EXPERTISE

Expert in Climate Change Law and Risk Management

Dr Melanie Baker-Jones

Kaitohutohu Panoni Āhuarangi | Climate Advisor & Project Manager

Melanie Baker-Jones sits at the intersection of climate change, law, and risk management. With both an academic and professional background, she brings a unique blend of legal, technical, and practical expertise to the field of climate change advisory.


Melanie's journey has been one of reasoning, critical thinking, and objectivity. Her PhD thesis examined government accountability for emergency warnings over social media. This research not only focused on legal accountability but also delved into concepts of resilience, and the role of governance and regulatory components in the risk management process. 



Melanie's work is a testament to her commitment to addressing climate change. Her dedication, (com)passion, extraordinary eye for detail, are evident in every project she undertakes. Melanie helps clients to push boundaries and challenge their thinking, as she works with them to develop their contribution to our sustainable future. Melanie is a systems thinker and her focus is on integrating pragmatic solutions that resonate with the particular client she is working with

01 Professional Journey

Educational Foundations

 Melanie began her journey with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, followed by a Bachelor of Law (First Class Honours), culminating in a PhD in Law focusing on disaster, risk, and social media liability.


Early Career in IT

Her initial career in IT in the UK, Europe and Australia, honed her problem-solving skills and underlined the importance of building solutions based on collective experiences.


Dedication to Climate Change Research

Melanie's involvement with the Bushfire and Natural Hazard Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) during her PhD studies deepened her commitment to climate change research and its practical applications.


02 Contributions

Legal and Risk Expertise

Melanie's work focuses on the crossovers between legal liability, disaster, and risk management, bringing critical insights into the regulatory systems surrounding climate change.


Academic Involvement

As a co-lecturer in the Master’s Law unit in climate change law at the University of Auckland, she has contributed to academic discourse in the field.


Commitment to Te Reo and Te Ao Māori

Melanie is actively engaged in learning te reo and learning about te ao Māori, reflecting her dedication to understanding and integrating indigenous perspectives in her work.

03 Vision and Approach

Capacity Building and Collaboration

Melanie is driven by the goal of turning knowledge into action, with a focus on capacity building through mana-enhancing collaboration.  She assists clients to find relevant and effective paths to solutions.


Comprehensive Climate Advisory

Her expertise encompasses various facets of climate change, including adaptation, disaster management, project management, and communication, aimed at weaving knowledge into real-world outcomes.


Community Focus

She emphasises building better outcomes for whānau and the broader community, now and in the future, through her advisory role.


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