In this conversation, César Rodríguez-Garavito (NYU Law) reflects on his fascinating academic career, explaining his drive to produce 'action research' that enables a positive impact for communities and the environment. He reflects on the balance between academic commitments and advocacy work (especially for Indigenous communities), the critical importance of distributed teams of collaborators, and his innovative approach to using art and multimedia to attract attention to an important cause. The discussion also covers the origins and evolution of the More-than-Human Life programme he leads at NYU, his hacks for personal career management, and advice for early career researchers seeking to make meaningful contributions beyond academia. Cristy and Liz round off with their environmental law updates, including international and transnational developments around climate change, river rights and the rights of nature, changes to fast track and climate legislation in Aotearoa New Zealand and environmental legislation in Australia, and the latest environmental case law developments from around the globe.

César Rodríguez-Garavito

Moth - More Than Human Life

Amphibious research

The Earth Rights Research & Action (TERRA NYU Law) - Center for Human Rights and Global Justice

The Thesis Whisperer

Ecuador’s Voters Protect Rights of Nature, Reject Proposal to Rewrite Constitution

Preservación ecosistémica: Por primera vez MOP declara reservas de aguas en cuencas de ríos Futaleufú y Puelo

Lady Tureiti Moxon’s human rights complaint accepted by the United Nations

New Zealand awarded dubious 'Fossil of the Day' at COP30 climate talks

Key-concerns-with-the-Fast-track-Approvals-Amendment-Bill.pdf 

EXPLAINER: Changes announced to the Climate Change Response Act 2002 

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In this episode of Law at the End of the World, we kick off our new ‘Research Skills Series’. In this first installment, Liz shares her extensive experience of obtaining and administering research funding in a practical, skills-focused discussion. She covers her grant history (successes and failures), key lessons about writing successful applications, common misconceptions, and the realities of managing and delivering grant-funded projects. Liz emphasises the importance of building relationships, writing for interdisciplinary audiences, and the significant administrative work involved in running grants. Cristy and Liz also discuss major environmental law developments including New Zealand's controversial marine and coastal legislation, Australia's upcoming EPBC amendments, climate litigation from Bonaire, and new research challenging the effectiveness of carbon offsets.

Marine law change angers Māori activist: 'We don't have any rights'

New marine protections in the Hauraki Gulf

Environmental Law Initiative v EPA

Government almost halves methane reduction target, farmers celebrate

Major changes to climate-related disclosures announced

Our Marine Environment 2025

Big shakeup for NZ's research funding

A/80/117: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation 

Webinar - Capacity Building on developing Amicus Curiae for the African Court's Advisory Opinion...

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In this episode we are joined by critical environmental law scholar Emily Jones to explore the intersections of environmental law, feminism, and academia. Emily discusses her personal journey into academia, the role of feminist theory in environmental law, and the implications of post-human feminism. She makes the case for including more-than-human-rights in the concept of future generations, and discusses the eay in which feminist legal theory can help everyone. We also discuss the importance of collaboration in academia, the intersection of doctrinal and critical legal approaches, and the challenges faced by scholars in navigating their careers. As usual, Cristy and I round off with recent developments in environmental law, including a new General Comment on economic, social, and cultural rights, and the increasing trend of climate litigation. We pay tribute to influential environmental leaders and discuss the implications of a wide range of environmental laws, from international treaties to managing local environmental challenges such as nitrate pollution.

Who Benefits – a spotlight on lobbying, influence and power

Emily Jones

No future for future generations: who is international environmental law for?

The Rights of Nature as a Legal Response to the Global Environmental Crisis?

Feminist Theory and International Law: Posthuman Perspectives

Posthuman Convergences: Transdisciplinary Methods and Practices

International Law and Posthuman Theory

Supreme Court - Ellis

74 countries have now ratified a landmark treaty to protect the high seas. Why hasn’t NZ?

Protecting orange roughy 

New findings on nitrates in rural drinking water

Fighting nitrate pollution in Canterbury:

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We would also like to acknowledge and thank our producer, Claire Burgess.

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Our guest for this episode is Alessandro Pelizzon, legal academic and author of Ecological Jurisprudence: The Law of Nature and the Nature of Law. We discuss the evolution of ecological jurisprudence, the importance of humility, the intersection of theory and practice, and the impact of utopian imaginings on legal paradigms. Liz and Cristy also highlight the critical role of language in legal scholarship - particularly in comparative contexts - reflecting on the significance of empirical methods in legal research and the need to understand the place-based and historical context of legal language. As usual, the episode finishes with our updates of recent developments environmental law, including some recent water law jurisprudence in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia's climate targets, and legislative reforms for access to nature in the UK.

Ecological Jurisprudence: The Law of Nature and the Nature of Law | SpringerLink 

ELI v ECAN and MHV

High Court finds errors in nitrogen discharge consent — but law changes protect polluters

Taking action on nitrate | Environment Canterbury

ECan declares ‘nitrate emergency’ amid drinking water concerns

For Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, we look at the journey of te reo Māori in our courts

Albanese unveils ‘responsible’ new climate target to slash emissions over next decade | Australian politics | The Guardian

Australia’s biggest gas project greenlit to 2070 with ‘partial’ protection for Indigenous rock art | Environment

National Climate Risk Assessment

Climate litigation against Holcim: decision draws closer 

Outdoors For All Report 

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We would also like to acknowledge and thank our producer, Claire Burgess.

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In this episode, Cristy Clark and Elizabeth Macpherson explore the intersections of climate change with the rights of children, future generations, and to care, as well as the question of how to have an impact as an academic. Our guest Aoife Nolan shares her journey into legal academia and beyond, discussing her commitment to children's rights and socio-economic justice. She explores the interconnections between austerity politics and rights, and her approach to balancing academic work with policy engagement. Aoife offers valuable advice for early career researchers on building networks and navigating their careers while maintaining balance and self-compassion, and also emphasises the need for later career academics to provide opportunities.

Liz and Cristy finish up by discussing new developments in environmental law, including recent case law related to climate change, Indigenous rights, and environmental law. The conversation also explores the recent Inter-American Court advisory opinion on the right to care, and consumer law's role in combating greenwashing.

Takutai Moana Victory for Ruapuke

Riverbeds' in Māori customary marine title

Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos

Posthuman Convergences

Climate Kids

A Critical Feminist Evaluation of Climate Adaptation Law

The Racial Discrimination Act at 50

Cooper v Minister for Environment and Water [2025] FCA 1009

Burrup Peninsula ruling

Court upholds DUH's lawsuit re Apple watches

Swiss Mitigation case

A Human Rights approach to the energy Just Transition

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In this episode of 'Law at the End of the World', hosts Elizabeth Macpherson and Cristy Clark interview Dr Erin O'Donnell, water law expert and author of 'Legal Rights for Rivers', about her journey from desert ecology to pioneering research on river personhood and Indigenous water justice.

Erin discusses her groundbreaking work on legal rights for rivers, her role on the Birrarung Council, the voice of Melbourne's Yarra River, and her current research exploring how treaty processes could address 'aqua nullius' and increase traditional owner power in water governance. The conversation covers research methodologies that prioritise Indigenous partnership and reciprocity, the temporality of relational governance, and practical approaches to recognising rivers as living entities. The episode concludes with updates on significant environmental law developments including the ICJ climate advisory opinion and recent legislative changes across jurisdictions.

Dr Erin O'Donnell 

The bill that will torch Māori-Crown relations

Response to the Government’s limitations on judicial review under the Fisheries Act

Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill 105-3 (2024))

Millewa-Mallee native title win gives traditional owners exclusive rights

Cowichan Tribes v. Canada

International Law and Posthuman Theory

The Māori values that make good sense in science

Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change

Inter-American Court of Human Rights Advisory Opinion

River Test Motion

Unyoke the Sciences From the Hum

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In this episode of 'Law at the End of the World', hosts Elizabeth Macpherson and Cristy Clark discuss the intersection of environmental law and human rights, and launch Cristy's new book, Legal Geographies of Water: The Spaces, Places and Narratives of Human-Water Relations.

Cristy and Liz explore the lessons from the wideranging water governance case studies in Cristy's groundbreaking book, including England and Wales, Flint and Detroit, Chile, South Africa, Manila and the Whanganui River in Aotearoa New Zealand across water commodification, financialisation and relationality. Their conversation emphasises the importance of community-led, grassroots water governance and Cristy makes the case for a fundamental reconceptualisation of human-water relationships to achieve more equitable water governance. The episode concludes with updates on latest developments in environmental law.

Show notes

Cristy CLARK

Legal Geographies of Water

Total chaos’ on Eurostar

Greenwashing renewable gas

Fracking legal challenge

Big Oil Wrongful Death

Shell oil pollution

Conservation without consent

Defossilizing our economies

Climate conscious lawyer

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In this episode of Law at the End of the World, hosts Cristy & Liz discuss updates in environmental law, focusing on the concept of ecocide and its implications for justice. 

Dr Rachel Killean joins to discuss how her experiences in Cambodia shaped her focus on transitional and environmental justice. She introduces her upcoming book, Green Transitional Justice   and reflects on the value of reparative approaches and curiosity in research. 

Show notes

• London Climate Action Week 
• Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread 
• Just Cause
• Government undermines regional powers to protect coastal biodiversity
• Wetland restoration is seen as sunk cost
• Biodiversity Credits, Stolen Land, and the Risk of Recolonising Aotearoa
• Episode 239: Legacies of Colonialism, Dr. Olivia Mason
• World’s first Indigenous-led ocean reserve
• Melanesian Ocean Reserve
• Woodside's gas extension: another legal challenge 
• Revealed: the astonishing emissions that will result from the North West Shelf project 
• Pabai Pabai & Anor v Commwealth of Australia
• Billy & others v. Australia

Would you like to leave us a comment about our show? send us a note here

Visit our podcast website - where you can find more information, including the show notes.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank our producer, Claire Burgess.

You can also find us on the following platforms:

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In this special episode of Law at the End of the World, we feature a discussion with leading ocean governance experts Dr Karen Fisher, Dr Emily Parke, Associate Professor Dan Hikuroa & Linda Faulkner. Recorded live during an event aligned with the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, they dive into the future of ocean law and governance.

Guests unpack the complexities of marine regulation, urging inclusive approaches that centre Indigenous knowledge, local perspectives, and western science. Liz and Cristy reflect through the lens of legal pluralism and share their hot takes on recent legal developments.

This one’s a little longer - feel free to dip into the parts that resonate (pun intended)

Show notes:

Tonga Rights of Whales 

Sustainable Seas

Rights of Nature: a Legal Response to the Environmental Crisis? 

Waka-Taurua

Ecocide

Raelene Cooper v Minister for Environment and Water (Fed Court)

Court battle to protect Murujuga

Handbook on Climate Litigation

Indigenous-led Rights-based Approaches to Climate Litigation

Ocean Decade

NZ Climate litigation

Māui & Hector’s dolphins 

Orange roughy case

EC v Spain

French Polynesia MPA

New Zealand must protect the ocean

NZ lags in protecting

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In this episode of Law at the End of the World, we’re joined by interdisciplinary water researcher Dr Aurora Kagawa-Viviani, who shares her journey navigating the complex, and often joyful, terrain of collaborative, community-based research. Aurora speaks to the importance of building relationships across university and community settings, integrating Indigenous knowledge systems, and maintaining balance between academic life and personal wellbeing.

Cristy and Liz discuss their own experiences in interdisciplinary legal research, sharing lessons learned from working across fields. The episode wraps up with hot takes on recent developments in environmental law.

Show notes:

Setting a pluralist agenda for water governance: Why power and scale matter

Global water systems: attention on power dynamics and scale mismatches

Frontiers Planet Prize winners

Aurora Kagawa-Viviani

EA acknowledges issues with “offsetting”

Scientist concerns over government interference with rock art report

Australia's largest gas project, approved for extension to 2070

Parents for Climate v EnergyAustralia

‘Carbon neutral’ is dead

Appeal rejected: the case of the Peruvian mountain guide Lliuya against RWE

Consultation on RMA national direction

EDS concerns over review of National Direction (RMA)

Carbon removals strategy MfE 

Jacinda Ardern, 2025 Yale Class Day Speaker

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Visit our podcast website - where you can find more information, including the show notes.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank our producer, Claire Burgess.

You can also find us on the following platforms:

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