Australia.

Establishing a climate justice clinic in collaboration with a university.

GreenLaw was established by law students at the ANU College of Law to connect law students with environmental organizations. GreenLaw is now a national-scale organization, working with law students, early career researchers, and advocates across Australia. Through legal research projects, it enables non-governmental organizations to better utilize and engage with the law in agitating for policy reform. In doing so, GreenLaw equips tomorrow’s lawyers with legal research skills and a deeper understanding of how a changing environment will affect all areas of legal practice in the coming years.

Established in September 2019, GreenLaw has over 60 members and the support of both College of Law academics, leading experts and NGOs, and private sector partners. GreenLaw has been involved in a range of major projects, including the ACT-first Comprehensive Practical Guide to Law and Protests, and leading research into alleged ‘lawfare’ under federal environmental legislation. GreenLaw works with NGOs and other advocacy partners, including ACF and the US-based Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. GreenLaw members are involved in research and advocacy under the following four streams: environment and the democracy; a just transition; biodiversity; and Indigenous healing.

GreenLaw has also developed an Australia-first ‘GreenTea Ecological Wellbeing Program’ to support its members and cultivate a compassionate culture. The program includes group sessions led by globally renowned psychotherapist, Christie Wilson, who specializes in earth emotions and ecological grief. Additionally, GreenTea provides opportunities for GreenLaw members to connect to each other and nature on-country with guided tours by First Nations Elders and knowledge-sharing. The GreenTea Program is a safe space for healing, connection, and growth to support the next generation of lawyers.

GreenLaw believes that law students are a powerful resource for informing policy reform and furthering climate justice and that this resource is being under-utilized. The team’s strengths lie in the diversity of their interests and knowledge and their passion for realizing a more just, sustainable future.

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