'The Fight for Fairbourne': climate change and its impact on sea level rise. A commentary by Mark Hamilton

Authors

  • Mark Hamilton Australian Catholic University

Keywords:

climate change, climate refugees, green criminology, environmental harm, sea level rise

Abstract

Complexity in causation, complexity in impact (including a diversity of victims) and complexity in response, makes climate change a ‘wicked’ problem. One impact of climate change and associated sea level rise is the loss of villages to the sea, as Lowri Cunnington Wynn explores in this edition in relation to the Welsh village of Fairbourne. The residents of Fairbourne are indeed victim of environmental harm. This commentary arises from a review of Wynn’s important work, which contributes to green criminological literature through its recognition of harm that arises from both legal and illegal activity and the effect that such harm has on individuals and communities.

Author Biography

Mark Hamilton, Australian Catholic University

Mark Hamilton, is a lecturer with the Thomas More Law School at the Australian Catholic University, teaching in both the Law and Criminology programs. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Wollongong, a Master of Environmental Law and Master of Laws from the University of Sydney, a Master of Politics and Public Policy from Macquarie University, and a PhD in Law from the University of New South Wales (2019) which has been recently published as a book - Environmental Crime and Restorative Justice: Justice as Meaningful Involvement (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). His research interests include green criminology, environmental victims, and restorative justice and the intersection between these three areas. Before coming to academia, Mark worked as a tipstaff to a judge in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales (Australia), and later as a solicitor.

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Published

2022-07-08