Nick Bainton

Nick Bainton is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, University of Queensland. His research focuses on the social aspects of large-scale resource extraction, particularly in the Pacific region, with a focus on Papua New Guinea. He explores the intersections between extractive industries, communities, governments, and civil society, emphasizing inequalities within extractive capitalism.

His research interests include the social, political, economic, and cultural impacts of resource extraction, with a current emphasis on achieving a just transition to low-carbon energy systems. Key themes are the supply of energy transition metals, climate change vulnerability, and the energy-extractives nexus in the Pacific. He investigates how extraction can align with equitable development, particularly for Indigenous communities and marginalized groups.

Dr. Bainton has been awarded grants including the British Academy Grant (2021), co-awarded with Emilka Skrzypek. His work bridges academic and applied research, addressing real-world challenges in resource governance and sustainable development. He has also contributed to public discourse through blog posts and media articles, such as a 2022 piece in The Conversation.

His research group is affiliated with the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, collaborating on initiatives like the 'Energy Cafe' event series (e.g., April 2025) to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on energy and resource challenges.