Biography
Harj was raised in Tasmania, and completed his Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws (Hons) at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. At Oxford, Harj completed the Bachelor of Civil Laws and the Master of Public Policy and proudly captained the Rhodes Cockatoos cricket team to their first-ever trophy.
Harj is a barrister and leading global expert on climate law and litigation at Doughty Street Chambers in London. Harj is known for his prominent work as counsel in world-first climate litigation before national, regional and international courts, including the International Court of Justice. Harj represents and advises States, international organisations, NGOs and vulnerable communities in climate and environmental matters and has been involved in climate litigation in more than 15 countries across Europe, Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific.
Alongside his practice, Harj holds academic roles at leading universities. At the University of Oxford, he is a Visiting Fellow at Reuben College, an Honorary Research Associate in climate law at the Sustainable Law Programme and a Research Visitor at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights. He is also a Visiting Senior Fellow in climate litigation at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics. Harj publishes regularly and has taught or delivered lectures at the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, King’s College London, SOAS London, Imperial College London, the London School of Economics, Bond University and the University of New South Wales.
Harj is a sought-after speaker and frequent media commentator. His cases have attracted widespread coverage and he has been quoted or covered by The New York Times, BBC, The Guardian, Financial Times, Reuters, ABC, The Telegraph, The Independent, Daily Mail, Carbon Brief, and Drilled.