Gareth Edwards

I am a geographer working at the intersection of political ecology and environmental justice. My research is concerned with understanding and theorizing justice in the context of environmental governance dilemmas. I have contributed to debates around the neoliberalization of nature (particularly water), the urban politics and governance of climate change, the politics of climate justice and questions around just transitions from coal in the context of climate change.

I have a PhD in human geography from the University of Sydney, and have worked in the Department of Geography at Durham University, the Department of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews, and the School of International Development at UEA.

My research examines how issues of justice permate through environmental and climate governance. Following a PhD which examined the social construction of water scarcity and neoliberalization of water governance in Australia, I have worked predominantly on climate change, particularly urban climate governance, environmental justice and climate justice.

In 2021-23 I held a Leverhulme International Fellowship to explore justifications for ongoing coal extraction in Australia and India. I also led a British Academy-funded project ‘A just transition away from coal in Australia’ which examined what just transition means and the challenges to achieving a just transition away from coal in Australia, and how to reframe just transition ideas in ways which stimulate productive discussions between different stakeholders and communities.

I was previously Director of the undergraduate 'BA Geography and International Development' degree programme. At the postgraduate level my teaching focussed on modules related to my research interests such as 'Climate Change and Development' and 'Political Ecology'.