Kia ora. G’day. Welkom.

To what extent and how can local and global sustainability transitions be designed, planned and governed? What strategies are required for government and others to scale urban climate action? How can we achieve healthy, inclusive and regenerative cities without the traditional force of law?

I am Professor of Public Governance at the Victoria University of Wellington, School of Government and Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, School of Regulation and Global Governance. My research aims to help find suitable local, national and international governance responses to some of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change, resource depletion, and growing inequalities across the world population.

I research how the transition towards climate-resilient, sustainable and regenerative cities can be governed best. I have led several international comparative research projects on urban climate governance involving cities from developed economies and low- and middle-income countries.

These projects map, explore, and interrogate what governance trajectories are most promising to accelerate the transition to environmentally sustainable and resilient cities. Publications resulting from these projects include Governance for Urban Sustainability and Resilience (Edward Elgar, 2014, monograph), Innovations in Urban Climate Governance (Cambridge University Press, 2017, monograph), and Urban Climate Politics: Agency and Empowerment (Cambridge University Press, 2019; edited with Bulkeley and Certomà).

I am also interested in understanding how individuals and collectives can self-govern and be governed towards desirable societal ends. In my current role as Chair in Regulatory Practice, I actively collaborate with the Aotearoa/New Zealand government to improve the design and implementation of regulatory governance in various policy areas. This involves upskilling government staff through various training programs, a blog, and a YouTube channel. My current position also allows me to give practical advice on urban climate governance as a (past) member of the Building Advisory Panel of the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, and the Regulatory Service Stakeholder Reference Group of the City of Auckland.

I have published widely on climate governance, regulatory governance and their interaction, including the abovementioned books and over 75 peer-reviewed articles in leading academic journals. In addition, I act as Associate Editor of the journal Earth Systems Governance; Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning; Editorial Board Member of Environmental Hazards; and Editorial Board Member of Buildings & Cities.

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Contact

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Curriculum Vitae and publications

I aim to keep this website current. The last major update was carried out in January 2023. Please download my CV and overview of publications for the most recent updates.