Dr. Colin Hunt

Faculty, Environmental Policy and Socio-economics
The School for Field Studies
North Queensland, Australia
Member Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA

Biographical sketch: Colin is lecturer in Environmental Policy and Socio-economics at the School for Field Studies, Australia, a study abroad program in Far North Queensland with Head Office in Salem Mass. and, as such, is a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Boston University. He trained and practiced as an agricultural scientist and economist before receiving his PhD in 2004 from Flinders University for a thesis on the spatial, economic and institutional implications of the introduction of ecologically sustainable development in the Cairns region of Queensland, Australia. He has published extensively on the management of marine and forest resources and ecosystems, and books include Pacific Development Sustained - Policies for Pacific Environments and Production Privatisation and Preservation in Papua New Guinea Forestry (ed.). His research focus is on issues of climate change mitigation and presently on the ecological and economic implications of payments for bio-sequestered carbon, both global and local. He was a founder member of the Australian Society of Ecological Economics in 1992.

Candidate Statement: Colin has a wealth of experience in working in South and South-east Asia and the Pacific region as well as Australia. He therefore can relate to the need to tackle the profound issues of economic and ecological sustainability in developing countries. His long-term interest in ecological economics has led to an interest in the raison dêtre of ecological economics vis a vis environmental economics and related disciplines. This interest together with his location in Australia and his experience internationally would bring a useful orientation to the Board's deliberations and policies.