University of Exeter expert appointed to Office for Environmental Protection’s “College of Experts”
Dr Caine is an expert in environmental law, planning law, and energy law
University of Exeter researcher Dr Catherine Caine been appointed to the Office for Environmental Protection’s newly formed College of Experts.
Dr Caine will support the Office for Environmental Protection in its role to protect and improve the environment by providing expert insight and advice.
The Office for Environmental Protection is a non-departmental public body which was created in 2021 by the Environment Act 2021 to protect and improve the natural environment by holding government and other public bodies to account. Their work covers England and Northern Ireland. The College of Experts will be called upon to provide expertise on an unpaid basis.
Dr Caine said: “It’s an honour to be selected for this role. I closely follow and analyse changes in environmental law and policy and I believe that my expertise in this area will help the Office for Environmental Protection in their important work to protect and improve the environment.”
Dr Caine is an expert in environmental law, planning law, and energy law. She has recently carried out research into the impact of environmental impact assessment and habitat protection legislation on offshore renewable energy planning, the way in which UK courts use scientific evidence in Habitats Directive decisions, and the regulation of heat networks in the UK.
Members of the College of Experts bring a high level of academic and practitioner experience to add insight, diversity of experience and challenge to the work of the OEP. Their appointment will help the OEP to have better access to specialists and a broad evidence base, identify key areas of research interest and bolster the provision of external expertise, challenge, and advice.
