Cameron Holley

Cameron Holley is a Professor in the School of Law, Society and Criminology at UNSW Law & Justice. He serves as co-chair of the International Network of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) Academic Committee, is a member of the Taskforce on Earth System Law, and serves on the Steering Committee for the Global Water Institute. Previously, he was Head of School and Director of the Connected Waters Initiative at UNSW Sydney, and a member of The Australian Panel of Experts on Environmental Law (APEEL).

• University of New South Wales, School of Law, Society and Criminology (Current)
• International Network of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) Academic Committee (Co-Chair)
• Global Water Institute (Steering Committee Member)
• Taskforce on Earth System Law (Member)
• Connected Waters Initiative (Former Director)

Holley's research focuses on environmental law, natural resources law, water law, and energy law, with particular emphasis on regulatory technologies, compliance and enforcement, environmental security, resilience, adaptive management, and collaborative governance. His work bridges legal theory with practical applications in water management, energy transitions, and the food-energy-water-climate nexus.

Holley's publications reflect significant trends in environmental governance, particularly the shift toward more adaptive, technology-enabled regulatory approaches that address complex water and energy challenges. His work increasingly examines the interconnectedness of environmental systems through the water-energy-food-climate nexus framework, recognizing that effective governance requires integrated approaches across traditional regulatory boundaries.

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Academy of Environmental Law Scholarship Award (2014)
• French Embassy Scientific Mobilisation Laureate on water management (2016)

Professor Holley actively supervises numerous PhD candidates working on diverse environmental law topics including nature rights, PFAS contamination, animal welfare law, and low-carbon shipping finance. His substantial grant funding, including multiple Australian Research Council grants, supports cutting-edge research on water regulation, compliance systems, and energy-water governance. Notable projects include the 2024-2027 ARC Linkage Grant on 'Non urban water regulation: next generation compliance and enforcement' and previous ARC Discovery Grants examining integrated governance of water and coal seam gas.

Holley leads several major research initiatives including the Connected Waters Initiative and contributes to numerous advisory bodies such as the Great Artesian Basin Stakeholder Advisory Committee and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Services Panel, positioning his work at the intersection of academic research and practical policy implementation.