Therefore, the book by Ross Ramsay and Gerard C Rowe is an invaluable contribution. Not only does it present a comprehensive picture of Australian environmental law and policy, but the authors meticulously describe and analyse the elements and structure of the legal process with respect to the environment. On the one hand, Ramsay and Rowe never fail to demonstrate the elementary substance. However, on the other hand, they present selected material that helps readers look behind the black-letter aspects of environmental law. The book combines excerpts from Australian, English and American case law, statutory law, and policy documents with carefully selected quotations from pertinent books and articles.
Introductory passages guide readers through the maze of environmental law and policy.
Environmental Law and Policy in Australia is divided into seven parts and twenty-three chapters. Part One introduces readers to the policy context of environmental law and environmental concerns affecting Australia. Part Four investigates the different levels of jurisdiction in environmental regulation. Starting from the level of international law, this part also describes environmental regulation in a federal system and the environmental role of local government. Part Five gives an account of general regimes of environmental regulation, such as land use and environmental planning, project control, environmental impact assessment, and pollution control.