Freehills Launches Book on Climate Change Law & Policy
9 October 2008 at 3:07 pm
Freehills solicitor, Renee Garner, has co-authored the first text book published in Australia on the legal and policy aspects of climate change at the local, state and national level in Australia.
The book, entitled ‘Global Climate Change: Australian Law and Policy’, combines Renee Garner’s legal and commercial background with her passion and enthusiasm for this emerging area of law.
In launching the book, Garner said that the impact of climate change legislation in Australia will be far reaching and urged Australian companies to gain an insight into how they will be impacted, so they can proactively manage the risks and opportunities.
She says climate change is not just an environmental issue, it’s a corporate issue. In some form or another climate change will affect everyone, and it’s those businesses taking action now that will truly benefit from the current and imminent climate change laws and policies.
Garner says knowing about climate change is not enough. How well a company transitions into a carbon constrained future depends on being able to identify ‘how’ climate change affects your business and having the ability to make changes and exploit opportunities.
She stresses that companies need to be taking action now because the reality is that climate change is inevitable and will affect everything from their bottom line to their brand.
She says developing internal expertise, up-skilling current workforces and preparing for the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme will provide businesses with a competitive advantage to capitalise on opportunities and mitigate risks.’
Described as a comprehensive guide to climate change law and policy, ‘Global Climate Change: Australian Law and Policy’ also examines the international framework established to deal with climate change together with frameworks in other non-Australian jurisdictions.
The book draws on legal sources including recent studies undertaken by government and non-government organisations, commissioned reports and journal articles, as well as academic studies. In addition, it explores the physical science basis of climate change, the impact of climate change on human and biological environments, with a focus on Australia and the Pacific, and climate change mitigation and adaptation issues.
Subjects covered in the book include: carbon sequestration; climate change litigation; business, risk and climate change; emissions trading; carbon markets; and possible post-Kyoto climate change regimes.
Global Climate Change: Australian Law and Policy is aimed at not only legal practitioners but also those involved in business, government and policy formation. Corporations will find the book particularly useful.
Garner is a member of Freehills’ National Climate Change Group and has expertise in all aspects of climate change law including emissions trading, energy and renewable energy major projects.She is also a member of the Australian Carbon Reduction and Trading Expo 2009 Steering Committee.
Between October 2007 and April 2008 Garner was an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia.
Renee is speaking at the International Conference on Climate Change to be held at the Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune, India, in January 2009. She will be speaking on Australia’s Primary Energy Supply and Climate Change: Implications and the Future.
For details on how to purchase this publication go to: http://www.lexisnexis.com.au/aus/products/catalog/current_htm/B0619.asp
