on coastal fisheries. With a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, it summarizes the projected biological and socio-economic effects of increased emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) for coastal fisheries and illustrates how all the important dimensions of climate change and ocean acidification can be integrated into the steps involved in the EAFM planning process. The activities required to harness the full potential of an EAFM as an adaptation to climate …

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 …

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.

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 …

Reporting That Silly $4bn Climate Funding Gaffe, Marcus O'Donnell

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

My colleague David Holmes pointed out that the reporting on climate issues has been scant during this election.

This could change after today’s release of a report from the Climate Institute, based on modelling from Sinclair Knight Merz/MMA and Monash University’s Centre of Policy Studies.

The report found that the coalition’s Direct Action Plan would not achieve its target of 5% reduction in emissions by 2020 unless they spent a further $4.07bn. Based on the coalition’s currently projected expenditure, the report estimated emissions would rise by 9%.

Climate Change And The Oceans: Legal And Policy Portents For The Asia Pacific Region And Beyond, Robin Warner, Clive Schofield

Faculty of Law - Papers (Archive)

The oceans dominate the globe spatially, covering approximately 72 per cent of its surface area. These extensive marine spaces are critical to the global environment and human survival in numerous ways - they are vital to the global nutrient cycling, represent a key repository and supporter of biological diversity on a world scale, and playa fundamental role in driving the global atmospheric system. Moreover, the oceans continue to provide a critical source of food through/fisheries and aquaculture, are an increasingly significant source of energy resources, and underpin the global economy through sea-borne trade.

Climate Change Mitigation Activities In The Ocean: Turning Up The Regulatory Heat, Rosemary Rayfuse, Robin Warner

Faculty of Law - Papers (Archive)

The adverse impacts of anthropogenically induced climate change on the terrestrial and marine environments have been acknowledged by a succession of expert reports commissioned by global and national bodies (IPCC 2007; Preston and Jones 2006; Stern et al. 2006). The threats posed by climate change to the global environment have fostered heightened scientific and commercial interest in a range of CO2 sequestration methods that either involve the ocean or affect the marine environment. The most developed proposals to date relate to offshore carbon capture and storage (OCCS), which seeks to capture carbon dioxide from point sources of emissions and sequester …

Uncertain Seas Ahead: Legal And Policy Approaches To Conserving Marine Biodiversity In The Face Of Changing Climate, Richard Kenchington, Robin Warner

Faculty of Law - Papers (Archive)

Climate is a major factor in the habitat, food chains, competition, success and survival of species. Contemporary distributions and abundance of marine species and communities reflect adaptation to geologically recent climatic conditions and the impacts of human activities. Warming of the atmosphere and seawater has occurred in association with increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide since the start of the twentieth century. Despite continuing scientific research and wider discussion of the relative roles of anthropogenic greenhouse gas increases and other influences on climate, climate change is occurring. The policy and legal issues have two core components: response to the effects …

Turning Up The Heat: Collaboration As A Response To A Chilly Research Climate, Wendy Beck, Kerry Dunne, Josie Fisher, Jane O'Sullivan, Alison Sheridan

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

This paper characterises the composition and activities of our academic writing group. The group consists of five women of disparate disciplinary backgrounds who meet regularly to present current work and receive constructive comment and encouragement, much of which is motivated and informed by a shared feminist consciousness, an appreciation of the role of collaboration and openness to multidisciplinary work. In these respects, our group comprises a creative response to a 'chilly' higher education environment where the pressures increase to publish or perish, at the same time as we face higher teaching loads and more administration. Different contexts will result in …

Preserving A Balanced Ocean: Regulating Climate Change Mitigation Activities In Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, Robin M. Warner

Faculty of Law - Papers (Archive)

The damaging effects of anthropogenically induced climate change on both the terrestrial and marine environments have been acknowledged by a succession of expert reports commissioned by global and national bodies. This recognition has spawned heightened levels of activity by scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Multiple schemes have been suggested to ameliorate the adverse effects of climate change on the environment caused by the burning of fossil fuels and other greenhouse gas emissions including enhanced schemes to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The ability of the ocean to absorb rising levels of carbon …