Main Stage Action Center and Forums Virtual Booths Lightning Talks Dialogues Media Center Grab and Go

9 November 2023
All in For Nature: Promoting Whole-of-Society Approaches for Nature

About this day

This day features two sessions around the theme of “All In For Nature.” The first looks at new global frameworks for catalyzing action, and the second looks at how to engage everyone in accelerating action on nature.

Session 1

All in for Nature: Global Frameworks for Catalyzing Action

9 November 2023
9 AM – 12:30 PM EDT

The world agreed on a major new set of ambitions last year - the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This session explores how we need to move from commitment to action, and the policies and plans that will help us on this journey.

Segments

All in for Nature: A New Global Framework

This segment provides an overview of the new Global Biodiversity Framework, highlighting some of the major agreements.

From Global Framework to National Action

This segment calls for moving from global commitment to national action, including through a suite of early actions.

Policies and Plans for a Planetary Safety Net

This segment showcases some of the many policies and plans that can help accelerate progress in implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework.

All In for Nature: Raising Awareness

This segment identifies steps in raising awareness at all levels – essential if we are to catalyze action.

Speakers: 


Maleea Acker

University of Victoria

Ilgın Akpınar

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye

Mario Ardany de León

EcoLogic Development Fund

Elizabeth Benson

OnePlanet

Jessica Brown

New England Biolabs Foundation

Jillian Campbell

Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Rob Campbell

Wildlife Habitat Council

Isabel Carrió

Creative Action Institute

María Dabrowski

Rare

Nicole DeSantis

United Nations Development Programme

Mechelle Engemann

Solvay

Ian Fryer

Solvay

Prof. Funmilola Ajani

Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Ian Harrison

Conservation International

Maria Honig

World Wide Fund for Nature

Deborah Kahatano

United Nations Environment Programme

Phemo Kgomotso

United Nations Development Programme 

Ewi Lamma

Forest, Resources, and People Cameroon

Anne Larigauderie

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Chiara Manghetti

Lipu (Italian League for Birds Protection) – BirdLife Italy

Alonso Martiez

United Nations Development Programme

Kevin Mitchell

CRH Canada Group Inc.

Nelson Ogunshakin

International Federation of Consulting Engineers

Midori Paxton

United Nations Development Programme

Maria Paula Viscardo Sesma

United Nations Environment Programme

Jennah Pettenuzzo

Dufferin Aggregates, CRH Canada Group, Inc.

Francine Pickup

United Nations Development Programme

Helen Roy

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Christina Supples

United Nations Development Programme

Chris Thaller

Anything But Ordinary GmbH

Katie Williamson

Rare

Rachael Garrett

Science Panel for the Amazon – Sustainable Development Solutions Network

Session 2

All in for Nature: Engaging Everyone

9 November 2023
1 PM – 4:30 PM EDT

For too long, biodiversity has remained in a silo in countries, separate from planning for water, climate, livelihoods, food and safety. This session showcases how we need to engage everyone in planning and monitoring nature, and engage everyone.

Segments

All in For Nature: Harnessing the Power of Spatial Data

The very first target of the Global Biodiversity Framework highlights the need to develop biodiversity-inclusive land use plans. This segment showcases the power of spatial data.

All in For Nature: Monitoring Progress

This segment explores different approaches for taking stock and  monitoring progress on progress on nature action.

All in For Nature: Women Hold Up Half the Sky

This segment explores different dimensions of the role of women in working toward global goals on biodiversity.

The Next Generation, Now!

This segment focuses on the role of youth in taking action on nature, including the role of youth leadership.

Speakers: 

Natasha Ali

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Jan R. Baiker

Asociación para la Conservación y Estudio de Montañas Andinas-Amazónicas

Benjamin Barca

NatureMetrics

Charlotte Bishop

Kongsberg Satellite Services

Philip Bubb

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Debbie Buyaki

Youth For Ecocide Law

Elizabeth Champion

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Becky Chaplin-Kramer

WWF

Roberto Correa

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Dina Farfan Flores

Asociación para la Conservación y Estudio de Montañas Andinas-Amazónicas / Association for the Conservation and Study of Andean-Amazonian Mountains

Marco Garcia

AidEnvironment

Max Joshua

Planet Labs PBC

Nancy Marangu

Chemichemi Foundation

Diana Mastracci Sánchez

GEO Indigenous Alliance

Tainan Messina

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Katherine Moul

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Amy Rosenthal

Planet

Siyabulela Sokomani

Nguni Nursery

Moisés Soza

Mesoamerican Leadership School- Association of Forest Communities of Petén

Luisa Teixeira

Planet

Matea Vukelic

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Andy Wallace

Atos UK & Ireland

Alexander Watson

OpenForests

Kevin White

Microsoft

Amalie Wilkinson

Youth For Ecocide Law

Bourhan Yassin

Rainforest Connection & Arbimon

Report

Harassment or bullying behavior
Contains mature or sensitive content
Contains misleading or false information
Contains abusive or derogatory content
Contains spam, fake content or potential malware

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts
  • Invite this member to groups
  • Message this member
  • Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Report

You have already reported this

Maleea Acker

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

University of Victoria

 

Maleea Acker is a post-doctoral researcher in Geography at the University of Victoria, where she also lectures. Acker is the author of four books, including "Gardens Aflame: Garry Oak Meadows of BC’s South Coast," and "Hesitating Once to Feel Glory." Her research, teaching, and writing focuses on decolonial, creative, community-engaged knowledge and practice in community mapping, science communications, environmental journalism and literature.

 

Ilgın Akpınar

Biologist, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye

 

Dr. Ilgın Akpinar, a biologist with expertise in applied ecology and conservation, holds an MSc from the University of Liverpool and a PhD from İstanbul University. Specializing in ecological restoration and biodiversity negotiations, she is notably involved in projects addressing invasive alien species in key marine biodiversity areas in Türkiye. Dr. Akpinar has played a pivotal role in shaping both national and international policies, including BBNJ and Türkiye's invasive species regulations. Her collaborations span researchers, international bodies, NGOs, and the private sector.

 

Mario Ardany de León

Guatemala Program Officer

EcoLogic Development Fund

 

Mario is the main link and coordinator with EcoLogic’s partners and local organizations in Guatemala. Mario is an Agricultural Engineer in Agricultural Production Systems by training and specializes in subsistence, environmental, and conservation agriculture. He has more than 18 years of experience working with non-profit and non-governmental organizations. His work has focused on agricultural resilience in the most vulnerable areas of Guatemala, development of forest conservation and restoration projects, and community agroforestry.

 

Elizabeth Benson

OnePlanet

 

Elizabeth began working with the Maijuna in 2018, concentrating on research and development of OnePlanet’s stingless beekeeping and mammal conservation projects and supporting efforts in the defense of Maijuna ancestral lands. Elizabeth is passionate about the intersections of ecology, traditional knowledge, food systems, and community empowerment. Before joining OnePlanet, Elizabeth studied ecology and evolution at Harvard University.

 

Jessica Brown

Executive Director

New England Biolabs Foundation

 

Jessica Brown has extensive experience with community-based conservation globally, having worked in the Caribbean, Mesoamerica, Andean South America, Africa, Asia, Central Europe, and the Balkans. A member of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, she chairs the board of Terralingua and co-chairs the Global Conservation Program of the Biodiversity Funders Group. She is associate member of the Graduate Faculty of Rutgers University (Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies) and holds degrees from Clark University and Brown University.

 

Jillian Campbell

Head of Monitoring, Review and Reporting

Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

 

Jillian Campbell has a background in environmental policy and statistics with 15 years of experience in international organizations. In her current role, she leads the work on planning, monitoring, review and reporting for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This includes overseeing work on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), National Reports, the monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and global analysis of progress towards the Framework.

 

Rob Campbell

Consulting Director

Wildlife Habitat Council

 

As Consulting Director at WHC, Rob works closely with an array of member companies to deliver targeted products and services aimed at supporting each company’s pursuit of unique sustainability goals. Rob serves as liaison to member representatives across industry sectors assuring they are kept appraised of information relative to their company’s initiatives. Rob holds a MS in Environmental Studies and BAs in Economic and Psychology, as well as a graduate certificate in Urban and Regional Development.

 

Isabel Carrió

Project and Community Engagement Manager

Creative Action Institute

 

Isabel is a Project Manager, Creative Facilitator, and Community Artist for the Creative Environmental Leadership Program and Creative Advocacy Practicums in the Latin America and Africa regions. She is passionate about leveraging art as an advocacy tool to promote community actions for positive environmental and social change. Isabel holds a Master's Degree in Visual Arts from Argentina and The Art Students League of New York. She graduated from the Mural program at the National Academy of New York.

 

María Dabrowski

Senior Outreach Associate, Center for Behavior & the Environment

Rare

 

María seeks to grow community by increasing the number of organizations using Behavior-Centered Design tools in their sustainability initiatives. Prior to Rare, she worked for a variety of environmental non-profits in the Midwestern United States as a communications and community outreach associate. María holds a master’s degree from the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

 

Nicole DeSantis

Policy Advisor on Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Development

United Nations Development Programme

 

Nicole is a Policy Advisor on nature-based solutions for sustainable development at the Nature for Development Programme at UNDP. In her current role, she is exploring innovative applications of artificial intelligence to address pressing biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development policy challenges. She was formerly the Coordinator of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) Global Platform and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford, School of Geography and the Environment.

 

Mechelle Engemann

Senior Sustainability Officer

Solvay

 

Mechelle Engemann is a Senior Sustainability Officer for Solvay’s Sustainable Development Business Solutions Team. Mechelle is instrumental in anchoring Sustainability into strategic and operational decisions. She develops common goals for sustainability across the organization, ensuring a strategic alignment between multiple divisions with a strong focus on business development. Impact measurement of Sustainable benefits to Solvay's customers and markets is key and allows to measure their positive contribution to the 3 pillars of the Solvay One Planet*: Climate, Resources & Better Life.

 

Ian Fryer

Site Director, Oldbury Site

Solvay

 

Ian Fryer is currently the Site Director for Solvay at Oldbury in the United Kingdom. Formerly an industrial chemist, he is now responsible for all aspects of the sites operations, from Health & Safety to production, maintenance, research and development, quality and finances. Under Solvay's One Planet, his role now includes biodiversity protection and improvement. As a life member of many UK-based wildlife trusts and the RSPB, biodiversity is a subject very close to Ian’s heart, even more so now that he has two daughters and spends much more time thinking about the world they will grow up in.

 

Prof. Funmilola Ajani

Professor

Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IBCSSA)

 

Prof. Funmilola Ajani lectures at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is passionate about the environmental integrity of recreational sites, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education. She is a recipient of the TWAS/CSIR and CSF fellowships, among others. She initiated and coordinates the Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa (IBCSSA), which is a volunteer conservation body. She is a member of the UN PRME Working Group on Climate Change and Environment and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), among others.

 

Ian Harrison

Freshwater Specialist

Conservation International

 

Ian is currently the Freshwater Specialist for CI’s Moore Center for Science, where he is helping develop CI’s Freshwater Science Strategy as well as CI’s broader, institutional-wide Freshwater Initiative. He is part of the Steering Committee for the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and co-chair of the IUCN-SSC Freshwater Conservation Subcommittee. He is an Adjunct Professor for the School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University.

 

Maria Honig

Initiative Lead

World Wide Fund for Nature

 

Maria coordinates WWF's efforts on building the resilience of coastal communities globally. Being both a marine biologist and global development practitioner specializing in social change theory, Maria believes a real transformation towards protecting and restoring ocean health must be inclusive of and enabling for coastal communities.

 

Deborah Kahatano

Head of Transformation & Mainstreaming for Nature Unit

United Nations Environment Programme

 

Deborah is leading the Nature Transformation and Mainstreaming for Nature Unit at UNEP. She has experience in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. She has been involved in setting policy agendas, securing political commitment on key environment and biodiversity issues, and supporting the development of strategies linking environment and development objectives in multiple countries. Previously, she worked for the Southern Africa Development Community Secretariat, Department of Environmental Affairs, USAID, Chemonics International, IUCN and TRAFFIC International.

 

Phemo Kgomotso

Integrated Landscape Management Lead, Principal Technical Advisor, BES-Net Manager

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

 

Phemo Kgomotso serves as the Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) Lead and Principal Technical Advisor for Ecosystems and Biodiversity at UNDP's Nature Hub. She's the manager of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net). Overseeing UNDP’s ILM and restoration initiatives, she's the focal point for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Phemo ensures top-tier oversight for the ecosystem and biodiversity portfolio in Africa and Arab States and coordinates Vertical Fund (VF) programming for these regions.

 

Ewi Lamma

Director of Programs

Forest, Resources, and People Cameroon

 

Ewi Stephanie Lamma is a holder of a Masters degree in Natural Resource and Environmental Management from the University of Buea, spearheading research and development for 9 years as an Environmental and Climate Justice Advocate in rural communities of Cameroon. Lamma leads teams of volunteers to develop entrepreneurial support and climate leadership capacity building programs for women and young people in rural forests, communities of Cameroon.

 

Francine Pickup

Executive Secretary

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

 

Anne Larigauderie is a distinguished French ecologist serving as the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Dr Larigauderie has held esteemed roles such as the Executive Director of DIVERSITAS, an internationally recognised biodiversity science program under the International Council for Science (ICSU) and UNESCO. In 2010, she was made "Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’Honneur" by the French Government (Ministre de l’Education et de la Recherche).

 

Chiara Manghetti

Manager, National Education

Lipu (Italian League for Birds Protection) - BirdLife Italy

 

Chiara Manghetti currently works as the Manager of Environmental Education and Training for Lipu-BirdLife Italy. Chiara’s work focuses on active youth involvement in environmental issues, pilot programs related to climate change, children’s rights to live in a greener environment and on lifelong learning. She teaches and organizes training workshops and lessons for universities, youth organizations, Forestry Police officers. She also teaches Environmental Ethics to American University students at CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Rome.

 

Alonso Martiez

BIOFIN Coordinator in Mexico

United Nations Development Programme

 

Alonso holds a BSc. in Economics, a BSc. in International Relations, a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Economics from UNAM, & an MSc. in Economics and Environmental Policy from the University College of London. He first worked at the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas on the integration and economic valuation of ecosystem services for conservation, contributing to integrating the economic and financial approach into public policies for biodiversity conservation. He has been working as a National Coordinator with UNDP BIOFIN initiative for more than 4 years.

 

Kevin Mitchell

Director, Property, Planning & Approvals

CRH Canada Group Inc.

 

Kevin Mitchell is the Director of Property, Planning & Approvals for CRH Canada Group Inc. He has 34 years of experience in aggregate extraction reclamation design and implementation including habitat construction and ecological enhancement in Ontario Canada and New York State, USA. Kevin's experience also includes stakeholder relations with Government, First Nations and Communities, environmental performance, management & approvals for extraction, asphalt, ready mix concrete operations.

 

Nelson Ogunshakin

CEO

International Federation of Consulting Engineers

 

Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE was appointed as the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) CEO in July 2018 with overall responsibility for FIDIC’s global operations, representing about 100 countries and over 40,000 professional firms. Nelson was appointed by the UK Prime Minister as a board member of High-Speed Rail System, a new railway system between and north of UK with estimated cost of £55bn. He is also a board member of Transport for London, a £10.5bn annual turnover operator, is Chair of its Programmes and Investment Committee, and serves on its Remuneration Committee.

 

Midori Paxton

Director of Nature Hub

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

 

As the Director of UNDP's Nature Hub Midori leads UNDP Nature Pledge for 2030. She is also responsible for the largest portfolio of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management in the UN system, including support for strengthening protected area systems, biodiversity mainstreaming in landscape/seascape and development and sectoral planning, and promoting nature-based solutions. She has grown innovative global programmes including the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) and UNDP’s support for the Task for Nature-Related Financial Disclosure among others.

 

Maria Paula Viscardo Sesma

Urban NbS Analyst

United Nations Environment Programme

 

Dedicated Environmental Engineer, working with local government in mitigation and adaptation to climate change since her beginnings. Expert in collaborating with Latin American and Caribbean local governments. Worked with the Argentinian Network of Municipalities against Climate Change (RAMCC) and UN Environment Programme at a regional level on the adaptation team, working with Nature based Solutions proyects, such as Nature4Cities initiative.

 

Jennah Pettenuzzo

Environmental Specialist

Dufferin Aggregates, CRH Canada Group, Inc.

 

Jennah Pettenuzzo is an Environmental Specialist for CRH Canada Group Inc. She has 5 years experience working in the aggregate industry, which includes working on habitat creation and enhancement in Ontario, Canada. She is particularly interested in wetland habitat enhancement and pollinator habitat design.

 

Francine Pickup

Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director of Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

 

Francine Pickup is the Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS). Previously, she held significant roles as Resident Representative in Serbia and India and Deputy Country Director in Indonesia. Beginning her UN journey in 2002, Francine contributed to various UN departments, including OCHA and FAO.

 

Helen Roy

Co-Chair, IPBES thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

 

Based at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Prof. Helen Roy is an esteemed ecologist with a focus on invasive alien species and their influence on biodiversity. In her role as co-chair of the IPBES Thematic Assessment on Invasive Alien Species, she delved deep into the ecological dynamics of these species and their ecosystem effects.

 

Christina Supples

Senior Project Manager

United Nations Development Programme

 

Christina Supples is a leader in building governments’ capacity to use science and data to achieve their global policy commitments for nature, climate, and sustainable development. She is an expert at convening stakeholders to improve policy outcomes for multilateral environmental agreements, including governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and scientists. Since 2014, she has provided leadership of a large UNDP global project portfolio of biodiversity enabling activities. Her policy expertise focuses on implementation of the CBD. She holds a Master’s in Environmental Management from Duke University.

 

Chris Thaller

Co-founder and Creative Lead

Anything But Ordinary GmbH

 

Chris Thaller is Co-founder and Creative Lead of Anything But Ordinary, a creative agency & consultancy focusing on impact creation, sustainability and corporate culture. After 10 years as Head of Creative Projects at adidas Runtastic and now as Creative Lead at Anything But Ordinary, Chris has brought together people from all over the world to raise awareness and support for the major challenges of our time. Chris works with companies to help them find and communicate their purpose in a way that inspires and engages their customers, employees, and the wider community.

 

Katie Williamson

Manager, Learning & Tools, Center for Behavior & the Environment

Rare

 

Katie (she/her) develops resources and trainings on Behavior-Centered Design. She has a passion for developing inclusive and engaging learning experiences for global audiences interested in fostering environmental behavior change and human well-being in their communities. Katie holds an M.S. from the University of Michigan and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. Before her work at Rare, she's worked with organizations like the Aspen Institute and The Nature Conservancy.

 

Rachael Garrett

SPA Lead Author and University of Cambridge Professor

Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) - Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

 

Rachael Garrett, SPA Lead Author & Cambridge (UK) professor, previously at ETH Zurich (Switzerland), studies land use, ecosystem services, and economic development. Her research explores land change drivers, conservation policy effectiveness, and commodity supply chain impacts on land use, resources, and trade. She focuses on agriculture-forest frontiers, tropical pasture intensification, and seeks global zero-deforestation, forest degradation solutions, and sustainable land practices.

 

Natasha Ali

Senior Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Over the last 17 years, Natasha Ali has provided policy advice & information to governments, scientific organisations, academia & business on implementation & monitoring of the CBD. Natasha has technical background on a range of issues, e.g. Access & Benefit-Sharing, plant conservation policy & protected areas. Natasha leads UNEP-WCMC's Nature Indicators Focal Initiative in the Policy team. She coordinates a portfolio of activities on indicators & monitoring for tracking progress towards national & global goals, e.g. CBD & the SDG. She also leads the Secretariat for the BIP.

 

Jan R. Baiker

Project Coordinator

Asociación para la Conservación y Estudio de Montañas Andinas-Amazónicas

 

Jan R. Baiker is an environmental scientist, with a master’s degree and with postgraduate degrees in didactics and teaching of biology and development and international cooperation at ETH Zurich (Switzerland). He has more than 15 years of transdisciplinary work experience in international cooperation in Peru, with a focus on high Andean socio-ecosystems and especially bofedal wetlands and their ecohydrological monitoring. He is the Project Coordinator at ACEMAA and an affiliated researcher of the E Clim research group at the University of Zurich.

 

Benjamin Barca

Head of Conservation

NatureMetrics

 

Benjamin is a field conservationist and biodiversity specialist with 10 years experience spanning multiple conservation organizations working in tropical habitats, from Central America to South-East Asia and West Africa. At NatureMetrics he leads the Conservation team working to develop global projects with a focus on protected areas, landscape/seascape and transboundary biodiversity monitoring approaches. He enjoys setting up strong collaborations working with NGOs, Governments and private-public partnerships to help achieve global and national biodiversity targets.

 

Charlotte Bishop

Senior Project Manager

Kongsberg Satellite Services

 

Charlotte is a Senior Project Manager with Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) a leading Earth Observation service provider and satellite ground station network. She is also the Program Lead for the NICFI Satellite Data Program an initiative funded by Norway’s International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI) to provide open access to high resolution satellite data across global tropical forest regions with the purposes of reducing and reversing tropical forest deforestation.

 

Philip Bubb

Senior Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Philip’s work centres on developing capacity for countries to have biodiversity indicators and information systems, and to work with ecosystem functioning in land management to supply ecosystem services. He is skilled in developing frameworks, tools and projects in these areas, with experience in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

 

Debbie Buyaki

Youth For Ecocide Law

 

Debbie Buyaki is a tree planter, founding a project that now covers six of the seven continents, going into thousands of trees and a few notable awards.
She believes the war against the climate crisis needs to be fought on all possible angles and battles collectively. By this, as Co-lead at Youth For Ecocide Law, she has also been involved heavily in fighting the war from the legal battle field, focusing on the ecocide law to protect the environment against mass damage and offering a deterrent strategy to add on to the existent climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

 

Elizabeth Champion

Project Administrator, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Elizabeth supports the delivery of projects across UNEP-WCMC’s Nature Indicators Focal Initiative, within the centre’s Policy team. She administrates a portfolio of projects, assisting with key project management processes such as budget and contract management, resource planning, financial reporting, stakeholder engagement, and project performance monitoring. Elizabeth was previously a member of UNEP-WCMC's Digital Transformation programme, where she provided administrative assistance to a team working on Data Management, Web Development and Design, and Digital Operations.

 

Becky Chaplin-Kramer

Global Biodiversity Lead Scientist

WWF

 

As Global Biodiversity Lead Scientist at WWF, Becky advances the science and implementation of conservation strategies to support biodiversity and its myriad contributions to people's well-being. Prior to WWF, Becky was a lead scientist for the Natural Capital Project (NatCap). In her work with NatCap, Becky led research on global ecosystem service assessment, linking earth observations and ecosystem service modeling, and accelerating the development of products and tools to integrate the values of nature into decision-making.

 

Roberto Correa

Associate Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Roberto is an associate programme officer working within the UNEP-WCMC “Nature Indicators” focal initiative, where he supports projects related to monitoring and reporting for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Roberto leads data analysis of knowledge about biodiversity-related indicators. He is currently leading the project that delivers UNEP-WCMC's support to the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators.

 

Dina Farfan Flores

Executive Director

Asociación para la Conservación y Estudio de Montañas Andinas-Amazónicas / Association for the Conservation and Study of Andean-Amazonian Mountains

 

Dina Farfan Flores is a Peruvian biologist from the San Antonio de Abad National University in Cusco (UNSAAC) and currently a Master’s candidate at the Faculty of Environmental and Rural Sciences of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota (Colombia). Since 2003, she has carried out biodiversity studies in mountain ecosystems, dry forests, inter-Andean valleys and the Amazon plains. She specialized in socio-ecological systems, with a focus on high Andean communities. She is founding member and Executive Director of the Peruvian NGO ACEMAA.

 

Marco Garcia

GIS Specialist

AidEnvironment

 

Marco is the GIS Specialist for the Deforestation-free Supply Chains Team at AidEnvironment where he oversees the geospatial analysis and database development of projects linked to soft commodity supply chains. His main tasks include the identification and monitoring of environmental risks (deforestation and fires) linked to the soy and cattle supply chains in Brazil as well as collaboration with other AidEnvironment teams looking at palm oil and pulp and paper sector in south-east Asia.

 

Max Joshua

Senior Market Development Manager, Hyperspectral

Planet Labs PBC

 

Max’s work centers around the question: How can we use emerging space capabilities to help our world? She is driving GTM strategy for Planet’s upcoming Tanager hyperspectral satellite constellation, which aims to tackle global environmental challenges including emissions, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. Today, Max is building collaborations with industry thought leaders to identify and enable the highest-value, highest-impact use cases for Tanager in advance of launch.

 

Nancy Marangu

Executive Director

Chemichemi Foundation

 

Nancy Marangu is passionate to advocate for inclusion, gender and climate mainstreaming. Nancy serves as the Executive Director at Chemichemi Foundation and envisions an inclusive facilitative infrastructure that supports youth, women and persons with disabilities to be independent, innovative and incremental. Ms. Marangu’s work experience in the last 15 years, spans from strategic communication, planning and management to enhance disability and gender mainstreaming, entrepreneurship as well as risk monitoring, evaluation and management within the public, private and development sectors.

 

Diana Mastracci Sánchez

International Strategic Liaison

GEO Indigenous Alliance

 

Diana is the founder of Space4Innovation, and the International Strategic Liaison for the GEO Indigenous Alliance. Her research and advocacy focus on the integration of Indigenous and local knowledge and space technologies to empower social change initiatives. She has previously worked for the Group on Earth Observations Secretariat, the European Space Agency, Oxford University, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. She holds two master’s degrees: Social Anthropology and Russian from St. Andrews University and Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford.

 

Tainan Messina

Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Tainan has 12 years' experience with Biodiversity Conservation and leads the Target Tracker Project. She works in different areas on the policy team, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and contributes with technical and scientific expertise. She has experience in developing collaborative relationships and tools needed to acquire and develop biodiversity, indigenous people, women, and local communities' data and governance.

 

Katherine Moul

Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Katherine has a background in environmental policy, environmental economics, and science communication, and leads and develops projects related to biodiversity indicators and ecosystem accounting. She is currently leading projects connected to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, through data analyses, maintaining online tools and datasets, and website management. She is also a member of the Secretariat for the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership

 

Amy Rosenthal

Senior Global Director for Conservation Initiatives

Planet

 

Amy Rosenthal is the Senior Global Director for Conservation Initiatives at Planet, where she leads the PBC’s biodiversity programs. Over the past 15 years, Amy has worked at universities, non-profit organizations, and philanthropies to develop resilient, community-centered strategies for environmental conservation.

 

Siyabulela Sokomani

Founder

Nguni Nursery

 

Siyabulela Sokomani, is a green entrepreneur and founder of Nguni Nursery, a leading wholesale plant and tree nursery in South Africa. Siya is dedicated to making high-quality indigenous plants and trees accessible and affordable. In 2022, he took a monumental step by acquiring 162 hectares of degraded kaolin quarry in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, for rehabilitation and reforestation. As an AFR100 youth ambassador, Siya is committed to advancing African restoration goals. He has been named one of the Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders, and is a sought-after speaker.

 

Moisés Soza

Facilitator of the Mesoamerican Leadership School in Petén

Mesoamerican Leadership School- Association of Forest Communities of Petén

 

Moisés Sosa, a 27-year-old, is the son of a member of the San Andrés de Petén Comprehensive Forest Association (AFISAP) and is part of the trainer training program at the Mesoamerican School of Leadership. He is currently preparing to facilitate workshops. Moisés highlights the personal and professional benefits he has gained from his participation in the EML. He believes he has developed a deep and genuine self-awareness. Additionally, he has learned not only from his own organization, but also from other organizations that are part of ACOFOP (Association of Forest Communities of Petén).

 

Luisa Teixeira

Program Manager

Planet

 

Luisa is a Program Manager, currently leading Planet's contribution to the NICFI Satellite Data Program. Luisa has over 10 years of experience working with people from all walks of life to support them in making the best possible use of data and digital decision-making tools. With a background in Environmental Engineering and Geomatics, and extensive experience in product and project management in the application of geospatial data and technologies to various industries, with a focus on environmental and biodiversity protection.

 

Matea Vukelic

Programme Officer, Policy

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

 

Matea primarily supports projects related to biodiversity indicators for the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework. Specifically, she helps to promote and support the identification and use of biodiversity indicators at both global and national levels. This includes assessing biodiversity related indicators, conducting programme specific reviews, helping to organize workshops and events, and analysing national biodiversity reports, assessments, and data. In addition, Matea also works as part of the secretariat for the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP).

 

Andy Wallace

Client Innovation Manager

Atos UK & Ireland

 

As a Consultant, Program Manager and Business Director with over 35 years experience in the IT Industry, Andy Wallace has been responsible for large and complex assignments across many different geographical, cultural, business and technical environments. Andy recently completed my MSc. in Marine and Coastal Environment Management. He is a member of the Atos Scientific Community, the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, and the Royal Biological Society.

 

Alexander Watson

CEO

OpenForests

 

Alexander is a dedicated environmental entrepreneur and CEO of OpenForests which was founded in 2011 as a company that operates the explorer.land platform. Together with his co-founders and led by his passion for sustainability and technology he created explorer.land, a map-based platform that serves as a bridge between nature-based projects and funders. Alexanders' mission for the past 12 years has been to promote more geo transparency in nature-based projects, helping to build trust and enhance engagement.

 

Kevin White

Senior Director, AI for Good Lab

Microsoft

 

Kevin White serves as a Senior Director of Data Science at Microsoft's AI for Good Lab, developing innovative solutions for pressing societal challenges. In collaboration with global experts, Kevin focuses on information integrity, sustainability, and humanitarian disaster response and resilience initiatives.

 

Amalie Wilkinson

Youth For Ecocide Law

 

Amalie Wilkinson is a young environmental advocate based in Canada who has worked with Stop Ecocide for over a year. In that time, she founded Stop Ecocide Toronto the movement’s first city-level chapter and became the Youth Ambassador and Communications Director for Stop Ecocide Canada. Recently, Amalie became the Co-Lead of Stop Ecocide’s global Youth 4 Ecocide Law network.

She is an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, double majoring in International Relations and Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies.

 

Bourhan Yassin

CEO

Rainforest Connection & Arbimon

 

Recognized as one of the 2023 Google.org Leaders to Watch, Bourhan Yassin has over two decades of experience in tech and conservation. He led large-scale Operations and Engineering teams in several Bay Area companies including Powis and Zazzle. He also steered Dubai e-commerce giant, MarkaVIP, as COO before dedicating his life to conservation. Bourhan has represented RFCx at key events, directly deployed RFCx Tech on the ground, and assembled a talented and diverse team from all over the world.