Michael Brown

The 2018 Professor of Practice in Global Governance

Michael Brown is a regular consulting advisor to the United Nations (UN) on natural resource and land conflicts, mediation, indigenous peoples and peacebuilding. He is a Professor of Practice in Conflict Mediation at McGill University's Institute for the Study of International Development. His work focuses primarily on natural resource and land conflicts. He was the UN's Senior Mediation Expert on Land and Natural Resource Conflicts for the Department of Political Affairs' (DPA) Standby Mediation Team, and a Senior Expert on Natural Resources, Environmental Diplomacy and Mediation for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). He has held leadership and senior advisory positions with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN DPA, the World Bank, and UN peace missions.

Among many professional and academic publications, Michael is one of the principal contributing authors of Natural Resources and Conflict: A Guide for Mediation Practitioners (United Nations, 2015). His experience spans dozens of countries through Latin America, Asia, Africa and North America. His natural resource conflict expertise covers extractive industries, land and water disputes, particularly when local and/or indigenous communities are involved or affected. In Canada, he has worked on environmental law, aboriginal law, policy development and alternative dispute resolution. He is now focusing on consensus building, mediation, and the design and strengthening of policy and institutional frameworks to promote conflict prevention and resolution. He was called to the Bar in the Province of Ontario, and is a Certified Mediator in the Province of Québec. He speaks English, Spanish and French.