Law School: Events

Restoration Law and Finance Conference: Legal and Financial Obstacles to Rehabilitation, Rehydration and Regeneration of Land and Water and Options for Reform
2026-03-29 02:10 (Australia/Sydney) | Law Foyer, Level 2
Restoration Law and Finance Conference: Legal and Financial Obstacles to Rehabilitation, Rehydration and Regeneration of Land and Water and Options for Reform
In-person event

The Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law at Sydney Law School invites you to Australia’s inaugural â€˜Restoration Law and Finance Conference’ on Thursday and Friday, 7 & 8Â December 2023.
The Australian Federal Government has committed to â€˜preventing, halting and reversing the loss of nature’ by signing up to The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, publishing the Nature Positive Plan (2022) and introducing the Nature Market Repair Bill (2023). As stated in the recently released Independent Review of the NSW Biodiversity Act 2016, chaired by Ken Henry, it is time to move â€˜beyond biodiversity conservation to a â€œnature positiveâ€ framing that emphasises the need to repair past damage and to take urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, putting nature on a path to recovery, so that thriving ecosystems can support future generations’.
To achieve this, legal and financial barriers to restoration need to be addressed urgently.
Through a series of keynotes, presentations and panel discussions, the conference will bring together a diverse range of speakers, including Indigenous experts, lawyers, investors, restoration practitioners and government officials to discuss the legal and financial barriers to restoring nature across a range of land tenures, and workable solutions to address these issues. Federal initiatives for nature positive repair are unlikely to succeed unless these challenges are confronted head on.
Speakers include: Dr Justine Bell-James (Associate Professor, University of Queensland Law School); Dr Gerry Bates (University of Sydney); Dr Louise Camenzuli (Partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth); Dr Emma Carmody (Restore Blue); Rohan Clarke (Regen Farmers Mutual); Raeleen Draper (Senior Natural Environment Project Officer (Blue Heart), Sunshine Coast Council); Veda FitzSimonsÂ (Associate Director, Pollination); Carolyn Hall (CEO and Managing Director, The Mulloon Institute);Â Dr Ken HenryÂ (Economist, Non-Executive Director of the Australian Securities Exchange, Cape York Partnership and Accounting for Nature Ltd.); Fiachra Kearney (Forever Wild); Stella Kondylas (The Nature Conservancy); Jock Mackenzie (EarthWatch); Grantley Smith (Restore Blue); Heidi Mippy (Noongar and This-Man-Warriyangka woman, Curtin University); Associate Professor Brad Moggridge (University of Canberra);Â Stephen Murphy (Conservation Partners); Claire Smith (Partner, Clayton Utz);Â Professor Ben Richardson (University of Tasmania Law School); James Trezise (Biodiversity Conservation Council); Laura Waterford (Director, Pollination);Â Cassandra Stevens (Director, Kullilli Bulloo River Aboriginal Corporation)

View the program and read speaker bios here (Updated 7 December 2023)

Thursday 7 – Friday 8 December 2023
Venue:Â Law Foyer, Level 2, New Law Building (F10), University of Sydney, Camperdown campus

This event is hosted by the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law (ACCEL) at Sydney Law School and is proudly supported by Mills Oakley.

ACCEL Distinguished Speaker Address and Panel Discussions: Legal accelerants for climate action: taking stock for COP28
2026-03-29 02:10 | Law Lounge, Level 1
ACCEL Distinguished Speaker Address and Panel Discussions: LegalÂ accelerantsÂ for climate action: taking stock for COP28
In-person event
Climate action is more urgent than ever. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached its highest point in at least two million years, and climate change is causing widespread, and unequal, adverse impacts on nature and people (IPCC, 2023) .Â In order to limit global warming to 1.5Â°C above pre-industrial levels and prevent the worst impacts, developed countries must reach net zero by 2040, and emerging economies by 2050. Despite this, current policies will lead to a 2.8Â°C temperature rise by 2100.Â In a time when we should be accelerating our efforts, we backslide.Â
In November, leaders will gather at COP28 for the first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement. The process for preparing the next cycle of Nationally Determined Contributions will also be launched.Â
This event will bring together leading researchers and professionals ahead of the COP to provide insights on how to conceptualise, develop and implement legal and governance tools to accelerate deep decarbonisation, adaptation and address loss and damage, on a whole of economy basis. Against the backdrop of the UN’s 2023 Acceleration Agenda, experts will discuss the various dimensions of legal acceleration to ensure a more equitable transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient global economy.
The 2023 ACCEL Distinguished Address will be delivered by Dr Ian Fry, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. Dr Fry will discuss important human rights and justice dimensions of the UN’s Acceleration Agenda, including the need to integrate human rights standards and principles into accelerated climate action.Â
The Distinguished Address will be supported by a series of panels in which leading experts will discuss the role and potential of legal accelerants in the context of climate finance, climate litigation, law and nature and the law of the sea. Speakers include Frances Anggadi (University of Wollongong), David Barnden (Equity Generation Lawyers), Gareth Bryant (University of Sydney), Zoe Bush (Environmental Defenders Office), Emma Carmody (Restore Blue),Â Arjuna Dibley (Sustainable Finance Hub, University of Melbourne), Dominique Hogan-Doran SC (5 Wentworth), Tim Stephens (University of Sydney), Zoe Whitton (Pollination) andÂ Rachel Walmsley (Environmental Defenders’ Office).
Draft schedule
8.30amÂ Registration
9.00am:Â Welcome and opening remarks
9.15am: Legal acceleration and the role of climate litigation
Speakers:Â Dominique Hogan-Doran SC (5 Wentworth),Â David Barnden (Equity Generation Lawyers) andÂ Zoe Bush (Environmental Defenders Office)
10.30am: Morning tea
11amÂ Climate finance and accelerated climate action
Speakers:Â Arjuna Dibley (Sustainable Finance Hub, University of Melbourne),Â Gareth Bryant (University of Sydney) and Kate Owens (ACCEL)
12.30pmÂ Lunch
1.30pmÂ Â Nature restoration and the acceleration agenda
Speakers: Gerry Bates (University of Sydney),Â Emma Carmody (Restore Blue),Â Rachel Walmsley (Environmental Defenders’ Office), Rachel Killean (Chair, University of Sydney)
3.00pmÂ Afternoon tea
3.30pmÂ Climate change and the Law of the Sea
Speakers: Ian Fry (Special Rapporteur), Tim Stephens (University of Sydney),Â Â Frances Anggadi (University of Wollongong) and Chester Brown (Chair, University of Sydney)â€‚â€‚
5.00pmÂ Cocktail reception
5.30pmÂ 2023 ACCEL Distinguished Speaker Address: Human rights, climate justice and the UN Acceleration Agenda
Registration – now open

FullÂ day: $100
Panel DiscussionsÂ only: $70
2023 ACCEL Distinguished Speaker Address: $40

Student rates

Full day: $50
Panel Discussions only: $35
2023 ACCEL Distinguished Speaker Address: $20

Tuesday 31 October 2023
Venue:Â Law Lounge, Level 1, New Law Building Annex (F10A)

This event is hosted by the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law (ACCEL) at Sydney Law School.
