Law reform is about change. This contribution argues that such change needs to be about change itself. The earth’s life support systems are experiencing profound and potentially devastating change. Anthropogenic interference with the earth’s atmosphere, nitrogen cycle, biodiversity, and water resources fundamentally challenge the adequacy of current environmental laws, but the forces of change in environmental law are not limited to environmental or climatic conditions. They are also influenced by the ways humans react to change, through large-scale demographic shifts as well as through altering behaviour. Other significant changes either militate or facilitate environmental law reform. These include developments in our understanding of the environmental impacts of human activities and interactions and alterations to the impacts of particular activities when they are modified. Societal values relating to environmental and other priorities are also in a state of constant evolution.

Item Type:	Research Book Chapter
Keywords:	climate change adaptation, resilience, law
Research Division:	Law and Legal Studies
Research Group:	Environmental and resources law
Research Field:	Environmental law
Objective Division:	Environmental Policy, Climate Change and Natural Hazards
Objective Group:	Adaptation to climate change
Objective Field:	Climate change adaptation measures (excl. ecosystem)
UTAS Author:	Mcdonald, J (Professor Jan McDonald)
ID Code:	129739
Year Published:	2017
Deposited By:	Law
Deposited On:	2018-12-17
Last Modified:	2019-01-04
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