Justine Bell-James

Justine Bell-James is Professor at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland, with expertise in environmental and climate change law. She holds affiliate positions with UQ's Centre for Marine Science and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, and serves as Visiting Researcher at Stockholm University.

Education:

• Ph.D. from Queensland University of Technology
• Postdoctoral fellowship at UQ's Global Change Institute

Research focuses on legal frameworks for coastal and marine conservation:

• Legal mechanisms enabling blue carbon projects and coastal restoration
• Policy solutions for marine ecosystem protection
• Climate change adaptation through law
• Integration of ecosystem services into environmental legislation
• Barriers to large-scale environmental restoration

Her scholarship addresses both theoretical and applied dimensions of environmental governance.

Bell-James' publications demonstrate consistent focus on marine conservation law, with recent work examining gaps between international commitments and national implementation. Her research has directly informed Australia's Emissions Reduction Fund policies.

She leads major research initiatives including National Environmental Science Program projects on coastal wetland restoration and has served on the board of the National Environmental Law Association. Bell-James contributes regularly to public discourse through The Conversation and other media outlets on environmental policy issues.