Law, Climate Emergency and the Australian Megafires

The Black Summer megafires in Australia in 2019 and 2020 influenced the development of climate narratives throughout 2020, highlighting the global climate emergency and the need for action. This book explores the legal and other implications of these new understandings, the emergence of a hierarchy of emergencies, narratives of culpability, and legal avenues for seeking retribution. It also considers the impact of the fires on climate activism and reflects on them through the lenses of climate fiction and apocalyptic fiction.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 132 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Black Summer megafires of 2019 and 2020 in Australia had a profound impact on climate narratives worldwide. These catastrophic bushfires resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and the deaths of nearly 3 billion native animals. For millions of Australians and people around the globe, the fires brought the global climate emergency into sharp focus, making it a tangible and urgent concern. This book explores the legal and other implications of the new understanding of climate emergency that emerged from the fires, as well as the emergence of a hierarchy of emergencies as the COVID-19 pandemic dominated global and domestic political discourse. It examines narratives of culpability and legal avenues for seeking retribution from government and big fossil fuel emitters. Additionally, it considers the impact of the fires on climate activism, particularly in Australia, and the ways in which pandemic restrictions curtailed such activism. The book also reflects on the fires through the lenses of climate fiction and apocalyptic fiction to consider how these narratives shape and might shape our responses to climate disasters.

This important and timely book will appeal to environmental lawyers, socio-legal theorists, and other scholars and activists with interests in climate change and its impact. It is recommended for anyone concerned about current and future climate disasters, as well as the shortcomings in legal responses to these crises. The book provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between climate change, the legal system, and social movements, and offers a roadmap for building more resilient and sustainable societies in the face of ongoing climate challenges.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032117034