IPCC - Does the government legally have to protect young people from climate change?

IPCC - Does the government legally have to protect young people from climate change?

Lesson 9 of 15 in this unit

  • Secondary
  • Year 7 - 8
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Civics and Citizenship
  • Environmental
  • Climate Change
  • Disaster resilience
  • ...

Lesson summary

Students consider how the courts interpret legislation, and how these decisions become common law. Students look at the case of then Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley, student Anj Sharma, and Brigidine nun Sister Marie Brigid Arthur, and decide whether the minister was legally responsible for the physical harm climate change might cause young people.

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • understand the difference between how laws are made in Australia through parliaments (statutory law) and through the courts (common law)
  • understand how and why the courts interpret legislation to hand down judgements.

Success criteria:

Students can...

  • explain the case of Sharma by her litigation representative Sister Marie Brigid Arthur v Minister for the Environment [2021] FCA 560
  • accurately interpret the law in this case.

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Plan
Student Worksheet
Teacher Content Info

Lesson details

Curriculum mapping

Australian Curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 8 Civics and Citizenship:

  • How laws are made in Australia through parliaments (statutory law) and through the courts (common law) (ACHCK063)

General capabilities: LiteracyCritical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 8 Civics and Citizenship achievement standards: Students explain interconnections within environments and between people and places and explain how they change places and environments. They compare alternative strategies to a geographical challenge, taking into account environmental, economic and social factors.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – Facilitate class discussion, support students in independent work

Resources required

  • Individual devices capable of accessing the internet (optional)
  • Student Worksheets – one copy per student
  • Writing tools – pen and workbook/lined paper

Skills

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

  • Critical thinking

Additional info

Cool would like to thank the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and The Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation for generously supporting the development of these lessons.

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