Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law

Each year, the centre hosts an array of eminent international scholars who teach, present seminar/conference papers and undertake research in the area of climate and environmental law. The centre also conducts and sponsors international and domestic conferences, seminars, workshops, lectures and other similar activities.

Members of the centre have established wide networks of relationships with researchers around the world, including within Columbia Law School, Berkeley Law School, Tilburg Law School, Maastricht Law School, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa and the National University of Singapore.

The centre attracts and supervises to completion high-quality postgraduate students, and develops innovative units of study in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

A key aspect of the centre's governance structure is the Advisory Board, which comprises members appointed by the Dean on the advice of the Executive Committee. The Advisory Board consists of individuals with a strong interest in environmental law, including judges, practitioners, scholars, representatives of industry and members of the wider community who have made an important contribution to the field, both in Australia and overseas. The Chair of the Advisory Board is the centre director. The board meets at least once every year in order to advise the co-directors and Sydney Law School on all aspects of the activities of the centre.

Advisory Board members

• The Hon. Justice Nicola Pain, NSW Land and Environment Court (Chair)
• Professor Maria Lee, University College London, Faculty of Law
• Dr Chris McGrath, Barrister, Higgins Chambers
• Ms Illona Millar, Partner, Gilbert & Tobin
• Mr David O'Donnell, Partner, Dentons
• Acting Commissioner Andrew Smith, NSW Land and Environment Court
• Mr Jeff Smith, JOS Consulting
• Professor David Victor, UC San Diego

Financial responsibility

Financial responsibility for the centre's activities is vested in the Dean. The centre's funds are held in an account maintained by Sydney Law School. The Dean exercises financial responsibility by approving budgets for the centre, prepared by the Director in consultation with the Executive Committee, and by exercising broad oversight of budgetary performance. Day-to-day administration of finances is entrusted to the co-directors in consultation with the Executive Committee.