Jacqueline Lau

Jacqui is an environmental social scientist and DECRA Fellow. Her research is interdisciplinary and draws together a range of social science disciplines—including human geography, development studies, sociology, and conservation—to examine issues of environmental justice and change in coastal communities. She has worked collaboratively in the Pacific, East and West Africa to examine ecosystem services, the impact of shocks like COVID-19 on coastal communities, perceptions of fairness about the customary management of coral reefs, and issues of equity (including gender) in conservation and climate change policy. Her current research seeks to help coastal communities navigate just and sustainable futures by understanding how moral values shape adaptation to environmental change. Her 2023 ARC DECRA project will investigate the role of morals and moral framings in decisions about environmental change along the Great Barrier Reef coast.