Dr Marcelo Feitosa De Paula Dias

My professional journey as an international environmental law expert and scholar is rooted in a deep commitment to advancing legal reform, policy innovation, and institutional accountability. With over 15 years of global experience—spanning academia, multilateral governance, and high-level consultancy—I have worked at the critical intersections of law, climate justice, and sustainability governance.

Currently, I serve as an International Law expert at the Independent Redress and Accountability Mechanism (IRM) of the Green Climate Fund and as a Compliance Review expert at the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism of the Inter-American Development Bank (MICI). I lead complex compliance reviews and ESG investigations in these roles, ensuring that large-scale development finance operations uphold international standards for Indigenous rights, environmental protection, and climate responsibility. My work draws upon core legal frameworks, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Paris Agreement, and the IFC Performance Standards, to promote accountability where it is most urgently needed.

This engagement builds upon a long-standing foundation in legislative reform and environmental justice. In Brazil, I co-drafted the State of Goiás Forest Code. I led Indigenous land governance and human rights protection initiatives that safeguarded more than 3,000 km² of native forest—directly impacting the lives of over six million people. As a global policy advisor, I have guided governments, civil society actors, and international institutions across Latin America, North America, and Southeast Asia, delivering strategic advice on ESG frameworks, climate governance, and sustainable finance.

Alongside my professional practice, I am finalising a PhD in International Environmental Law at the Queensland University of Technology, where my research investigates the role of traceability and legal accountability in transforming native forest governance on a global scale. As a scholar-practitioner, I adopt a transdisciplinary lens—bringing together legal analysis, policy design, and pedagogical innovation to support equitable, effective responses to today’s ecological and social crises.

I also serve as Co-Chair of the Oceans and International Environmental Law Interest Group (OIELIG) within the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL), contributing to the advancement of critical legal scholarship and dialogue in international environmental law.

Across all facets of my work—whether in legal reform, compliance oversight, academic research, or teaching—I am driven by a singular and cohesive vision: that law must serve as a transformative force for environmental integrity, social justice, and institutional resilience in the Anthropocene.