Professor M Shawkat Alam is a Professor of International and Environmental Law at Macquarie Law School. He holds an LLB with Honours from Rajshahi University, an LLM from Dhaka University, and a PhD from Macquarie University.

Professor Alam’s teaching and research span the fields of international law, international environmental law, trade and environment law, human rights, and sustainable development. His work critically examines the legal, institutional, and policy frameworks shaping sustainable development, with a particular focus on the opportunities and challenges faced by developing countries.

His PhD thesis, Ecologically Sustainable Development and Free Trade: Pressing Issues for Developing Countries, explored the environmental impacts of international and regional trade law through the perspective of the Global South. Professor Alam has since become a leading voice in advancing scholarship on the intersections of trade law, environmental governance, and sustainable development.

Research and Publications

Professor Alam has an extensive body of work that includes numerous monographs, edited volumes, and journal articles addressing the dynamic relationships between international trade, sustainable development, human rights, and governance. His books both sole authored and collaborative include:

• Investment Protection, Human Rights and Biodiversity Conservation (Routledge, 2024)
• Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Global South: Strategies, Innovations and Challenges (2024, Hart Publishing)
• International Natural Resources Law, Investment and Sustainability (Routledge, 2017)
• International Environmental Law and the Global South (Cambridge University Press, 2016)
• International Trade Law and the WTO (Federation Press, 2013)
• Routledge Handbook of International Environmental Law (Routledge, 2012)
• Globalisation and the Quest for Social and Environmental Justice: The Relevance of International Law in an Evolving World Order (Routledge, 2010)
• Sustainable Development and Free Trade: Institutional Approaches (Routledge, 2008)

His scholarship continues to shape understanding of the role of international trade law in promoting sustainable development and advancing governance frameworks that support the Global South and marginalised communities.

Professor Alam has also published widely in leading academic journals, including:
Netherlands International Law Review, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review, Climate and Development, Journal of Business Ethics, Asian Journal of International Law, Journal of World Investment and Trade, Journal of Environment and Development, Marine Policy, Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law, and Journal of World Trade Law.

Professor Shawkat Alam’s research is at the forefront of understanding how international legal frameworks can drive sustainable and equitable global development. His work bridges multiple disciplines  international trade law, environmental governance, human rights, and public policy  with a strong emphasis on addressing the needs and perspectives of the Global South.

International Trade and the Environment

A major focus of Professor Alam’s scholarship lies in exploring how international trade regimes intersect with global environmental goals. His work examines both the opportunities and systemic barriers that developing countries face in aligning trade practices with climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and environmental justice. He is particularly concerned with ensuring that efforts to advance global environmental governance do not impose undue constraints on poverty alleviation and economic growth in vulnerable economies.

Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Governance

Professor Alam is a recognised authority on legal and institutional approaches to sustainable development. His research investigates how international economic law  including trade, investment, and natural resource governance can be restructured to foster equitable and sustainable outcomes for marginalised communities. He contributes to debates on balancing investment protection with environmental and social safeguards, and on integrating human rights considerations into global sustainability efforts.

Governance, Law Reform, and Capacity Building

Strengthening governance and institutional capacity is a core theme of Professor Alam’s research. He analyses how transparent, accountable legal frameworks can support effective environmental and social governance, particularly in developing countries. His work spans issues such as forest governance, corporate responsibility, regional cooperation, and transboundary environmental challenges, with a consistent focus on legal reforms that empower inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies.

Broader Interests

Professor Alam’s broader research interests include public international law, international environmental law, World Trade Organization (WTO) law, foreign investment law, human rights, and the evolving dynamics of globalisation and global governance.

Professor M Shawkat Alam brings over two decades of academic experience in legal education, with expertise spanning both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across 19 distinct law courses. Prior to joining Macquarie Law School, he taught in the LLB programs at Rajshahi University and Dhaka University in Bangladesh.

At Macquarie, Professor Alam has convened and taught a wide array of foundational and specialised units, including International Law, Environmental law and Sustainable Development, International Human Rights Law, International Trade Law, International Environmental Law, Trade and Environment Law, Local Government Law, Environmental Law and Corporate Regulation, and Law, Lawyers and Society. He also leads advanced legal research units such as the Legal Research unit, Journal unit, and Special Interest Project.

His interdisciplinary teaching extends beyond the Law School, contributing to units such as Business Law (Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance), Politics of International Human Rights Law, and Politics of International Law (Department of Politics and International Relations).

Professor Alam demonstrates leadership in teaching innovation and practice through curriculum development, Higher Degree Research (HDR) supervision, and mentoring of both junior colleagues and students. His teaching is strongly research-informed and internationally recognised for its academic rigor and practical relevance.

Dr Alam  demonstrated his leadership in teaching policy and practice through curriculum development, HDR supervision and as a mentor for junior colleagues and students. His teaching is research-led and has been recognised both within the University and externally by  peers and through his international engagement. 

Teaching Philosophy and Practice: Prof Alam's teaching philosophy incorporates three interconnected strategies: active student-focused learning and teaching, cultivating the teaching-research nexus, and distributed leadership.

• LAWS5060- Environmental Law

• LAWS8055- Environmental Law and Sustainable Develoopment 
• LAWS8052- Trade and Environment Law
• LAWS8015- International Law
• LAWS 8089- International Trade Law
• LAWS 5010-International Trade Law

Dr Shawkat Alam has proven leadership capabilities and has actively engaged in several internal and external leadership roles as well as previous Dean of Macquarie Law School. Since 2012, Dr Shawkat Alam was the Director for the Centre for Environmental Law and formulated the Centre’s strategic direction, research agenda and community engagement in its formative years. More recently, Dr Shawkat Alam contributes to the Centre for Environmental Law as a member of its Advisory Board. In addition, Dr Shawkat Alam was Director for Postgraduate Programs, Director of Higher Degree Research, and Director of International Engagement at Macquarie Law School. Dr Alam also served as Co-Editor in Chief for the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Journal, Co-Chair for the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law’s Teaching and Capacity Building Committee. Prof Alam is currently on the Editorial Board of the Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law (RECIEL).

Professor Shawkat Alam has an outstanding track record in HDR recruitment, supervision and completions. He has attracted a large number of high quality domestic and international HDR candidates to the Law School.  Prof Alam has successfully implemented a holistic model of research engagement that brings together key aspects of academic work – teaching, research, supervision and engagement – in a complementary fashion. His approach to supervision has yielded the most productive HDR supervision practice in his department, with an exemplary record of timely completions. A number of his candidates have received awards and have pursued impressive academic and professional careers. He was recognised in 2012 by a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Higher Degree Research, and received awards from the Faculty of Arts for Excellence in Supervision in 2012 and 2017, Building an Inclusive Research Culture in 2011, and Encouraging Candidate Publications in 2010. 

Areas of Supervision Interests

I welcome supervision of MRes and PhD projects across a broad cluster of interconnected areas, including climate change law and governance; biodiversity conservation; marine pollution and ocean governance; foreign investment and sustainable development; and the legal protection of natural and cultural heritage. I also have strong interests in sustainable development law and policy, particularly in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the linkages between trade and the environment, including WTO law and sustainable development. Further areas of focus include international human rights law; transnational environmental regulation; international trade law and global economic governance; and the role of multinational corporations in advancing or undermining social and environmental justice.

I am especially keen to supervise research that adopts critical, interdisciplinary, and Global South-oriented perspectives on international development, transnational governance, and the evolving landscape of international and environmental law.

Current Supervisions 

Primary Supervisor 

• Asanka Edirisinghe, 'Integration of a Legal Personhood and Rights of Nature Approach in the Legal Framework of Srilanka for the Protection of Rivers against Pollution' (PhD).
• Ethan Beringen, 'Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Examining the Interation between International Fisheries Law and International Biodiversity Law for the Anthropocene Context' (PhD).
• Jiliang Chen, ' Acheiving Coservation and Sustainable Use in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ): Lessons from Regional Frameworks and Best Practices' (PhD).

Recent PhD Completions (Principal Supervisor)

• Paul Govind, Thesis Title, 'Towards an Ethic of Responsibility in Planning Law' (PhD).
• Zara Bending, Thesis Title, 'Governing the International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: How the law of treaties and rules of the WTO contend with the trade in rhino horn' (PhD).
• Rhys Manley, Thesis Title, 'Human Development Implications of Trade in Financial Services: A Capability Approach' (PhD).
• Md. Saif Uddin Ahammad, Thesis Title, 'Implementation of Trade Facilitation Framework under the WTO: An Assessment of National Regulatory Framework in Bangladesh' (PhD).
• Umme Sharaban Tahura, Thesis Title, 'Facilitating Access to Justice: Managing the Cost of Litigation in the Subordinate Courts of Bangladesh'(PhD).
• Sheikh Mohammad Towhidul Karim, Thesis Title, 'Improving Patient Safety in Healthcare in Bangladesh': Opportunities and Challenges' (PhD).
• Md. Abdul Mannan, Thesis Title, 'Law, Policy and Institutional Frameworks for Civil Service Reform in Bangladesh: Challenges and Opportunities' (PhD).
•  Abdullah Al Arif, Thesis Title, 'Achieving Sustainable Management of Marine Fisheries in Bangladesh: A Legal and Policy Analysis' (PhD).
•   Badiul Alam, Thesis Title, 'Governance of Multilateral Climate Funds and their Access through Legal, Policy and Institutional Frameworks: Opportunities and Challenges for Bangladesh' (PhD).
•  Najnin Begum, Thesis Title, 'Participatory Forest Governance for Sustainable Forest Management: Opportunities and Challenges in Bangladesh' (PhD). 
• Kirsten Davies, Thesis Title, 'HUMAN-NATURE: Can Traditional Customary Law Contribute to Climate Change adaptation? A South Pacific Study' (PhD).
• Peerapon Jaderojananont, Thesis Title, 'The Cooperative Management and Conservation of Transboundary Heritage Sites in the Southeast Asia Region' (PhD).
• Sheikh Noor Mohammad, Thesis Title, 'An Evaluation of the Integration of Ecosystem Based Approach in Legal and Policy Framework for the Sustainable Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem: A Case Study of the Sundarbans of Bangladesh' (PhD).
• S M Atia Naznin, Thesis Title, 'Judging the Right to Housing: Towards an Appropriate Judicial Remedy in Litigations on Forced Slum Evictions in Bangladesh' (PhD). 
• Muhammad Towhid Islam, Thesis Title, 'The TRIPs Agreement of the WTO: Implications and Challenges for Bangladesh' (PhD).
• Sharmin Jahan Tania, Thesis Title, 'The Interface between Market Access and Sustainable Development: Implications for Sustainable Development for Least Developed Countries' (PhD).
• Mia Mahmudur Rahim, Thesis Title, 'Corporate Social Responsibility: Small and Medium Enterprises, Challenges and Options' (PhD).
• Yuri Suzuki, Thesis Title, 'Regional Legal Framework on ABS (Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing) in Small Islands Developing Countries in the South Pacific Region' (PhD).
• Tanzim Afroz, Thesis Title, 'Legal Framework for Coastal Zone Management in Bangladesh' (PhD).
• Pradip Royhan, Thesis Title, 'The Interface between the Environmental and Health Related Requirements and Market Access: The Challenges for the Least Developed Countries' Market Access under WTO' (PhD).
• Charu Sharma, Thesis Title, 'Civil Liability for Environmental Damage: An Analysis of Environmental Claims under Private and Public Law in India' (PhD) (completed).
• Shireen Daft, Thesis Title, 'The Relationship between Human Security Discourse and International Law: A Principled Approach' (PhD).
• Laely Nurhidayah, Thesis Title, 'Transboundary Haze Pollution in ASEAN Region: An Assessment of Regional and National Legal Framework in Indonesia' (PhD).

PhD, Masters of Research completions as Associate Supervisor

• Ummey Tahura, Thesis Title, 'Case Management in Reducing Backlog: Potential Adaptation from the NSW District Court to the Bangladeshi Civil Trial Courts' (MPhil).
• Hau Nguyen, Thesis Title, 'Vietnamese Corporate Governance Mechanisms Through Transplanting Australian Corporate Governance' (PhD).
• Nadira Sultana, Thesis Title, 'A Critical Exploration of Policy and Practice Pertaining To Climate Justice, Sustainable Development And Gender Mainstreaming: A Case Study of Bangladesh' (PhD).
• Nakib Mohammad Nasrullah, Thesis Title, 'Corporate Social Responsibility in Bangladesh: The Concerns of Private Enterprises' (MPhil).
• Harold Baroi, Thesis Title, 'The Right to Information Act: Issues & Challenges of its Implementation in Bangladesh', (PhD).
• Rizwanul Islam, Thesis Title, 'Trade Cooperation within SAARC and Possibility of Integration: A Historical, Legal and Economic Perspective' (PhD).
• Trish Blazey, Thesis Title, 'The Value of Carbon Sinks in Mitigating Green House Gas Emissions' (PhD).
• Shima Zaman, Thesis Title, 'Mainstreaming Human Rights Issues in the WTO Agreements: A New Era to Enforce Human Rights Obligation in International Trade' (PhD).
• Jakerul Abedin, Thesis Title, 'International Watercourses Law and the Utilisation of Fresh Water Resources in the Ganges Basin' (PhD).
• Natalia Rodriguez Uribe, Thesis Title, 'Rights-Based Environmental Protection in Colombia: Implementation Challenges in Environmental and Cultural Diversity Issues' (PhD).
• Mostafa Mahmud Naser, Thesis Title, 'Climate Change and Forced Migration' (PhD).
• Iman Prihandono, Thesis Title, 'Violation of International Human Rights Law by TNCs in Indonesia: The Prospect of Transnational Litigation' (PhD).

Research Projects, Capacity Building Training and Research Consultancy

Professor Shawkat Alam has a substantial record of providing subject matter expertise (SME), research consultancy, and capacity building across high-impact projects and executive training initiatives. His engagements span partnerships with a range of governments including the Australian Government (DFAT), the Government of Bangladesh, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand as well as with international organisations such as the British Council (Bangladesh), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Professor Alam’s work supports capacity building for developing countries to engage more effectively with the international trade regime; empowers mid- and senior-level government officials and policymakers to strengthen governance of natural resources and environmental management; and enhances institutional understanding of the interlinkages between trade, sustainable development, and human rights. These contributions are underpinned by his proven project management capabilities and longstanding collaborative partnerships with both public and private sector stakeholders. Drawing on his expertise in international law, governance, and sustainable development, Professor Alam delivers informed, pragmatic solutions to complex global challenges, with clarity, precision, and a commitment to practical impact.

Professor Shawkat Alam has cultivated an extensive network of collaborative relationships with peer researchers, academic institutions, professional associations, policymakers, government agencies, private sector stakeholders, and community-based organisations. His engagement spans multiple regions, with particular depth across South and Southeast Asia. He has built strong institutional linkages with the Governments of Bangladesh and Indonesia, contributing to capacity-building initiatives, policy development, and international research collaborations. His work with organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the British Council, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reflects a commitment to translating research into practice and informing policy innovation. In addition to regional networks, Professor Alam collaborates widely with universities and research institutions in Australia, North America, Europe, and the Global South, fostering a transnational dialogue on sustainable development, environmental governance, international trade, and social justice.