Professor of Environmental Law

Co-Director of the Centre for Environmental and Energy Law and Policy (CEELP)

Research Interests

Mark Stallworthy is Professor of Environmental Law, and co-director of the Centre for Environmental and Energy Law and Policy (CEELP), in the School of Law. He is also deputy director of the Human Dimensions of Climate Change cluster within the Climate Change Consortium of Welsh Universities (C3W). A key part of the research focus within CEELP relates to the resolution of conflicts, and competing rights and interests, in the context of transition to a low-carbon economy and sustainable living. Mark’s own main research interests focus upon law and policy responses to climate change. His work embraces the development of regulatory mechanisms to address its challenges, and environmental justice implications both from climate change itself and from society’s efforts to mitigate and adapt. Recent work concerns human rights and public responses to climate risks, (such as sustainable coastlines and floodplains; natural disasters). Mostly a desk bound environmental lawyer, he eyes with some envy the fieldwork adventures of his C3W natural scientist colleagues.

Recent Publications/Papers

Books

Understanding Environmental Law, Sweet & Maxwell: London (2008)

Sustainability, Land Use & Environment, Cavendish Publishing: London (2002), pp 400.

Articles and Chapter Contributions

‘Legislating against Climate Change: a UK Perspective on a Sisyphean Challenge’ (2009) 72 Modern Law Review 412-36

‘Environmental Justice Imperatives for an Era of Climate Change’ in Economic Globalization and Ecological Localization, eds. R. G. Lee & E. Stokes , Wiley-Blackwell, 2009 [also [2009] Journal of Law & Society, below)

‘Environmental Justice Imperatives for an Era of Climate Change’ (2009) 36 Journal of Law and Society 55-74

‘Regulatory Lessons from the Summer 2007 Floods’ (2008) 19 Water Law 20-32

‘Human Rights Challenges and Adequacy of State Responses to Natural Disaster’ (2008) Environmental Law Review

‘Environment’, ‘Environmental Justice’, in New Oxford Companion to Law, eds. P Cane & J Conaghan, OUP (2008)

'New Forms of Carbon Accounting: the Significance of a Climate Change Act for economic Activity in the UK' [2007] International Company & Commercial Law Review 331-340.

'Water Law' (Current Survey), The Yearbook of European Environmental Law, vols. 2-6, (ed. Somsen, H), Oxford University Press (2002, pp 357-89), (2003, pp 461-77), (2004, pp 457-74), (2005, pp 421-37), (2006, pp 363-79).

'Sustainability, Coastal Erosion and Climate Change: an Environmental Justice Analysis' (2006) 18 Journal of Environmental Law 357-73.

'Sustainability, the Environment and the Role of the Corporation' [2006] International Company & Commercial Law Review 155-65.

'Whither Environmental Human Rights?' (2005) 7 Environmental Law Review 12-33.

'The Curious Persistence of the Common Enemy Doctrine in English Law' (2005) 13 Environmental Liability 39-51.

'Once More Unto the Breach: English Law Rationales and Environmental Assessment' [2004] Journal of Planning & Environmental Law 1472-90.

'Environmental Liability and the Impact of Statutory Authority' (2003) 15 Journal of Environmental Law 1-25.

'Genetically Modified Food: a Saga of Risk, Regulation and Free Trade' [2003] International Company & Commercial Law Review 223-28.

Papers

‘Climate Change and the Politics of Uncertainty’, Governing through Uncertainty: Politicising Science, Pre-Empting Nature and Communicating Global Risk Conference, University of Bristol (2010)

‘Minding the Gap between Hope and Expectation: Reflections on the UK’s Climate Change Act’, Brodies’ Lecture in Environmental Law, University of Edinburgh (2010)

UK Climate Change Law: Securing a Low Carbon Economy by Recourse to Experts and Government Obligations? Built Environment Law Network Symposium, Paris (2010)

‘An Environmental Justice Perspective concerning the Protection of Populations in the face of Climate Change’, Climate Change and Public Health: Law, Justice and Governance International Workshop, Global Health Justice Network / University of Bristol (2010)

‘Perspectives on Environmental Justice and Climate Change’, School of Law, University of Bristol (2010)

‘Rationalising the Identification of Environmental Justice with Social Protection: the Case of Climate Change’, Conference on Human Rights and the Environment, International Law and Human Rights Unit, Bristol Law School, UWE (2010)

‘Environmental Law Perspective on Climate Change: Disputed Sciences’, Aberystwyth University (2010)

‘Why a National Legislative Framework to Address Climate Change?’ Law Schools of Wales Conference, Gregynog, Powys (2010)

‘Legal Frameworks for Losses Attaching to Vulnerability to Floods in an Era of Climate Change’, Built Environment Law Network Symposium, Cape Town (2009)

‘Selected Problems of Environmental Justice’, Dimensions of Environmental Justice Research Seminar, British Academy, UCL / University of Dundee (2009)

‘Emerging Issues of Law and Policy Relating to Floods Insurance Availability and Take-up’, RICS/Institute Civil Engineers, London (2009)

‘Developing Environmental and Energy Law and Policy Research at Swansea’ University, University of Surrey (2009)

‘Legal Issues affecting UK Energy Policy Decisions in the Era of Climate Change’, Association of Franco-British Lawyers, Cardiff (2008)

‘Coastal and Floodplain Land Uses: Some Legal Implications of the Search for Greater Sustainability’, Built Environment Law Network Symposium, Dublin (2008)

‘Environmental Justice in the Era of Climate Change’, Journal of Law and Society Conference, Cardiff (2008)

‘An Analysis of the Duty-Heavy and Policy-‘Lite’ Characteristics of the UK’s Climate Change Bill’, Society of Legal Scholars Conference, London (2008)

‘Local Impact Problems: Regulatory Response Issues Arising from Recent Floods’, Disasters and Older People Workshop, Older People & Ageing Research & Development Network, Swansea University (2008)

‘The Climate Change Bill: Trading Our Way Out of this Mess, UK Environmental Lawyers Association, Cardiff (2008)

‘Landowners and Flood Defence: Perspectives on Legal Frameworks and Changing Policies’, Suffolk (2008)

‘Coasts, Floods, and Sustainable Land Use: Sharing the Impacts of Climate Change, Law Schools of Wales Conference’, Gregynog, Powys (2008)

‘Introduction to the Centre for Environmental and Energy Law and Policy: Environmental/Energy Law Research in Wales’, Houston (2008)

‘Confronting Environmental Threats in a Draft Climate Change Bill: Environmental Justice and Other Matters’, Wales Public Law and Human Rights Association, Law Society, Cardiff (2007)

‘Developing Nationally Significant Infrastructure: the Future Role of Energy' Planning’, Pembrokeshire Technium (2007)

'Lessons from the Summer 2007 Floods' (Café Royal, London W1, February, 2008)

'Responding to Climate Change: Issues of Environmental Justice' (University of Westminster, December, 2007)

Does 'Environmental Justice' Matter? Department of Law & Criminology, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Gregynog, Powys (2007)

Sustainability Objectives and Environmental Justice: a Study of Coastal Erosion and Managed Realignment, Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Glasgow (2005)

Planning for Housing Demand in the UK – Just a Question of Space?, jointly with J. Morgan, International Sociological Association, 'Adequate & Affordable Housing for All', Toronto (2004)

The Limits of Law in Matters of Policy and Resource: Some Implications of the Human Rights Act in the Sphere of Planning and Environment, 'Governing After the Human Rights Act' Conference, London Metropolitan University (2003)

Civil Claims against Public Bodies: Environmental and Resource Perspectives, British Association of Canadian Studies/Current Issues in Tort Law: Canadian and UK Perspectives Conference, London (2003)

Environmental Liability: Resource Issues, the Public Interest and Human Rights, Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Oxford (2003)

Relevant Activities

• Member of Editorial Board, Reviews Editor, Journal of Environmental Law
• Member of Editorial Board, News Editor, International Company & Commercial Law Review
• Member of Society of Legal Scholars
• Member of UK Environmental Law Association (incl. Chair, Energy in Wales, UKELA, Cardiff, 10 November 2010)

Recent PhD Supervisions

• Waste streams and producer responsibility in the construction industry
• Legal mechanisms for energy in a low carbon economy
• Climate change law and science; challenges for scientists in relation to climate change.

"I welcome proposals or enquiries for research in the fields of environmental law and energy law: especially including environmental law and policy in the UK and Europe, problems of environmental regulation, environmental liability, law and environmental values, environmental justice, and relationships between law and sustainable development."