James Salzman

James Salzman is the Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law with joint appointments at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environment and UCLA School of Law. His work bridges environmental law, policy design, and ecosystem services, with over 120 articles and 13 books. He teaches courses like Environmental Law and Policy and International Environmental Law, and has advised governments and NGOs on issues ranging from drinking water regulation to climate adaptation.

Education: MSc (Engineering Sciences, Harvard), JD cum laude (Harvard), BA (History, Yale).

Research Interests: Salzman’s scholarship focuses on water policy, legal frameworks for environmental conservation, and the intersection of law with climate change adaptation. His bestselling books Drinking Water: A History and Mine!: How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives highlight societal impacts of environmental governance and property norms. His research also explores innovative policy tools like wetlands mitigation banking and payments for ecosystem services.

Recognition: Elected Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and the Royal Geographical Society. His work is widely cited, with over 115,000 article downloads and translations into ten languages.

Service: Served on federal advisory committees (EPA, USTR), lectured globally, and held visiting professorships at institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia.