Donna Craig

Donna Craig is a specialist in international, comparative and national environmental law and policy at Western Sydney University. She was one of the earliest academics to specialise in environmental law (from 1976) and has researched and taught across a wide range of environmental law areas and jurisdictions. In particular, she pioneered the development of curricula and teaching in Comparative Environmental Law (focusing on the Asia and Pacific Regions), International Environmental Law, Sustainable Development Law, Corporate Environmental Law, Australian Environmental and Planning Law and Comparative Indigenous Governance Regimes. She has also made significant research and teaching contributions in aspects of Biodiversity Law (relating to recognition of knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local communities, intellectual and cultural property rights, recognition of customary laws and community based environmental management), participatory approaches to environmental decision-making, environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment.

Donna also held a Research Chair as Professor of Desert Knowledge, Charles Darwin University. She has over 30 years experience in environmental law research, legal practice, teaching and working with communities, NGO’s, environmental organisations, governments and corporations. Her research and publications emphasize the social, cultural and human rights dimensions of legislation, programs, impact assessment and sustainable development. Her climate change and water law research includes climate adaptation, resource management, capacity building and Indigenous cultural values. She also works with Indigenous and local communities developing natural resource based livelihoods and advising on national and international legal regimes. Donna served as Foundation Board Member of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, Regional Vice-Chair for Oceania of the IUCN Commission of Environmental Law, Regional Governor of the International Council. on Environmental Law, Board Member of the Northern Territory Environmental Protection Authority and Member of Advisory Board of Greenland-based International Training Centre of Indigenous Peoples.

is a specialist in international, comparative and national environmental law and policy at Western Sydney University. She was one of the earliest academics to specialise in environmental law (from 1976) and has researched and taught across a wide range of environmental law areas and jurisdictions. In particular, she pioneered the development of curricula and teaching in Comparative Environmental Law (focusing on the Asia and Pacific Regions), International Environmental Law, Sustainable Development Law, Corporate Environmental Law, Australian Environmental and Planning Law and Comparative Indigenous Governance Regimes. She has also made significant research and teaching contributions in aspects of Biodiversity Law (relating to recognition of knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local communities, intellectual and cultural property rights, recognition of customary laws and community based environmental management), participatory approaches to environmental decision-making, environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment.

Donna also held a Research Chair as Professor of Desert Knowledge, Charles Darwin University. She has over 30 years experience in environmental law research, legal practice, teaching and working with communities, NGO’s, environmental organisations, governments and corporations. Her research and publications emphasize the social, cultural and human rights dimensions of legislation, programs, impact assessment and sustainable development. Her climate change and water law research includes climate adaptation, resource management, capacity building and Indigenous cultural values. She also works with Indigenous and local communities developing natural resource based livelihoods and advising on national and international legal regimes. Donna served as Foundation Board Member of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, Regional Vice-Chair for Oceania of the IUCN Commission of Environmental Law, Regional Governor of the International Council. on Environmental Law, Board Member of the Northern Territory Environmental Protection Authority and Member of Advisory Board of Greenland-based International Training Centre of Indigenous Peoples.