Kate Owens is an Associate Professor in Environmental Law at the University of Sydney Law School and Director of the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law. She is also the Co-theme Lead of the Transformative Governance research theme at the Sydney Environment Institute.
Kate is an expert in climate, environmental and water law and governance. Her research focuses on how legal frameworks can foster inclusion, innovation, and cooperation to drive large-scale decarbonisation, climate adaptation and equitable water reallocation. Her work integrates theories of experimentalism, innovation, deliberative democracy, justice, risk and regulation, which she applies across international, transnational and national contexts.
Kate is also a member of the New South Wales Law Society’s Expert Working Group on Climate Change, which provides guidance on the legal profession’s response to climate-related risks and regulatory developments.
