Understanding Ecological Justice

The Cause and Effects of Ecological Justice

Our Understanding Ecological Justice projects investigate fundamental questions pertaining to the nature of justice in ecosystems, the nature of justice between humans and the ecosystems of which they are part, and between humans per se. In particular, our research generates insights into the causes and effects of Ecological Justice on species, society and groups within society, and develops new understandings of the (in)justice these impacts raise. Our research addresses the implications Ecological Justice has for the origins of core concepts in disciplines as varied as architecture, ecology, geography, law, and photography.

Within the scope of understanding ecological justice we investigate two main areas:

  • The nature of ecological justice between humans
  • The nature of ecological justice within ecosystems

Key Projects

Earth-systems Law

This project led by Professor Louis Kotzé addresses the (re)design of law to ensure respect for all life on earth.

Find out more Earth-systems Law.

Environmental Pollution

This work maps and evaluates the current problems of contamination and identifies emerging contaminants to determine their potential risk to the environment. We also interrogate the international and national laws designed to limit pollutant flows, identifying strengths and weaknesses in the regulatory framework.

Find out more about Environmental Pollution.

Sustainable Ecosystems

Several projects investigate the relationships between organisms and their biotic and abiotic environment to better understand how to make such systems more resilient and sustainable.

Find out more about Sustainable Ecosystems.

Histories and Futures of Under-utilised Crops ‘Reimagined’

This work examines how indigenous African crops became marginalised and ‘under-utilised’ during colonial times and explores futures of these crops in two regions of Kenya. It is funded by the British Academy under their ODA Interdisciplinary Research Projects scheme. Collaborators include the National Museums of Kenya.

British Academy: ‘UK Climate Commissions and Place-based Climate Action: Evaluating Policies, Governance, Networks and Scales’

This Policy insight case study gathered evidence on the governance, policy, networked, and scalar relationships between climate commissions and local, national, and international climate agendas through three research questions:

  1. What are UK climate commissions doing to address local climate mitigation/adaptation through the lens of ‘place-shaping’? (Place/ Governance/Policy) 
  2. How are commissions adopting an inclusive/pluralistic approach when engaging different sectors through place-based governance innovations? (Place/Networks) 
  3. How are these innovations shaping (or being shaped by) local, national, and international climate policy agendas (Place/Scale)

The final report for this project will be published by the British Academy in August 2024.

Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund: Reimagining Ocean Law to Achieve Equitable and Sustainable Use of Marine Ecosystems

Marine ecosystems and biodiversity are facing an unprecedented crisis. The international legal architecture for ocean governance is failing because its jurisdictional structures and substantive rules are not aligned with the natural reality of ocean systems and do not distribute the benefits of ocean resources in an equitable way.

This research investigates how to transform ocean law by challenging accepted paradigms, goals, and values of ocean law with the aim of constructing a new vision and approach to its development. A key innovation of this research will be to draw upon progressive legal concepts from the broader corpus of international and national environmental law, and international human rights, and apply these to achieve more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable ocean governance. It will also investigate legal traditions and critical perspectives that have largely been excluded from mainstream ocean discourse, for example indigenous perspectives, rights for nature, and stewardship. It will explore how these innovative concepts could be applied to reimagine ocean law across three thematic areas including fisheries, area-based management (including marine protected areas), and a new international treaty for marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction through the lens of Aotearoa and the Pacific.