In order to regulate how people, interact with their environment, environmental law is a body of statutes, agreements, and common law. Environmental law’s objectives are to safeguard the natural world and establish guidelines for how people might utilize its resources.
Environmental laws specify who can utilize natural resources and how, in addition to trying to prevent environmental damage. The use of natural resources, the preservation of forests, the mining of minerals, and the numbers of animals and fish may all be subject to legal restrictions.
Why Study Environmental Law in the UK Universities?
The subject of Environmental Law is immensely diverse and has an impact on every facet of life, even the air we breathe. It has an impact on how we interact with one another, the government, and other nations. It has an impact on our human rights, property, travel, education, and work.
The legal profession is dynamic and competitive, changing to meet societal demands. A legal degree offers a variety of job options and a skill set that can help you be successful in nearly any line of work.
What are the Subjects of Environmental Laws?
Among the many subjects that environmental regulations addresses are the following:
Air Quality- Laws governing air quality guard against pollution and may also include safeguards against problems like ozone depletion.
Water Quality- Water contamination may be prevented by environmental laws. They might also decide who has access to water and how to address issues like managing surface runoff and treating sewage.
Hunting and Fishing- Wildlife populations may be governed and safeguarded by environmental legislation. Who is allowed to hunt and fish, and how these activities are controlled, are decided by lawmakers.
Chemical Safety- Pesticide use and chemicals in items like plastic bottles are governed by chemical safety rules.
Contaminant Cleanup- Environmental law does not always prioritizes reducing pollution. Contaminant cleanup focuses on cleaning up after pollution has already occurred. Laws may specify cleanup procedures as well as civil and criminal sanctions for polluters.
Waste Management- Waste management encompasses all types of waste, including hazardous materials, nuclear waste, and municipal waste.
Why Pursue a Career in Environmental Law in the UK Universities?
Environmental law is crucial for both people and businesses. When attorneys are hired to represent corporations, they offer a crucial service that makes it possible for the organization to operate legally. The EPA employs attorneys to represent the public’s interests.
Lawyers also assist people in defending their personal security and peace of mind when they are directly harmed by lawbreakers. Lawyers in the profession have the chance to affect national, international, state, and local legislation.
The legal field can give lawyers who want to affect environmental regulations the chance to do so. and local legislation. The legal field can give lawyers who want to affect environmental regulations the chance to do so.
Who Practices Environmental Law?
Environmental attorneys practice in both public and private settings. They tend to operate as in-house counsel for big law firms, but they may also represent people in solo or small firm settings. Additionally, the EPA requires attorneys to act as administrative judges who hear claims of rule infractions.
Environmental attorneys are used by businesses to understand and follow requirements. They seek advice from their in-house attorneys. Some businesses like hiring outside legal advice. Even a lawyer in private practice who specializes in environmental compliance may only have one client throughout their entire career.
A career in environmental law may include a large amount of litigation. In formal court proceedings and administrative hearings, attorneys must represent their clients. Resolutions must be negotiated with EPA lawyers.
An attorney needs to be a skilled negotiator in order to thrive in environmental law. For the purpose of representing clients at hearings, depositions, and in front of governmental authorities, public speaking and trial advocacy abilities are also essential.
What are the Different Types of Environmental law in the UK?
In the UK, there are numerous environmental laws that cover a wide range of topics, including pollution, the preservation of natural resources, climate change, wildlife, and many more.
The most significant environmental laws are listed below:
- Pollution
- Wildlife
- Conservation
- Climate Change
Pollution Environmental Laws
There are a few laws that have been created to help reduce, avoid, and manage the different sorts of pollution to which we may be exposed because it poses a significant risk to both the environment and our health.
- Control of Pollution Act 1974– The Control of Pollution Act was passed to address a range of environmental problems, including waste on land, air, noise, water, and atmospheric pollution.
- Environmental Protection Act– The Environment Protection Act, which was established in 1974, is the environmental regulation that governs waste management and emissions into the environmental law in the UK.
Wildlife Environmental Laws
As you can see below, there are several laws in place to assist safeguard the wildlife that resides in the UK because our ecosystem naturally extends to it as well. UK legislation covers everything, including weeds, wild birds, badgers, and hunts.
- Weeds Act 1959– The Weeds Act, which was enacted in the UK to enforce the suppression of harmful plant species on private property, primarily targets species including Broad Leaved Dock, Common Ragwort, Creeping Whistle, and Spear Thistle.
- Badgers Act– which makes it illegal to try to kill, harm, or interfere with the sets of badgers without a valid license, protects badgers in the UK even though they are not an endangered species.
- The 1992 Protection of Badgers Act– To further combine the Badgers Act 1973, 1991 and the Badgers (Further Protection) Act, the Protection of Badgers Act was passed in 1992.
- Hunting Act 2004– Due to the Hunting Act, which was passed in 2004, using dogs to hunt mammals including foxes, hares, and mink is prohibited in the UK. Only when flushing out these mammals in preparation for a hunt are dogs permitted to be used.
Conservation Environmental Laws
Another element of environmental legislation in the UK is the preservation of our national parks, listed structures, monuments, countryside, and rights of way. You may read more about the legislation that are now in effect in England, Wales, and Scotland below.
- Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990– The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, which was first passed in 1990, regulates the regulations that support the protection of listed buildings and conservation areas in the UK.
- National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949– The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, administered by the UK Government Agency known as English Nature, governs the establishment of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Beauty in the country as well as dealing with public rights of way.
- Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979– The UK passed the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 to safeguard any building or structure that has been designated as a monument. This makes destroying a monument against the law.
- Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000- The Countryside and Rights of Way Act was established in 2000 to grant individuals the freedom and right to travel uncultivated areas of the UK, such as mountains, moors, heaths, and downs.
Climate Change Environmental Laws
Following are links and details for each of the environmental legislation that are among the most frequently discussed in the UK when it comes to climate change. You will discover the laws put in place to lessen carbon emissions as well as the UK’s energy use and efficiency.
- Climate Change Act 2008– The Climate Change Act, which was established in 2008, is a piece of environmental legislation intended to lower carbon dioxide emissions in the UK. Binding goals have been established to reduce these emissions from 1990 levels by at least 80% by 2050.
- Planning and Energy Act 2008– With the help of the Planning and Energy Act of 2008, local planning authorities in England and Wales are now able to place restrictions on local planning applications with reference to energy use and efficiency.
- Energy Act 2020– In accordance with UK company law, energy companies must adhere to particular energy efficiency standards while supplying electricity to consumers. Reducing carbon emissions and home heating expenses are obligations.
LLM in Environmental Law
A postgraduate degree called a Master of Laws (LLM) is intended to improve your academic legal understanding while concentrating in particular on areas of interest.
This course is especially focused on developing a thorough understanding of Environmental Law in the UK and is developed specifically for graduates in both the legal and non-legal fields who desire to get a Master’s degree in Environmental law.
Course Details
You will have the chance to investigate environmental law-related topics if you pursue a postgraduate LLM in environmental law. The political and legal issues of environmental protection, policies addressing climate change, the law governing natural resources, environmental ethics, and environmental justice will be covered.
When you enroll in an LLM in environmental law, you will:
- Learn from subject-matter authorities, former and present practitioners, and academics who specialize on research and teaching.
- Prioritize legal practice rather than merely theory.
- Gain from strategic alliances with businesses, authorities, and accreditation organizations
- By choosing to study legal technology modules, you can learn about it.
- Gaining significant transferrable skills and structuring your career with our careers team will increase your employability.
Entry Requirements for UK Universities:
Any submissions with a relevant course grade of 2:2 (or higher internationally). Other aspects of the application, such as the supporting statement, are taken into consideration in addition to degree classification. References are optional; however, they can strengthen your application if you don’t meet the 2:2 standard or have unusual credentials.
IELTS
Academic module (rather than General Training) score of 6.5 with no sub-test scoring below 6.0.
The tests were to be taken within four and a half years after the start date. The combined results of two exams taken within six months of one another may be taken into account.
For entrance to this program, any of the below English tests for environmental law degree UK is acceptable:
TOFEL
90 on the TOEFL with at least R 20, L 19, S 19, and W 23.
Pearson Test of English (PTE) were to be taken within four and a half years after the start date. The combined results of two exams taken within six months of one another may be taken into account.
PTE
(Academic) 60, minimum score of 59 on each subtest.
The tests were to be taken within four and a half years after the start date. The combined results of two exams taken within six months of one another may be taken into account.
Tuition Fees and Duration
For environmental law masters in UK- One year (full-time); Two or three years (part-time, daytime only).
Tuition fees for environmental law masters in UK- £24,650
Salary range
In the United Kingdom, an environmental lawyer typically earns £61,425 annually, or £31.50 per hour. The starting salary for entry-level professions is £50,000, while the average yearly salary for experienced personnel is £75,000.
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