UNSW students have taken out first and second place in an environmental law competition.

This is the second year that a UNSW student has won the Environmental Law Essay Award, which is organised by the NSW Young Lawyers' Environmental Law Committee.

Anna Huggins received first prize in the competition, which asked students to write an essay on climate change litigation. Fellow UNSW student Archana Gelda won second place.

"Anna and Archana's success in this competition reflects the quality and versatility of UNSW Law students, in particular their ability to integrate the complex legal and policy arguments inherent in environmental issues such as climate change," says Linda Pearson, who teaches both students in their Environmental Law elective course. "It is a very exciting result."

The competition was open to all Law students enrolled in a Bachelor of Law course at any university in NSW in the last 12 months. This year the essay question asked students to assess whether climate change litigation is an effective strategy for promoting greater action to address climate change, and to consider what other legal mechanisms might also be appropriate.

Last year's winner, UNSW student Yvette Carr, has now had her essay published in the Local Government Law Journal.