6. Imagining a safe, secure and biodiverse future with nature based, citizen led, bioregional governance by 2040

GUEST:  Dr. Michelle Maloney - national convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA).  

Michelle trained in political science, history and law. See Michelle’s AELA and professional web page links for more details.

Nature-based governance and bioregionalism are two visionary, system-level approaches to ecological land management explored in this episode.

TALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST  – time elapsed in minutes.

GUEST FORESHADOWING COMMENTS – 0.00

HOST EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 1.04

GUEST INTRODUCTION AND WORK IN 2025 – 04.30

IMAGINE EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 - 19.00

IMAGINE EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE – 26.45

IMAGINE EXERCISE 3 - THREE BOLD ACTIONS - 39.58

GUEST CLOSING COMMENTS AND AUDIENCE INVITATION – 54.22

END OF EPISODE DISCUSSION – 59.02

SELECTED RESOURCES RE INTERVIEW COMMENTS

ORGANISATIONS WESITES AND INITIATIVES

Australia

The Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) this website is a rich information resource on the subject of Earth based governance.

Michelle Maloney’s website – holds a marvellous selection of resources on Michelle’s writings research and thinking on Earth based governance.

Michelle’s cited book chapter on Imagining Ecocentric Bioregional Law in Australia (2024)

The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) Works across a ‘broad range of projects with Traditional Owners, remote communities and land and sea management practitioners through collaborative and scientific partnerships across north Australia.’

The Yarra River (Victoria) recognised as a living entity. An article outlining the story behind the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarungmurron) Act 2017. From The Conversation (September 2017)

BOOKS AND ARTCLES

Rob Hopkins: From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want (2020) Google Books overview.

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future:Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022).Mulgan is one of the foremost thinkers on increasing the exercise of public imagination.

CONCEPTS

Governance – a definition and framing from an Australian indigenous perspective (2025)

Kinship –article explaining this concept as an imaginative and protective framing of the human-nature relationship (2019)

Nature based governance and bioregional approaches to land management –information from the Australian Earth Laws Centre section of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) website (2025).

Indigenous ethics and the relationist ethos  –  some ideas from Dr. Mary Graham

Rights of Nature – a snapshot of the evolution and application of the concept in Australia. From an article in The Conversation (2023)

Utopia and dystopia – short read article on the differences between the two worldviews and their relevance to the exercise of imagination (2024).

OTHER PODCASTS LINKED TO THE FUTURE VISION IMAGINATION SPACE

The From What if to What Next podcast series (UK)– hosted by visionary thinker Rob Hopkins.

The If I ruled the World podcast series (UK) - hosted by former UK wildlife presenter and natural history broadcaster Gillian Burke.

The Accidental Gods podcast series (UK). Is a podcast ‘where we believe that another world is still possible, and together, we can create a future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us.'

GUESTS AND CONTACT DETAILS:

Dr. Michelle Maloney – convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance. E: aela@earthlaws.org.au  WEB:  Facebook: Twitter:

AUSPICE PARTNER:

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment. HOPE Inc. (Australia)

T: 07 4639 2135 E: office@hopeaustralia.org.au VOICE MAIL

PRODUCTION:

Produced for HOPE Inc. (Australia) by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 16th October 2025.

MUSIC: James Nicholson