Our research spans across a range of jurisdictions, from the global level analysing international environmental and social laws, to national and sub-national Australian laws. The research team is committed to supporting the decolonisation of environmental law in Australia. We are focused on the Asia Pacific Region across the following four research strengths:
Regulation of Food, Fibre and Land-Use
Our research on food and fibre focuses on the conflicts that can arise in land-use and water-use and examines the environmental and social implications of agricultural, aquaculture and forestry practices.
Past and existing projects include: regulatory processes for reporting agricultural emissions; regulating the future of protein; ecologically sustainable agriculture, agroforestry and aquaculture; biosecurity; and whole-of-system food governance.
Environmental Justice and Human Rights Due Diligence
Our research on environmental justice and human rights due diligence explores gender and social inclusion associated with mining, climate change, disaster preparedness and response, decarbonisation and just transition, the circular economy and supply chains.
Past and existing projects include: examining labour risks in cotton supply chains; designing a textile product stewardship scheme; gendered analysis of climate finance in the Pacific; social analysis of Queensland disaster management; feminist climate policy; applying an intergenerational equity lens to international and regional human rights laws; evaluating the role of human rights law in climate litigation; and environmental justice and land use conflict.
Role of Technology and Markets in Environmental Law
Our research on technology focuses on how data and digital tools are being used to inform environmental decision-making processes and enhance compliance. This theme also explores governance arrangements underpinning energy transition and green innovation, as well as how trade, investment, maritime and intellectual property laws intersect with climate and environmental regulation.
Past and existing projects include: environmental digital compliance; automated decision-making and environmental regulation; evaluating the integrity of carbon credits and biodiversity offsets; compliance of automated vessels with maritime and pollution laws; and digital tools for certification and traceability of biological products.
Regulating to Conserve Marine and Land Biodiversity
Our research on marine and land biodiversity is aimed at identifying regulatory interventions to improve biodiversity management in Australia and internationally. This stream examines effective biodiversity conservation and restoration governance strategies in partnership with government and civil society.
Past and existing projects include: reviewing Australia’s biodiversity frameworks; improving frameworks for access and benefit sharing of biological resources and traditional knowledge; exploring the options for a pandemic treaty based on One Health; creating theoretical and regulatory frameworks to resolve human-wildlife conflicts.
Find out more
- Meet our team.
- Explore our research projects.
- See a selection of our research publications.