Email tombe818@student.otago.ac.nz
Ben is a PhD Candidate with the Law faculty and housed at the Centre for Sustainability. Before coming to Otago he received a BA in Liberal Arts & Sciences from Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands, and a Master of Laws LLM from University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Ben's research interests revolve around environmental legislation, government duty, and legal philosophy in a context of climate change. At the moment he is specifically interested in exploring theories of jurisprudence and their application to judicial reasoning as the future becomes more uncertain. As he will no doubt tell you, Ben grew up in Belfast Northern Ireland. He enjoys drinking coffee, skating, reading, and watching Ulster rugby win every game they play.
Research
Ben's topic explores the obligations and relationship between the Crown and communities' increasing risk of property damages due to climate change. The research examines what obligations exist (if any) and how they might affect the interaction between property owners, local councils, and central government. A large part of the research is about the role of institutions in shaping both judicial interpretation and outcome, as this will be increasingly important in crafting effective responses to the uncertainties of climate change damages.
Ben's Research Untangling Crown obligations towards climate change risk
Publications
Dudley Tombs, B., Lawrence, J., & Bell, R. (2026). Perpetuating disasters: Breaking New Zealand's cycle of inertia following natural hazards. Policy Quarterly, 22(2), 25-32. doi: 10.26686/pq.v22i2.10723 Journal - Research Article
Tombs, B., Lawrence, J., & Bell, R. (2026). Perpetuating disasters: Unbundling New Zealand's cycle of inertia following natural hazards. Wellington, New Zealand: Climate Change Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from https://resiliencechallenge.nz/outputs/perpetuating-disasters-unbundling-new-zealands-cycle-of-inertia-following-natural-hazards Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Dudley Tombs, B., Lawrence, J., & Bell, R. (2026). ‘Disaster inertia’: Why must NZ keep relearning the same lessons from extreme events? The Conversation. doi: 10.64628/AA.nuaemqkxg Journal - Research Other
Peart, R., & Dudley Tombs, B. (2023). Current legislative and policy framework for managed relocation [Working paper 2: Aotearoa New Zealand's Climate Change Adaptation Act: Building a durable future]. Auckland, New Zealand: Environmental Defence Society Incorporated. Retrieved from https://eds.org.nz Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Peart, R., Dudley Tombs, B., & Marshall, K. (2023). Options and models for managed relocation policy [Working paper 3: Aotearoa New Zealand's Climate Change Adaptation Act: Building a durable future]. Auckland, New Zealand: Environmental Defence Society Incorporated. Retrieved from https://eds.org.nz Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report