EXPERTISE

Nature-Based Governance and Nature-related Financial Disclosures Specialist

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Dr Michelle Maloney

Australia lead: Nature-based solutions specialist.

Michelle Maloney is an internationally recognised expert in Earth laws and nature-based governance. Earth laws, also known as ecocentric law, aim to protect, restore, and stabilise the functional interdependency of Earth’s life and life-support systems.


Michelle advises communities, businesses, and governments on innovative nature-based and bioregional governance strategies. For more than 30 years, her work has demonstrated how to build governance systems for organisations, communities, economies, and societies that support and regenerate the living world. Her advisory and education initiatives integrate law, economics, science, ethics, education, decolonisation, and cross-cultural knowledge.


Michelle’s advisory work focuses on translating current law, policy, and best practice guides into tailored, practical, and effective nature-based frameworks for risk assessment and implementation. Her extensive and diverse Earth laws knowledge and experience—across organisational, community/non-profit, governmental, cross-cultural, national, and international scales—have positioned her as a trusted advisor in this rapidly evolving field.


In addition to her advisory roles, Michelle is a respected thought leader. She writes and speaks extensively about Earth-centred law and governance and is an accomplished educator. Michelle has created a range of highly successful professional development courses, provides community capacity-building workshops regularly, and is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Law Futures Centre, Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia). She regularly teaches at law schools, sustainability centres, and community development faculties in Australia and around the world. Michelle has published widely on Earth laws and nature-based governance.




Academic Background

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Doctorate (PhD), Law

Griffith University, Griffith Law Futures Centre

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Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Political Science

Australian National University (ANU)

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Adjunct Senior Fellow

Law Futures Centre, Griffith University

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Visiting Scholar - Earth Law Specialist

Center for Earth Jurisprudence, Barry University Law School, Florida, USA

01 Professional Journey

Environmental Law and Policy

Michelle began her career in a legal and policy advisory role within Australia’s Federal Environment Protection Agency after completing her undergraduate degrees in Law (Honours) and Political Science at the Australian National University. She then worked at several environment protection agencies at the national and state government levels in Australia on environmental protection and climate change policy and programs. Michelle worked at Australia’s first government agency created to address climate change in 1995—the Sustainable Energy Development Agency—and later internationally as a consultant to the International Energy Agency and the Energy Saving Trust (London), and on community energy initiatives in California, US.


Earth Laws and Nature-Based Governance

Over the past two decades, Michelle has forged a unique career path within Earth laws, Earth-centred governance, and nature-positive/nature-based governance. Ahead of her time, Michelle founded a non-profit organisation in 2012, which continues to provide thought leadership and showcase innovative, nature-based, and Earth-centred governance design across all scales of human activities. Her work connects the science and place-based frameworks of bioregional governance to sustainability policy, corporate social responsibility, ESG, and newly emerging nature-based risk assessments.


Community Capacity Building

Michelle has extensive experience working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Australia and worldwide. Her cross-cultural knowledge and facilitation, engagement, and negotiation skills have been honed through many years working on community development projects, as well as leading negotiations between mining companies and Native Title representative groups in Australia. She has assisted corporations in engaging more meaningfully with local communities, including for a large energy utility in New South Wales, Australia, and teaches workshops on community engagement for researchers and businesses.


02 Key Achievements

Thought Leadership and Innovative Governance:

Creation and management of several innovative non-profit organisations, public speaking, and the development of the unique ‘Greenprints’ bioregional governance framework.


Project Management:

Extensive experience managing projects that integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations.


03 Current Focus

Advisory:

Offering expert advisory services in nature-based governance, nature-positive strategies, nature-based transitions risk management, and nature-based planning for businesses and governments.


Capacity Building:

Providing expert advice and frameworks for businesses engaging with sustainability and nature-based programs, and supporting both personal and organisational capacity building.


Community and Organisation Engagement:

Advising and offering professional development courses to businesses and organisations aiming to develop their capacity to engage with and work in partnership with community groups and organisations.


Cross-Disciplinary Approach:

Blending legal, policy, and strategic skills to provide comprehensive solutions to complex nature-based governance challenges.


Commitment and Integrity:

Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to building a sustainable, safe, and liveable future for people and the planet over a 35-year career.


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