Environment & governance

Birds eye view of rice paddies

A cross-disciplinary approach to protecting our planet

The UNSW Environment & Governance Research Group brings together leading international researchers in environmental politics, law and policy, biodiversity, climate security, food systems and environmental ethics. Our work has a common focus on improving law, public policy and international cooperation to protect ecosystems and manage the impact of human-induced environmental change. Having entered the Anthropocene – the epoch of dramatic human impacts on the Earth’s ecology and systems – our work crosses disciplines and charts paths for improved governance. We aim to support ecological sustainability and key human interests in health, justice and security into the long-term future.  

The UNSW Environment & Governance Research Group is led by Professor Anthony Burke.

Research themes

Climate and security

We examine the intersections between climate change and international security, and climate change law and governance in traditional fora such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and new spaces such as the Security Council, regional organisations and civil society.

Biodiversity and oceans

Our research includes the law and governance of biodiversity across multiple jurisdictions and biomes, from terrestrial to marine, with a focus on the effectiveness of existing systems and potential lines of reform.

Energy and policy

We provide leading research on energy, water, food, and conservation policy and systems.

Justice and development

We ask important environmental justice questions through the lens of ethics, philosophy and norms, considering their intersection with governance and development processes.

 

 

Borderlands

This transdisciplinary journal is a key initiative of the Environment & Governance Research Group. Professor Anthony Burke is the Editor in Chief, and the international editorial advisory board includes key scholars in social theory and the environmental humanities.

Publications

Our researchers

Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations Anthony Burke
Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations
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Professor of International Law and International Relations Shirley Scott
Professor of International Law and International Relations
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Research Project Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management Megan Evans
Research Project Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management
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Senior Lecturer Katie Moon
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Professor of Political Philosophy Jeremy Moss
Professor of Political Philosophy
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Associate Dean (International), Professor Marc Williams
Associate Dean (International), Professor
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Honorary Associate Professor Mark Diesendorf
Honorary Associate Professor
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Senior Lecturer Monika Barthwal-Datta
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Associate Professor in Development Studies Krishna Shrestha
Associate Professor in Development Studies
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 Cobi Calyx
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Senior Lecturer in Human Geography Marilu Melo Zurita
Senior Lecturer in Human Geography
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Australian Defence Force Academy Visiting Fellow [2020-23] N.A.J. Taylor
Australian Defence Force Academy Visiting Fellow [2020-23]
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