Dr Chris McGrath
Associate Professor
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Adjunct Professor
Global Change Institute
Researcher biography
Dr McGrath joined The University of Queensland in 2010 to teach Environmental Regulation at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. After graduating from a BSc and LLB at UQ in 1998 he worked as an environmental officer for the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency. From 2000-2010 he practiced in Brisbane as a barrister specialising in environmental regulation. He has published extensively on environmental regulation in Queensland.
Publications
Books
McGrath, Chris Synopsis of the Queensland environmental legal system 7th ed. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Environmental Law Australia, 2020.
McGrath, Chris Synopsis of the Queensland environmental legal system 5th ed. East Brisbane, Qld., Australia: Environmental Law Publishing, 2011.
McGrath, Chris Does environmental law work?: how to evaluate the effectiveness of an environmental legal system. Saarbrücken , Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing, 2010.
Book Chapters
McGrath, Chris (2016). Laws affecting the environment. In Ana Oertel (Ed.), Queensland Law Handbook () Brisbane, Australia: Caxton Legal Centre.
McGrath, Chris (2016). The role played by policy objectives in environmental law. In Douglas Fisher (Ed.), Research handbook on fundamental concepts of environmental law (pp. 369-390) Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar. doi:10.4337/9781784714659
McGrath, Chris (2016). The role played by policy objectives in environmental law. In Research Handbook on Fundamental Concepts of Environmental Law (pp. 369-390) Cheltenham, Glos, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing . doi:10.4337/9781784714659
McGrath, Chris and Lucas, Nina (2014). Laws affecting the environment. In Ana Oertel and Aimee McVeigh (Ed.), The Queensland Law Handbook Edition 12: Your Practical Guide to the Law 12th ed. (pp. 445-478) New Farm, QLD, Australia: Caxton Legal Centre.
McGrath, Chris and Lucas, Nina (2011). The environment and the law. In J. McArdle (Ed.), The Queensland Law Handbook 11th ed. (pp. **-**) Brisbane, Australia: Caxton Legal Centre.
McGrath, Chris (2009). Laws affecting the environment. In Nicola Lusk (Ed.), The Queensland Law Handbook 10th ed. (pp. 476-510) Brisbane, Australia: Caxton Legal Centre.
Journal Articles
Christopher McGrath (2020) Identifying opportunities for climate litigation: a transnational claim by customary landowners in Papua New Guinea against Australia's largest climate polluter. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 37 1: 42-66.
Fidelman, Pedro, McGrath, Chris, Newlands, Maxine, Dobbs, Kirstin, Jago, Belinda and Hussey, Karen (2019) Regulatory implications of coral reef restoration and adaptation under a changing climate. Environmental Science and Policy, 100 221-229. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2019.04.016
Christopher McGrath (2019) Paris agreement goals slipping away and with them Australia's chance to save the Great Barrier Reef. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 36 1: 3-6.
Christopher McGrath (2019) Urgenda appeal is groundbreaking for ambitious climate litigation globally. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 36 1: 90-94.
Currell, Matthew J., Werner, Adrian D., McGrath, Chris, Webb, John A. and Berkman, Michael (2017) Problems with the application of hydrogeological science to regulation of Australian mining projects: Carmichael Mine and Doongmabulla Springs. Journal of Hydrology, 548 674-682. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.03.031
McGrath, Chris (2016) Myth drives Australian Government attack on standing and environmental “lawfare”. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 33 1: 3-20.
McGrath, Chris (2014) A critical evaluation of the One‐Stop Shop policy. Australian Environmental Law Digest, 1 .
McGrath, Chris (2014) One stop shop for environmental approvals a messy backward step for Australia. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 31 3: 164-191.
McGrath, Chris (2013, August 20). Environmental protection industry a job creator. , .
McGrath, Chris (2013, June 29). Opposition plan to surrender environmental approvals a messy backward step. , .
McGrath, Chris (2013) A reef under siege. Australian Geographic, 113: 37-37.
McGrath, Chris (2012) Mending holes in the green safety net. Precedent, 113: 4-8.
McGrath, Chris (2012) UNESCO/IUCN reactive monitoring mission report on the Great Barrier Reef. Australian Environment Review, 27 8: 253-257.
McGrath, Chris (2009) Australia’s draft climate laws. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 26 4: 267-291.
Beeton, R. J. S. and McGrath, C. (2009) Developing an approach to the listing of ecological communities to achieve conservation outcomes. The Australasian Journal of Natural Resources Law and Policy, 13 1: 61-92.
McGrath, Chris (2008) Flying foxes, dams and whales: using federal environmental laws in the public interest. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 25 5: 324-359.
McGrath, Chris (2008) Regulating greenhouse gas emissions from Australian coal mines. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 25 4: 240-262.
McGrath, Chris (2008) Injunction granted in Japanese whaling case. Environmental and Planning Law Journal, 25 2: 77-80.
Conference Paper
McGrath, Chris (2009). Regulating greenhouse gas emissions from Australian coal mines. In: Wayne Gumley and Trevor Daya-Winterbottom, Climate Change Law : Comparative, Contractual and Regulatory Considerations: Proceedings of the 2008 Conference of the National Environmental Law Association. 2008 National Conference of the National Environmental Law Association of Australia (NELA), Freemantle, Australia, (217-245). 2008.
Creative Work
McGrath, Chris (2015) Environmental Law Australia. Brisbane, Australia, Chris McGrath.
Research Reports
Fidelman, P., Newlands, M., McGrath, C. and Hussey, K. (2019) Reef restoration and adaptation program: regulatory framework Townsville, QLD, Australia: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Fidelman, P., Newlands, M., McGrath, C. and Hussey, K. (2019) Reef restoration and adaptation program: regulatory assessment findings Townsville, QLD, Australia: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Holmes, Glen, McGrath, Chris, Larsen, Josh, Hockings, Marc and Moss, Patrick T. (2014) Fish habitat connectivity case study: Lower Fitzroy River basin. Review of coastal ecosystem management to improve the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Townsville, QLD, Australia: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Larsen, Joshua, Leon, Javier, McGrath, Chris and Trancoso, Ralph (2013) Review of the catchment processes relevant to the Great Barrier Reef region Townsville, QLD, Australia: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Holmes, Glen, McGrath, Chris, Larsen, Josh, Hockings, Marc and Moss, Patrick T. (2013) Development case study: Baffle basin. Review of coastal ecosystem management to improve the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Townsville, QLD, Australia: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority