Dr James Prest
Areas of expertise
- Environmental And Natural Resources Law 180111
Research interests
environmental law and litigation (particularly comparative research relating to climate change and the law, energy law, biodiversity law), regulatory theory, compliance and enforcement, clinical legal education.
Researcher's projects
1. Australia’s Solar Shutdown: The Untimely Demise of Feed-in Tariff Laws in Australia, paper in preparation documenting amendments to FIT laws in Australia, analysing future of renewable energy support at State level in the context of a national carbon price and review of the RET under the Federal Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth).
2. Against the Wind: Planning Law Barriers to Wind Farm Development in Australia (Expansion of submission (2011) Submission to Senate Community Affairs References Committee, Inquiry into the Social and Economic Impact of Rural Wind Farms).
3. Reforming Planning Law for Wind Energy in Australia and the United States: A Comparative Review, (Based on paper given at Yale (2010) “Fast Tracking Versus Public Participation? Planning Law for Wind Energy Development: Weighing Global Benefits Against Local Impacts” Yale 2nd UNITAR/Yale 2010 Conference on Environmental Governance and Democracy Strengthening Institutions to Address Climate Change and Advance a Green Economy, Law School, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 17-19 September. Article focusses on planning law in NSW, Victoria and compares these with Texas and South Dakota.
4. Regulating Mercury Emissions from Conventional Electricity Generation in Australia, research project since February 2012 at ANU Centre for Climate Law and Policy. Principal Investigator.
5. Comparing United States and Australian Approaches to Regulating Mercury Emissions from Conventional Electricity Generation. Project since February 2012 at ANU Centre for Climate Law and Policy. Principal Investigator.
Current student projects
Current Research Students (at April 2012)
Roger Ilitch (PhD Candidate) (Chair of Panel), Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Laws: an Internationally Comparative Study of Crime in the Carbon Markets, commenced February 2012.
Glen Wright (PhD Candidate) (Chair of Panel), Marine Renewable Energy: Designing a regulatory framework for an abundant renewable energy resource, commenced February 2012.
Past student projects
HDR Students Greg Buckman “'Renewable Electricity Support Policy: Lessons for Australia From Overseas Experience' (PhD) (Adviser), (Submitted January 2011) ; Later published as “'The Effectiveness of Renewable Portfolio Standard banding and carve-outs in supporting high-cost types of renewable electricity' 2011, vol. 39 (7) Energy Policy 4105-4114. Angela Dwyer 'Uncertainty, Precaution and [Species] Listing in Australia: A Key to the Anteroom' (Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD), submitted S2, 2009) (Chair of Panel) LLB Honours students Charlotte Hanson (2011) – “Regulating the Known Unknowns: How Environmental Uncertainty is Addressed in the Regulation of the Coal Seam Gas Industry in Queensland and New South Wales” (Sem 2, 2011)
Byron Fay (2011) – Environmental Clinical Education (“Beckoning the age of the public interest environmental law sector: The key to public enforcement of environmental standards in NSW”, Sem1, 2011) Claude Walker (2011) – “The Legal Framework for Geothermal Energy: Stimulating Development through Law and Law Reform” (Sem2, 2011) Josh Prentice “Making Effective Use of Australia's Natural Resources ; The Record of Australian Renewable Energy Law in the International Context” (Hons. S1, 2010), published as “Making Effective Use of Australia's Natural Resources – The Record of Australian Renewable Energy Law under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth) Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review 1/2011: pp. 5-16 [Article] Martin King, “Wasted Opportunities: Non-technical barriers to increased uptake of municipal solid waste to electricity technology under Commonwealth and NSW Law”, Semester 1, 2011.
Publications
- Faunce, T, Prest, J, Su, D et al 2018, 'On-grid batteries for large-scale energy storage: Challenges and opportunities for policy and techonology', MRS Energy & Sustainability, vol. 5, no. E11, pp. 12pp.
- Prest, J 2018, 'Australian Renewable Energy Law: Carbon Lock-in or Clean Energy Transition?', Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 45-67.
- Prest, J 2015, 'Sustainability', in Camilla Taylor (ed.), ACT Environmental Law Handbook 3rd Edition, Environmental Defenders' Office, Canberra, ACT, pp. 221-249pp.
- Prest, J 2015, Submission to Senate Select Committee Inquiry into Wind Turbines.
- Prest, J 2012, 'The Future of Feed-in Tariffs: Capacity Caps, Scheme Closures and Looming Grid Parity', Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, vol. 1/2012, pp. 25-41.
- Prest, J 2011, 'Forests Law', in David Farrier and Paul Stein (ed.), The Environmental Law Handbook: planning and land use in NSW (5th ed), Thomson Reuters, Sydney Australia, pp. 533-571pp.
- Prest, J 2011, 'Summary: Law and Policy to Advance Renewable Energy - A Comparative Colloquium', Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, vol. 2, pp. 171-177.
- Prest, J 2011, 'Editorial', Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, vol. 2, no. 2011, pp. 89-90.
- Prest, J 2010, Submission to Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Inquiry into National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010.
- Prest, J 2008, Submission to Senate Inquiry into the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Feed-In Tariff) Bill.
- Prest, J 2010, 'The Australian Capital Territory and the Gungahlin Drive Freeway', in Tim Bonyhady and Andrew Macintosh (ed.), Mills, Mines and Other Controversies: The Environmental Assessment of Major Projects, The Federation Press, Sydney, pp. 207-223.
- Prest, J 2009, 'Sustainability and the Law: Climate Change, energy and urban issues', in Kirsten Miller and Anne Rawson (ed.), ACT Environmental Law Handbook (2nd ed), Environment Defender's Office ACT Inc, Canberra, pp. 151-165.
- Prest, J 2009, 'A Dangerous Obsession with Least Cost? Climate Change, Renewable Energy Law and Emissions Trading', in Gumley, W. & Daya-Winterbottom, T. (ed.), Climate Change Law: Comparative, Contractual & Regulatory Considerations, Thomson Reuters, Pyrmont, Australia, pp. 179-205.
- Prest, J 2008, 'Australia', in Cyril F. Kormos (ed.), A Handbook on International Wilderness Law and Policy, Fulcrum Books, Golden, Colarado, pp. 56-89.
- Prest, J 2007, 'The Bald Hills Wind Farm Debacle', in Tim Bonyhady and Peter Christoff (ed.), Climate Law in Australia, The Federation Press, Australia, pp. 230-261.
- Prest, J 2007, 'Council Officer Prosecuted for Biodiversity Offences (Casenotes)', Local Government Law Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1-11.
- Prest, J 2006, 'Forestry Law', in David Farrier and Paul Steiin (ed.), Environmental Law Handbook (4th ed), Redfern Legal Centre Publishing, Sydney, pp. 440-443.
- Prest, J 2004, 'The Forgotten Forests: The Regulation of Forestry on Private Land in NSW 1997-2002', in Daniel Lunney (ed.), Conservation of Australia's Forest Fauna (2nd ed), Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Sydney Australia, pp. 297-330.
- Prest, J 2004, The Forgotten Forests: The Regulation of Forestry on Private Land in New South Wales Between 1997 and 2002, 01/01/2004.
- Prest, J 2001, 'Land Clearing Approval Rates in NSW', in Williams, J., C. Read, A. Norton, S. Dovers, M Burgman, W Proctor and H Anderson (ed.), Australia State of the Environment Report 2001, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra ACT, p. 42.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Scoping opportunities for integration of gas and electricity networks in the Australian Capital Territory (Secondary Investigator)
- Optimal Microgrid Design and Operations Tool (Secondary Investigator)
- Overcoming Legal and Governance Barriers to Clean Energy in Indonesia and Australia (Primary Investigator)
