Personal profile
Biography
Anita specialises in environmental and climate change law, regulation and governance. Anita's research explores the design and implementation of legal and regulatory frameworks to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and other sustainability issues at different jurisdictional scales and in different governance contexts.
Anita brings considerable research, teaching and advocacy experience to her role as Associate Professor in the Monash Business School, having worked as a senior research and teaching fellow at the Melbourne Law School (2016-18) and University of Tasmania (2011-2015); and previously in advocacy roles with Australian environmental NGOs such as World Wide Fund for Nature and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
Anita's research is socio-legal (law-in-context) and interdisciplinary. She uses empirical and qualitative research techniques to track and assess the impact and effectiveness of environmental law and regulation. Her work is often targeted to end-users in policy and practice and has included reports prepared for the Australian Conservation Foundation, ClientEarth and the Victorian Dept. of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action.
Anita's research informs her teaching. She has taught a range of subjects in environmental, climate change and natural resource law and is currently teaching environmental law and sustainability regulation in an inter-disciplinary context at the Monash Business School, with a particular focus on applied and contextual exploration of current and emerging regulatory risks and trends.
Anita is the Director of the Monash Business School Green Lab - Monash Business School’s hub for inter-disciplinary and applied research on climate change and sustainability.
Supervision interests
Anita is interested in supervising socio-legal and interdiscplinary legal research projects, particularly in the environmental and sustainability field.
Monash teaching commitment
Anita is currently teaching the following units:
Corporate Sustainability Regulation (BTF5910)
Education/Academic qualification
Law, PhD, University of Melbourne
2005 → 2010
Laws, Bachelor, Australian National University (ANU)
1995 → 1999
Arts (Geography), Bachelor, Australian National University (ANU)
1995 → 1999
Research area keywords
- Environment and Sustainability
- Climate change law
- Climate Change Adaptation
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Water Governance
- Socio-Legal Studies
- Empirical Legal Research
- Climate Risk
- Energy Transition
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
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SDG 13 Climate Action
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SDG 15 Life on Land
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 4 Finished
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Evidence Informed Policy Advice
Foerster, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Leroux, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McGeoch, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Kaufman, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
21/01/25 → 30/04/25
Project: Research
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Net Zero, Nature-positive and Socially Responsible? Exploring Corporate Law Reform Opportunities in Australia
Foerster, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
Australian Conservation Foundation Incorporated, Jubilee Australia Research Centre Ltd
24/04/23 → 31/08/23
Project: Research
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National Climate Laws and How They Work
Foerster, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kallies, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Bleby, A. (Partner Investigator (PI))
1/05/20 → 24/07/20
Project: Research
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Reviewing the Corporations Act - Improving the environmental performance of Australian companies
Foerster, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/05/19 → 28/06/19
Project: Consultancy
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Climate change mainstreaming: what role for legislation?
Foerster, A. & Bleby, A., 19 Feb 2026, Re-imagining Environmental Law. Kennedy, A., Preston, B. J., Maguire, R. & Paloniitty, T. (eds.). 1st ed. Cheltenham UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 22-45 24 p. (The IUCN Academy of Environmental Law series).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
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From climate risk to net-zero and beyond: is ecologically rational regulation emerging in the finance sector?
Foerster, A., 2026, A Research Agenda for Law, Finance and the Environment. Bowman, M. & Mai, L. (eds.). 1st ed. Cheltenham UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 125-152 28 p. (Elgar Research Agendas).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Sustainability finance and corporate sustainability due diligence: interactions, complementarities and accountability logics
Foerster, A., Landau, I. & House, M., 2025, In: University of New South Wales Law Journal. 48, 3, p. 913-951 39 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
The determinants and informativeness of ‘voluntary’ climate and sustainability-related financial disclosures in Australia
Campbell, J. L., Foerster, A., Garg, M. & Unda, L. A., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Abacus. 62 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
A Next Generation of Climate Laws in Fiji and The Pacific - Exploring the Role and Value of The Climate Change Act 2021 (Fiji)
Foerster, A., Waqatabu, A., Vikash, A., Muavesi, M.-G., Disiga, F., Wewerenke-Singh, M. & Wynen, M., May 2024, Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University. 30 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other Report › Research
Open AccessFile
Activities
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Submission to the Australian Government Economic Reform Roundtables
Foerster, A. (Contributor), Vines, E. (Contributor), Spencer, M. (Contributor) & Noble, G. (Contributor)
Jul 2025Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Submission to the Climate Change Authority - Australia’s emissions reductions progress in 2025
Foerster, A. (Contributor), Vines, E. (Contributor), Spencer, M. (Contributor) & Noble, G. (Contributor)
27 Aug 2025Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Submission to Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications – Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024
Vines, E. (Contributor) & Foerster, A. (Contributor)
15 Jul 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Response to IAASB's Request for Comments in the Explanatory Memorandum for ED-5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Engagements
Garg, M. (Contributor), Langer, L. (Contributor) & Foerster, A. (Contributor)
1 Dec 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Submission to the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards – Disclosure of Climate related Financial Information Exposure Draft SR1
Foerster, A. (Contributor), Vines, E. (Contributor), Garg, M. (Contributor) & Cui, B. (Contributor)
29 Feb 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
Press/Media
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Australia’s climate targets expose risks to nature, and need stronger environmental policy
26/09/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Why dropping ‘nature positive’ risks undermining Australia’s environmental reform goals
26/05/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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A nature positive Australia: What does it mean, why does it matter, and what will it take?
Foerster, A., McGeoch, M. & Smith, L.
24/09/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Making Australia's sustainable finance reforms count
Foerster, A., Landau, I., Chen, V. & House, M.
6/12/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Energy transition to ‘reshape bank balance sheets’: Ken Henry
Ruthbah, U., Foerster, A. & Cui, B.
14/08/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature