Professor Don Henry AM

Melbourne Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism


Professor Don Henry AM is based in the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute as the ‘Melbourne Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism’.

Don's role is to stimulate and enhance public debate and policy by working with researchers, government, civil society, global institutions, and business. He provides leadership in the fields of environmental policy development and reform, climate change, and sustainability. Don is an International Board Member of The Climate Reality Project chaired by the Hon. Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States.

In 2018 Don was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) for his work in protecting Australia's native wildlife and environment.

His current engagement program is to support implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, negotiated by the global community in December 2015. This work aims to encourage greater ambition in its implementation and to build support for strengthened national commitments. Don and his team are highlighting the role of key strategic countries in the implementation of the Agreement, such as India, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.

Don is also leading work examining and encouraging Indigenous and conservation outcomes in Northern Australia and collaborative processes for forest protection and sustainable use in Victoria and Tasmania.

Previously Don has been CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation and WWF Australia, a Director of WWF US and the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland

Recent publications

Ben Parr, Mark Swilling and Don Henry (2018) 'The Paris Agreement and South Africa's just transition', MSSI Briefing Paper 10, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne.

Ben Parr, Matthew Paterson, and Don Henry (2017) ‘Opportunities and challenges for Canada to exceed its Paris Agreement target’, MSSI Briefing Paper 9, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne, August 2017.

Henry, D., Gore, A. (2016) 'Depending on the Final Yes: How global consciousness is driving change.' Griffith Review Edition 52: Imagining the Future. Eds Gleeson, B.J. and Schultz, J. Griffith Review & Text Publishing.

Parr, B., Young, CE. and Henry, D. (2017) 'Opportunities for a low pollution economic recovery in Brazil', MSSI Briefing Paper No. 8, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne.

Parr, B. and Henry, D. (2016), ‘A new starting point: China's eco-civilisation and climate action post-Paris, MSSI Briefing Paper No. 6, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne.

Parr, B., La ViƱa, A., and Henry, D. (2015) Philippines climate change agenda: high vulnerability! high ambition?’, MSSI Briefing Paper 4, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne.

Parr, B., and Henry, D. (2015) India’s rapid transition: The Modi government’s climate change and development plan’, MSSI Briefing Paper 3, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne.

Featured media releases

China moves towards ecological civilisation, Institute of International Affairs, August 2016

'Eco-civilisation' could help world meet Paris targets, Chinadialogue, August 2016

On alert: the Philippines and climate change, Pursuit, April 2016

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