Craig Johnston's research interests are at the intersection of the economy and environment, specifically related to sustainable resource management, consumer driven impacts on resources and climate change, socioeconomic drivers of environmental change, international trade, and renewable energy. His work has been published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Ecological Economics, Energy Economics, and the Annual Review of Resource Economics, among other leading economic field journals. Johnston also serves as an adjunct researcher with the Resource Economics and Policy Analysis Group at the University of Victoria and an Associate Editor with Forest Policy and Economics, and Forest Science.

Johnston received his Ph.D. from the University of Victoria in the Department of Economics while concurrently working for Natural Resources Canada with the Forest Industry, Trade and Economics Research group, and Environment Canada in the Economic Analysis Directorate with the Environment and Climate Change group.