Professor Donna Craig

Professor Donna Craig is a specialist in international, comparative and national environmental law and policy and is part of the Social and Environmental Responsibility Research Group at UWS within the School of Law.

Professor Craig is concerned about the rights of indigenous and vulnerable people as the world looks for international action to combat climate change. She says the Kyoto Protocol is the only modern global environmental regime that does not address issues concerning the human rights of locals who are involved, and any new agreement must address this.

She is worried about the possible impact of the ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’ proposal, also known as REDD. The REDD scheme helps fund the preservation of native forests in developing countries, but Professor Craig says this could marginalise indigenous cultures living in their natural homelands.

Professor Craig says as forests become more valuable, governments and corporations will aim to drive out indigenous people who may not have the same constitutional rights or land tenure as other people in society. She says if this happens, many indigenous people that are already marginalised could become completely dispossessed.

Past Media Releases

• Professor Craig speaks at symposium on global sustainability

Media Interviews

For media interviews with Professor Craig, contact Kristy Gleeson, Office of Public Affairs.