Ben is finishing his Ph.D. in Public Policy at the University of Oxford. His research has focused on the increasing participating of subnational and non-state actors in global climate change politics and involved fieldwork with REDD+ projects in Colombia and Peru. Professionally, Ben has recently worked as a philanthropy consultant and with the New Zealand Mission to the United Nations in New York. Most importantly, Ben takes a chilled out approach to life and loves playing sport, exploring nature, and meditation.

Hernan is a prolific director with a style that combines narrative, performance and visuals. Born in Buenos Aires, he studied Business Administration at the UTDT (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella), Film Directing at the EPC (Escuela profesional de Cinematografía), and at UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) concentrating in Business and Management for the Entertainment Industry, Cinematography and the one year Screenwriter’s Program at UCLA. He taught Screenwriting and Film Directing at the Universidad de Palermo and at the Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales. Hernan recently wrote and directed the feature film Madraza, a big budget Argentine production. He has directed commercials, and corporate videos, wrote screenplays for hire, and edited feature films. (Nominated for the Academy Awards in Mexico in the category Best Editing for the feature film 7 days).

Kristan is currently working towards her CPA designation and earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Manitoba. Born and raised in Northwestern Ontario where her family lived partially off the bounty of the land, she developed a strong interest in environmental health and sustainability. She moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba to pursue her education and this is where she currently resides. When she is not working, Kristan enjoys reading, crocheting, painting, tending her small patio garden, camping, fishing and otherwise spending time with her friends, her partner Adam and their cat, Optimus Prime.

Tomi is a lawyer with a Ph.D. in law from the University of Dundee. She got her LL.B. from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and an LL.M. in international law from University College London. She currently works as a legal consultant and also teaches foundation courses in law at the University of St Andrews. Her expertise is in the areas of climate change law, including the clean development mechanism and low-carbon development, as well as sustainable development law. She enjoys baking, singing, reading, swimming, travelling and photography.

Jen received her Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in May 2017. With ENB, she has attended over 30 meetings, mostly on climate change, chemicals, and wastes. In her academic work, Jen studies how environmental and social movements can shape global rules. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Carleton University with the Value of Nature Project, exploring how international organizations deploy the idea of ecosystem services, and the consequences of its use for sustainable development.

Nemo is a documentary filmmaker and video journalist. Focused on the intersection of social and environmental issues, he directs, shoots, and edits video around the world. Nemo studied writing and dance at Wesleyan University, and is a native speaker of both English and Spanish. A New Yorker born and raised, he splits his time between the US and Colombia, and wherever his work takes him.

Wiene holds a Doctoral Degree in Natural Resources and Life Sciences from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna. Her academic background is in forestry and natural resource governance, with trainings in different aspects of project management and communications/knowledge management. She has been working for years with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia, managing various biodiversity conservation projects under the Global Environment Facilities (GEF) scheme. Some of her flagship projects are Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade, Sumatran Tiger Conservation, Enhancing Protected Area System in Sulawesi, and Mangrove for the Future. She has also supported the editorial team of the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on consultancy basis. While not resided in her home country, she loves travelling and she has lived in Canberra, Lisbon, Vienna and currently in Ottawa.

Beate specializes in international political economy and international environmental and economic law, with a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, PA. Her academic and policy-oriented path lead her from sifting through legislations, policy implementations and disputes in the context of large-scale investments to international negotiations of Free Trade and Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Activities which, much to the puzzlement of many of her friends and family, she enjoys and takes pleasure in.

 

As expert on trade and investment law, climate change and sustainable development, she has consulted and advised various governments, international organizations and NGOs. She has been nicknamed by many as “our tree”, standing strong and supporting multiple tasks with her contribution of diverse services and knowledge to a range of “species” in the international-governance ecosystem.

 

Beate is a team leader and writer for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and covers meetings of the biodiversity, climate change, ozone and desertification and land degradation regimes, among others. As thematic expert for climate change and sustainable energy she also writes monthly updates, which are published on the IISD SDG Knowledge Hub, on climate finance, carbon markets and pricing, institutional developments, nationally appropriate mitigation actions and nationally determined contributions.

 

Her interdisciplinary training and joy of learning and teaching shows. She has lectured on various subjects and provided research and editorial support of various books, book chapters and articles on international political economy, civil society and NGOs, human rights politics and theory.

 

Living in San Francisco, Beate is most happy being with her family and out in nature.

Asheline holds an LL.M. degree from University College London and a law degree from the University of Nairobi. She has specialized in international environmental law, particularly biodiversity and climate change. Asheline worked as a State Counsel for the Attorney-General in the department of treaties and agreements, Kenya, as well as in private practice. She now consults for a number of international organizations and UN agencies on environmental issues. When not working, Asheline tries to find time to relax in the sun, or perversely on the dance floor. She also enjoys designing interiors, safaris, a good laugh and big city life.

Melanie holds an MSc in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics. Her dissertation analyzed the relationship between International Financial Institutions and developing country Governments in a Principal-Agent framework. Originally from Melbourne, she also holds a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences from the University of Melbourne. Melanie first attended international environmental negotiations as a member of the WSSD Youth Caucus and later as a consultant in the area of Persistent Organic Pollutants. Her work focuses on implementing the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Conventions, as well as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. She has worked extensively on chemical management and environmental issues in the field, throughout the South Pacific and Africa. In her spare time, you may find Melanie foraging in the woodlands of southwest France, cooking up a storm and messing up the kitchen, or updating her cooking blog www.segur-le-chateau.blogspot.com.

Jennifer is a doctoral researcher working on climate change and coastal biodiversity policy at the University of Potsdam (Germany). In her dissertation she examines the emergence in science and policy of “coastal carbon”, an issue which lies at the crossroads of her two main fields of expertise and refers to the carbon sequestration potential of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses or salt marshes. Jennifer has an international academic education and holds Masters Degrees in Environment & Resource Management (VU Amsterdam, Netherlands), International Relations (Sciences Po Aix, France) and Applied Political Sciences (University of Freiburg, Germany). Her academic work is enriched by professional experience gained by working for governmental and intergovernmental organizations such as the German development agency (GIZ), the United Nations Secretariat for Biological Diversity (CBD), and the German Federal Ministry for Environment (BMUB). Jennifer is passionate about all things environmental and, when not in front of a computer, can often be found capturing nature’s beauty with her camera.

Dan is a short story writer who is living in Manhattan while his wife, Melissa, earns her Ph.D. A New Jersey native, he graduated from Rutgers University, and recently completed an M.F.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Southern Maine, where he studied with one of his favorite authors, Rick Bass. He enjoys roasting coffee, skiing, wrestling bears in underground competitions, and lying about the third fact in a series.

Nienke holds an MSc in Biology (Ecology) from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. She also obtained a certificate in Environmental Education from the University of Minnesota, US. Nienke is enjoying a bohemian life in a small green village near the Dutch coast, combining freelance science writing and consultancies for a variety of organizations. These include UNEP-AEWA, the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research and the Dutch national newspaper NRC. She has a passion for nature and outdoor adventures. In her spare time she used to work as a whalewatching guide in Arctic Norway, but is now very happy teaching her kids how to paddle and climb trees.

Paola is an attorney, admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Bogotá, Colombia. She holds an LL.M in International Trade and Business Law from Fordham Law School (NY), a J.D. (cum laude) from Pace Law School (NY), and an Attorney at Law degree from Universidad de los Andes’ Law School (Colombia, South America).

Ms. Bettelli has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of international law, environmental law and sustainable development. Working as a diplomat, she was the lead negotiator for the Colombian government in multilateral climate change, biodiversity and the movement of hazardous wastes negotiations. She headed the Climate Change Office of the Colombian Ministry of the Environment and, as such, she was the designated authority for the approval of Clean Development Mechanism projects under the UNFCCC in Colombia, was responsible for setting national policies on climate change and representing the Colombian government in climate change multilateral negotiations.

Ms. Bettelli also worked for the United Nations as Senior Economic Affairs Officer in the New York Office of the UN Regional Commissions. In that capacity she actively participated in high-level UN task forces on climate change and on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). More recently, she provided strategic guidance to the UN Regional Commissions on their positioning in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. During this time, Ms. Bettelli was responsible for drafting the UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) reports on regional cooperation for 2009, 2010 and 2015, with inputs from the UN Regional Commissions.

Ms. Bettelli also has experience working for the private sector as Environmental Markets Director for ICAP Securities in Colombia, as an analyst and consultant for the Andean Center for Environmental Economics (CAEMA), and as an ENB writer and Outreach and Fund Development Officer for the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD). She has published articles on sustainable development in Colombia and in publications of the New York Bar association. Ms. Bettelli also taught International Environmental Law at Universidad de los Andes’ Law School.

Ms. Bettelli currently works as an independent consultant in the fields of international law, environmental law and sustainable development. She currently teaches legal writing for non-J.D. students as adjunct professor at Fordham Law School. She also mentors middle school children in their participation in the “Future City” - Endeavor competition, which aims to challenge children to find innovative solutions to environmental and sustainability challenges and to design the cities of the future. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter. She is an avid reader and enjoys travelling, art, animals, nature, swimming and meditation.

Rishi , born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, is currently a doctoral student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy where he is specializing in climate change policy and negotiations. He entered the world of climate negotiations as a youth delegate in Bali and has never left. He has worked on forest carbon issues for the Nepali Ministry of Forests and the World Bank. He is training for the Boston Marathon 2013!

Brianna Botchwey is a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto. Her research examines the impact of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on foreign aid policy and practice in Canada, the UK and Sweden. In addition to her research, she has worked for Global Affairs Canada, the OECD and the Munk School Environmental Governance Lab.

Katie is a Detroit-based writer, photographer, and podcast developer. She is also a Ph.D. candidate in environmental policy at the University of Michigan where her research focuses on the politics of climate adaptation. Katie is currently completing a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship in Madagascar, exploring how the country’s unique sociopolitical environment shapes its vulnerability and adaptation efforts. When not working or writing, Katie is likely to be found kayaking in the Great Lakes or hiking in her home state of North Carolina.

Laura is an international development worker and researcher. She holds an MSc in Global Politics and a BSc in Sociology, both from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She has held roles at, among others, the Secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and a communications consultancy. She has published in academic and media outlets, including OpenDemocracy, Global Policy Journal and The Global Journal. Now based in NYC, she is currently working towards a PhD in Media, Culture and Communications at New York University. Her research interests span societal and ideological shifts related to transnational issues and organizations, and the normative impact of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Pam is trying to juggle motherhood, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and an academic career. In addition to serving as co-founder and executive editor of the Bulletin, Pam has published articles on developing country capacity building for environmental negotiations, scientific uncertainty in negotiations, professional cultures in negotiations, desertification and the UNCCD, and various environmental treaties and negotiating processes. Her most recent books are: Transforming Multilateral Diplomacy: The Inside Story of the Sustainable Development Goals (Routledge, 2018) Global Environmental Politics, 7th edition (Westview Press, 2016) and The Roads from Rio: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Multilateral Environmental Negotiations (co-edited with Lynn Wagner; Routledge, 2012). She was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Wellington, New Zealand in 2007 and the results of her research have been published by the East-West Center: “Confronting Environmental Treaty Implementation Challenges in the Pacific Islands” Pam is also a Professor of International Relations at Manhattan College in New York City.

Aaron is a development economist with expertise in trade and investment law and policy, and climate change policy. He has the privilege to work both with ENB and with IISD’s program research teams, and has consulted to a long list of IGOs, UN agencies, NGOs and national governments. He lives and works at the foot of a ski hill in the interior of British Columbia, Canada.

Herman is a self-confessed polymath with interests in photography, design, statistics, GIS and conservation science with an ability to learn new things in record time. He holds a Master’s degree in Conservation biology from the University of Nairobi and has been an exchange scholar at the Haub School of Environmental and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming in the USA, he has had training on numerous topics in India, Uganda, and USA and most recently in South Africa. He conducts biodiversity research with the Kenya Wetland Biodiversity Research Group at the National Museums of Kenya when not busy running around taking beautiful pictures of East Africa and its people.

While working towards her recently received master’s degree in International Environmental Policy Jennifer also acted as a voice for the endangered southern sea otters as Senior Program Manager for Friends of the Sea Otter in Monterey, California. She has since moved to New York City, where she worked for the Zeitz Foundation, developing a community participatory oriented agroforestry manual and assisting the communications advisor. She also volunteered for Panthera, a wild cat conservation organization, feeding her insurmountable adoration towards felines. When Jennifer is not working or volunteering, she’s most likely out in fancy shoes dancing tango.

Ben is an award-winning filmmaker and communications for development specialist with a focus on human rights and sustainable development. He produces educational and advocacy videos for international NGOs, and investigative documentary, often working in conflict and post-conflict environments. Over the last few years he has worked extensively in East and Central Africa on training and community capacity building activities. Prior to filmmaking Ben spent many years in various senior research and strategy roles in UK Central Government. He holds an MSc in Gender & Development from the London School of Economics and MA Cantab in Social & Political Science.

Debbie holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Emory University in Atlanta and is the author of Global Environmental Negotiations and US Interests (2006, Palgrave Macmillan) as well as numerous articles and chapters in the area of international environmental politics. After directing environmental work at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta in the mid-1990s, Debbie taught International Relations full time for a number of years then left academia for the private sector. Having recently completed a two-year stint as Visiting Senior Research Associate at the Oxford University Centre for the Environment she now spends half her time teaching at Georgia State University and half on commissioned research. She has covered numerous meetings and processes for IISD Reporting Services since 1996, including the completion of the Kyoto Protocol.

Elaine has joined us as a Logistics Coordinator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Management of Financial Institutions at De La Salle University, Philippines. In spite of her finance education, she has managed to work across multiple industries with varying positions. She worked with Management in Boston Bank (Phils.), a Licensed Trader at the Philippine Stock Exchange, shifted to the Airline Industry and handled Operations, then went into IT Outsourcing and initiated the creation of the very first TELCO Help Desk in the Philippines covering more than 250 satellite offices all over the country. Elaine has two boys, ages 9 and 5. She loves to travel and experience life with the world’s different cultures. She likes water sports like swimming, scuba diving, water skiing, etc. Outside of IISD, if she’s not out exploring new places to visit or eat, you expect to see her by the baseball field cheering for her kid’s baseball team; or is usually home helping the kids with their school work.

Nicole de Paula holds a Ph.D. in Political Science/International Relations from Sciences Po Paris and is a former fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations (CTR) at the Johns Hopkins University (SAIS), Washington D.C. In 2010, she was awarded a fellowship to study at the London School of Economics and Political Science as part of the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN). Prior to joining the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), she worked for the International Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (Iddri), as well as for the UN Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. At SCBD, she assisted the Principal Officer of the Implementation and technical Support Division to advance the Business and Biodiversity Program. She also worked previously on the European research project RAMSES, which aimed to deliver quantified evidence of the impacts of climate change and the costs and benefits of a wide range of adaptation measures, focusing on cities. Currently Nicole is the Executive Director of Global Health Asia Institute (GHAI), a Bangkok-based think tank, where she works with a diverse group of people to advance her organizations’ mission: to research and inform the linkages of health and well-being with sustainable development, environmental conservation, and social equity. Convinced that improving sustainability communication is urgent, she voluntarily joined the Commission for Education and Communication (CEC) of the IUCN-The International Union for Conservation of Nature- for the period 2017-2020.

Francis Dejon is one of the ENB team’s Digital Editor. Taking cool pictures all over the world while working on our web site. Francis also has his own company on the Internet which he intends to develop into an internet powerhouse someday. His 18 hours a day of hard work at meetings justifies his 4 hours of “loud” sleep.

Daniela holds a Master of Marine Management degree from Dalhousie University in Canada and a Law degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. She did her Ph.D. on the Law of the Sea at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, focusing on the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. She loves yoga, meditation, hiking, cycling, sea kayaking and watching movies.

Peter is a lecturer in sustainable development, environment and planning at the School of Law at Queens University in Belfast Committee. He now lives and works in Belfast, retreating to his native Donegal in the North West at every opportunity where he maintains a cottage in Quigleys Point. His research interests include consumerism, advertising, political culture and sustainable consumption. He has served on the Executives of the Green Party in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He is married to Stephanie and has a son, Oisín.

Anna is a Ph.D. candidate in Global Governance and Human Security at the University of Massachusetts Boston and a research associate at the Center for Governance and Sustainability. Her research focuses on global environmental governance of hazardous chemicals and waste. Anna’s work aims to explain process of MEAs implementation and assess effectiveness of Montreal Protocol as well as Basel and Stockholm Conventions. Before starting her Ph.D., she got her LL.M. at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and interned for UN Environment Program.

Ángeles became one of our Digital Editors at the end of 2006. She is Argentinian, but as a daughter of a diplomat was born in Austria and spent her childhood in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and China. She has a degree in Industrial Design from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she also teaches Design. Her work focuses on ecodesign, and her studio ‘MinimahUella’ designs products that minimize environmental impact by analyzing their life-cycle and using recycled materials. She loves reading the newspaper on Sunday mornings with her husband and her little dog Neron.

Socorro is our Spanish translator since October 2002. Socorro is doing her masters degree in Journalism at the University of San Andrés, which is also sponsored by the School of Journalism of the University of Columbia. Apart from that, she also works as a freelance journalist for different business magazines and for Clarín, an important Argentinean newspaper. Socorro has two sons, Mateo (4) and Manuel (3). In her spare time, she likes to travel and take pictures.

For the last two years Richard is has been working on international carbon market issues with Australia’s Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, focusing particularly on emissions trading developments in the Asia-Pacific region and Kyoto markets. He previously worked for several years on Australia’s renewable energy policy and legislation after working on climate change science communication at the International Polar Foundation and with ENB.

Lynn holds an LL.M in Global Environment and Climate Change Law from Edinburgh University and an MA in Geography from Oxford University. She specializes in natural resources and community rights, and has worked for three years with the Quaker United Nations Office in Switzerland. Her work has focused on the links between natural resources, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, with research in agrobiodiversity, forests, land management and the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities. She has worked with the Karen Hilltribes Trust, IIED, various organic farms, and is currently leading an independently published magazine called Freckle, celebrating people, landscapes, traditional livelihoods and storytelling in Northern Ireland. Lynn can usually be found outside: cycling, surfing, climbing or generally wandering the great outdoors. She remains fascinated in peoples relationships to their landscapes and ecosystems.

Adam holds a Master’s in Environmental Management from Yale University, with a concentration in business and the environment. He particularly enjoys working at the intersection of global governance frameworks and the private sector, enabling businesses and other non-state actors to accelerate implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. Adam previously worked at World Resources Institute (WRI) for four years. He has consulted for corporate and non-profit clients, UN agencies and development practitioners, and has worked in Europe, Africa and South America. He holds a BA from Wesleyan University, where he double majored in Environmental Studies and Government. Adam is based in New York and in his spare time can be found playing foosball or riding his bike to a club softball game.

Claudia has a B.A. degree in intercultural studies which she achieved in Florence, Italy. Speaking fluent German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, she has been working as a translator and in various other roles at numerous international events and conferences. As she loves travelling and meeting different cultures, she has joined the ENB Team as a Logistics Coordinator, based in Bonn, Germany. With her passion for sports and photography, she likes to spend lots of time outside at the fresh air.

Mongi, our French language translator, lives in Tunis, although he can  sometimes be found in Paris, where his daughters work..

Eréndira got a degree on Biology in Mexico and an MSc on Marine and Fisheries Science in Scotland. Former Head of the Department of Wildlife International Agreements in the Mexican Environment Ministry, she moved in 2007 to Madrid and works now as freelance consultant. With a lifetime interest on marine stuff, she has recently written the book “Sharks: conservation, fishing and international trade".

Tasha lives in Hawaii where her passion for indigenous culture and the relationship between people and plants is a thriving reality. She founded Sustainable Solutions in 2004 with the goal of implementing strategic sustainability programs globally and maintaining an active voice in the ongoing planetary dialogue of sustainable development. Her efforts focus on empowering indigenous communities, adding value throughout supply chains, cultivating carbon awareness, and fostering the sustainable use of natural resources. Since receiving her degree in Ethnobotany, and working on her Certificate to become a GHG Accountant from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute, Tasha has collaborated with businesses, governmental agencies, elders, scientists, and artists to bring these varied populations to action. She works with a colorful range of clients such as the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF), the International Trade Center (ITC, a joint agency of United Nations and World Trade Organization), Estee Lauder, Aveda, Neill Corporation, ArXotica and others. Tasha is also the author of a number of publications on the topics of ethnobotany and sustainability, and recently presented her research at the Global Conference on Global Warming in Istanbul. She helped write the curriculum for the University of Alaska’s first Ethnobotany certificate program.

María got her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the City University of New York with a dissertation on the creation of a market for sinks under the Kyoto Protocol. She has taught Human Ecology and Cultural Anthropology and often works with the UNFCCC secretariat on matters related to adaptation to climate change. She likes long walks, is a student of kyudo (Japanese archery), and has a strange fascination for all things LULUCF and for annotated agendas.

Reem’s research and teaching interests focus on community-based forest management as a tool for poverty alleviation and the promotion of sustainable landscapes in developing countries. In her work as a Banting Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the University of British Columbia and the Rights and Resources Initiative in Washington, DC, she is currently looking at the role of secondary-level institutions in promoting small-scale and community forestry in Ghana and Mexico. Reem has a Ph.D. in Forestry (UBC), an MA in Conservation Biology (Columbia), and a BSc in Biology (McGill), and has been covering forestry and biodiversity meetings for IISD since 2005. Besides trekking through tropical jungles, she enjoys cooking, swimming in oceans, and navigating through metropolises.

Dr Gerrit Hansen is a researcher, political advisor and independent consultant with expertise in international climate policy, attribution of climate impacts, green finance, renewable energy technologies, carbon dioxide removal options and climate-resilient sustainable development. She holds a doctorate from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, a diploma in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University Berlin and a Master of Science degree in Global Change Management from the University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE). Former employers and clients include research institutes, UN organizations, government agencies, think tanks and NGOs. In addition to her academic credentials, Gerrit has ample experience in project management and political strategy in both international and local contexts, and is also active as a certified conflict mediator in Berlin, where she's based. It is her firm belief that global environmental challenges are intertwined with questions of equity and justice. Therefore the transformational change that's needed to address climate change will have to tackle both. Gerrit works in English and German, speaks Spanish, understands French and is currently learning Norwegian. She loves the outdoors, especially North of 66°. You can find more on Gerrit on her personal website www.gerrit-hansen.net

Kate Harris is a writer with a knack for getting lost. Her debut memoir, Lands of Lost Borders, about cycling the Silk Road, was a number one national bestseller in Canada and the winner of the RBC Taylor Prize, the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, and the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, among others. The book has been translated into several languages. Harris has degrees in science from MIT and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and in the history of science from Oxford, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar. She lives off-grid in a log cabin in northernmost British Columbia. www.kateharris.ca

Matthew Hengesbaugh is a Communications Coordinator currently supporting the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) with action research on the 2030 Development Agenda. Matthew has worked extensively in the Asia-Pacific region advocating and delivering sustainable development policy objectives since 2006, over which time he has advised and consulted with the United Nations, including the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on issues including climate change, green jobs, green economy, and sustainable consumption and production. He received his M.A. from University of Trento, Italy, where as an Erasmus Mundus scholar he studied Local Economic Development. In addition, he also holds a M.A. in International Relations from the University of Wollongong, Australia, as well as B.A.s in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Dina is a Research Advisor for cCHANGE, a research-based enterprise in Oslo that offers knowledge and inspiration for transformations in a changing climate. She has a decade of experience researching and advising NGOs, businesses, and governments from around the world on promoting climate change adaptation and transformations, including working with the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and UNDP’s Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People. Dina holds: a DPhil from the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute where she researched how ‘Sustainability-Oriented Hybrid Organisations’ help promote sustainability transformations in cities; a Masters of Environment from the University of Melbourne where she focussed on climate finance in the Pacific; and a Bachelor of Human Geography from the University of Oslo. In her spare time, she enjoys powerlifting, travelling, scuba diving, and mountain hiking.

Katarina Hovden is a Ph.D. Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, where she is writing her Ph.D. on ecological jurisprudence and efforts to give Nature a voice in the law – through legal personhood and the rights of Nature. Originally from Norway, Katarina has worked and studied in many parts of the world, spending most of her adult life in the UK, where she completed her BA in Law (University of Cambridge), and in the Netherlands, where she took an LLM in public international law (University of Amsterdam). Amongst her passions are people, mountains, music, and yoga.

Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson is a Pacific islander with a passion for viewing international environmental law and policy from a Small Island Developing State perspective. She is a Thematic Expert for Climate Change Policy and Practice for IISD SDG Hub and currently pursuing a PhD in state sovereignty implications of oceans and climate change on Pacific islands. She is co-founder of Women in Climate Change in Samoa. As a Reuters Fellow at the University of Oxford she wrote “Staying Afloat in Paradise” a study of climate change coverage in the UK and Pacific islands. She is an award-winning environmental journalist and has been recognized by the US State Department for her work in empowering women through the media.

Brandon is a journalist and filmmaker who has contributed to Democracy Now!, the NY Times, CNN, Reuters, Deep Dish TV, Independent Media Center, Now with Bill Moyers, Foreign Exchange, and Free Speech TV. Since 2011, he has worked together with Marianne Maeckelbergh on www.globaluprisings.org, an independent news site and video series dedicated to showing responses to the economic crisis and authoritarianism. Together they have produced over 20 short documentary films covering the large-scale uprisings, occupations, protests and revolutions in Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Greece, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey and the United States.

Natalie is a international lawyer, researcher and writer, born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand. She was recently awarded a Ph.D. in international law from the University of Cambridge, where her research focused on indigenous peoples' participation in international organizations. She is currently a Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, where her current research examines the intersections of global justice and existential risk. Her other research interests include the representation of future generations in policymaking, climate change litigation, and fossil fuel supply-side policy. Natalie also holds an LL.M in international law from the University of Cambridge, and a B.Sc in physics and LLB(Hons) from the University of Canterbury. She has taught human rights law, international environmental law and EU environmental law at Cambridge, and has worked for the Stockholm Environment Institute, the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defence, and the Climate Litigation Network. When not working, Natalie can often be found making music, exploring nature, and honing her skills as a “plant mom”.

Harry is a lawyer specializing in the environment and human rights. He works for Natural Justice, a young South African NGO that promotes the full implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Stefan has worked for IISD as project officer on the negotiations on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) and as associate working in the areas of sustainable agriculture, genetic resources for food and agriculture, and linkages between international regulation on biodiversity conservation and other issue areas such as trade and climate change. He completed his Ph.D. on institutional interplay in global environmental governance at Humboldt University, Berlin in 2007. Originally from Germany, Stefan is currently based in Gatineau, Québec, where he spends his free time exploring the great Canadian outdoors.

Tallash holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She studied International Relations and minored in Environmental Studies at undergraduate level at the United States International University. She has worked as a communications officer for the UN Office for REDD+ Coordination in Indonesia, allowing her the privilege of interacting with key stakeholders in the management of REDD in that country. Her interests include REDD+, chemicals management, biodiversity and renewable energy. Her other interests include promoting civic engagement, taking photos, and campaigning for women’s rights. Tallash also enjoys planning events, picnicking, dancing, singing wildly, and hiking.

Pia has been writing for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin since 2002. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy at Williams College in Western Massachusetts, having previously taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her research interests include the incorporation of science advice in multilateral environmental agreements and global chemicals governance. She holds a PhD in International Environmental Policy from MIT, a Masters in environmental sciences from Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a B.Sc. in Geography and Environmental Science from McGill University.

Vijay is an ecologist by training (B.Sc. Edinburgh University) and holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics. His dissertation focused on how the construction of values towards ecosystem services differs between private and more social settings. Between his studies, he worked in Singapore as a conservation education officer developing and promoting environmental education programmes for both the primary and secondary school curriculum. He is increasingly interested in the fields of ecological economics and political ecology and is currently completing his PhD at McGill University analysing the theory and empirical design of payments for ecosystem services from a social justice perspective. He is a confirmed wanderer having lived and conducted research in 8 countries across 4 continents, working with NGOs, international research institutes (CIFOR) and UNEP. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, deep conversations, photography and riding his penny farthing bicycle (ever-increasingly long-distance).

Raised by a Russian mother and Dutch step-father, Elena grew up in an international multilingual environment. She has lived in Moscow, Washington, Ulan Bator and Amsterdam, and is currently based on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Elena holds a Master’s degree in linguistics, an LL.M. in international law from Utrecht University, and a Ph.D. in law from the University of Amsterdam. Elena wrote her doctoral dissertation on interstate liability for climate change-related damage, which has been published in the series “Humanity, Earth and Law in the Third Millennium” (Eleven International Publishing, 2013). Elena’s area of expertise is public international law, including international environmental law, climate law, and the law of state responsibility. Elena enjoys fishing, horse-riding, a good game of squash and, most of all, lazing on the couch with her husband Chris and their two felines Cumin and Pomodoro.

Kati specializes in climate, environmental, energy and WTO law, with a Ph.D. and LL.M. degrees from the LSE. She teaches international and EU climate law and policy, and supervises Ph.D. students as Adjunct Professor (Docent) in climate law at the University of Eastern Finland Law School. She joined the ENB team in 2004 with a passion for climate negotiations. She has previously taught at the LSE and consults various governments, international organizations, carbon funds and NGOs on her areas of expertise. During her time with the ENB, she has lived in the UK, Italy, Senegal, Cyprus, Belgium and Finland, travelled around the world with fellow ENBers and published widely on climate and WTO issues..

Currently following the UN General Assembly and the UN negotiations on sustainable development and the post-2015 development agenda for IISD, Ana Maria is a sociocultural anthropologist working in international development, focusing on sustainable development financing. As Adviser for the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN, Ana Maria works on UN’s Economic and Financial Committee, covering the issues related to UN’s Post 2015 Development Agenda, in particular the financing for development (FfD), technology transfer and the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) areas. As Thematic Area Expert for the International Institute for Sustainable Development, she looks at the broader issues related to UN’s Post 2015 Development Agenda.

Ana Maria has a multi-layered understanding of the complex interlinkages between sustainable development, international policy, national sovereignty, institutional frameworks and civic engagement, subjects that she studied during her Masters at Columbia University. While at Columbia, she worked for the Vale Columbia Center for Sustainable International Investment and Columbia Business School; was the Communications Director of the Columbia University Coalition for Sustainable Development; and the Associate Director of Marketing for the Columbia University Earth Summit. She has a Bachelors degree in Communications from The National School of Political and Administrative Studies (Romania) and Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen (Belgium).

Alex is native French and Spanish, with degrees in Public Law and Public Administration, a Postgraduate Degree in Communications, Conflicts and Peace, and a Master’s Degree in International Law and Sustainable Development. She has been working as a legal translator since 2002, specialized in International matters and Environmental Diplomacy. She has also been a consultant and a volunteer for a series of NGOs in Bogotá, Paris, New Orleans and Barcelona, mostly dedicated to defending civil and environmental rights, monitoring environmental offenses, crafting and managing development projects, and community relief in general.