Fifteen years of experience with environmental assessment and planning, sustainable development and climate change in government, inter-government, non-government and academic organisations. Extensive knowledge of the agricultural, mining, energy and tourism sectors. Examples of work and project experience: incorporated climate change and disaster risk management considerations in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines and EIA training courses for Pacific Island countries; audited the energy and water consumption of mainstream and eco-tourism operators in Queensland, Australia; developed a methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions for the Australian tourist accommodation sector; identified mechanisms for building social-ecological resilience in tropical savanna landscapes; developed environmental research and management recommendations for seabed mining in northern Australia; authored the Darwin Harbour Water Quality Protection Plan (Australia).
I'm a trained Environment & Climate Change Adaptation Practitioner/Specialist with over 10 years of practice and consultancy experiences. Provided technical advice to Governments of Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu on policy changes, marine resource use, climate change. Area of expertise includes; policy analysis, environment management systems, V&A, M&E, mainstreaming climate change adaptation interventions into planning processes, MPA, community engagement and workshop facilitation. Authored book on, Climate Change Adaptation and the Coastal Zone of S.Tarawa (2014), "Kiribati: the inter-linkages and the array of adaptation barriers and limits". Co-authored the "Kiribati Second National Communication Report to the UNFCCC" (2013) and other technical reports.
With over 16 years of experience in sustainable energy development, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, my work focuses on increasing energy access, improving livelihood, and building resilience of vulnerable communities in developing countries. I have provided services to donors and development agencies; including IFAD, Sida, UNESCO, UNEP and USAID; both being part of an organization as well as independently. I have been extensively involved in understanding the needs of developing countries of Asia in relation to improving access to energy supply and resilience to climate change; and developing innovative solutions to address those needs in ways that are appropriate to local contexts. Areas of my expertise are:
• Climate Change Adaptation: Adaptive capacity for municipalities; community based adaptation planning; and climate vulnerability assessment.
• Climate change mitigation: Strategies for low carbon development, sustainable waste management, sustainable city planning, and Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Sustainable energy: Energy access through renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency in buildings and facilities, and policy analysis for cleaner technologies in SMEs.
Palanitina is a highly qualified, experience and respected senior Samoan public service leader with significant experiences in health governance and health system strengthening. public health services in general, public health education, health promotion, disease prevention and high level public health leadership, management and administration. She had held senior executive positions in the Samoan Government, including the Director General of Health (DGoH) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Health for 9 years (Feb 2005 – Feb 2014) and Assistant CEO of the Division for Women in the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) from Sept 1998 – Jan 2005. Palanitina has championed health system strengthening (HSS) based on the WHO Framework on HSS 2005. She led and completed in 18 months (Feb 2005 – July 2006) the realization of the public health reform which began in 1998. She was instrumental in the development and advocacy for passage through Parliament of 18 legislations plus several health policies within her terms of leadership; to practically implement the MOH’s new monitoring and regulatory functions. She has been advocating for women’s empowerment at policy and program levels. She led the practical translation of regional and international conventions through empowerment programs, including the establishment of women’s leadership networks. She led the establishment of the Partnership for the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which the Samoan Government ratified in 1992. A sought after adviser, Palanitina has evaluated a number of Pacific regional and country programs, including for AusAid before becoming DFAT, WHO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. She has facilitated country and regional collaborations and, through her consultancy and government CEO appointments, Palanitina has had significant involvement in the delivery and review of regional and some international programs through WHO.
Senior management experience working in international and regional institutions in the Pacific: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (Coordinator/Legal Adviser); United National Development Programme-GEF Unit Asia-Pacific (Regional Technical Adviser- Pacific and Timor Leste); Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency(Director Operations). Secretariat Pacific Community (Climate Change Adviser), Pilot Program Climate Resilience- Regional Track Pacific (Team Leader/Program Manager); Provision of high level policy advice to leaders and senior government officials of Pacific island countries on environmental and natural resource issues of importance to Pacific at international, regional and national settings. In particular the effective integration of environmental and sustainable development considerations into national development planning and decision processes; Over 15 years management experience with expertise in strategic planning and implementation of programmes; preparation of annual work plans and budgets, staff management, organizational review and change; Formulation, development, implementation support and monitoring of projects for the Global Environment Fund, United Nations Environment Programme, European Union, ADB, World Bank, Australia, Canada and New Zealand; Experienced in Partnership building and resource mobilization; Excellent communication skills and success at managing personnel from different cultures and backgrounds in challenging and competitive environments; Responsible for driving the development and finalisation of The Pacific Islands Regional Framework on Climate Change 2006-2015 (endorsed by Pacific Island leaders in 2006) and the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Strategy 2010-2015 (endorsed Pacific Island Fisheries Ministers May 2010). The importance of effective integration of environmental and sustainable development considerations national development planning is recognised in both strategic frameworks as well as the Pacific Plan endorsed by Forum Island leaders; Technical Consultant for Asia Development Bank and co-drafter of the Planning Urban Management Act, Samoa 2004; Experienced in advocacy, legal drafting, litigation, drafting ministerial and official interventions, preparations of briefs.
Work with the Yap State Marine Resource Management Division to design, implement, and monitor projects that are related to both the exploitation and conservation of marine resources. Most projects aim to build the capacity of government agency personnel, community-based organizations, and coastal communities to manage their coastal resources. Projects related to climate change are mostly aimed at improving food security; such as aquaculture and alternatives to reef fishing in conjunction with the establishment of more protected areas.
The consultant's key fields of expertise include Environmental Management (Env Mgt Sys, Env Audit, EIA, SEA), Sustainable Development, Climate Change (Adaptation, Mitigation, Science, Policy), Community Waste Management, Community Based Adaptation, Ecosystem-based Adaptation. Proficient project management and project performance management skills that include practitioner skills in project management in controlled environments; skills in concept, grant and full project and funding proposal writing, climate financing proposal writing, design, work planning and budgeting. Skilled in project appraisal of project aspects such as costs, timescales, quality, scope, risk and benefits; deliver of quality project products, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. Offers training and workshops on V&A Assessments that include technical and community-based tools and frameworks, socio-economic assessments, lessons learned, results-based management, survey design and implementation, M&E design and implementation, gender & climate change. Range of working experiences at different levels of development intervention - international and regional (negotiations, policy, advocacy, lobbying, media campaigns and presentation, knowledge management); regional and national (project management, policy, science, gender, adaptation, mitigation, media campaigns, public awareness) and community (CBA, EbA, V&A, negotiations, training, gender mainstreaming level, implementation, negotiation skills on climate change, waste management, attitude and behavioral change campaigning). Have on-the-ground and field experiences in 14 Pacific Island communities, particularly in Palau, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Niue, Cook Islands, and Papua New Guinea. Sector expertise areas of climate change adaptation activities and results in integrated coastal zone management, water resources management (specializing in low-lying atolls), food security, food production, agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, tourism and health.
Dr. Bartlett has been living and working in Melanesia since 2002, currently as Knowledge Manager for the Australia-Pacific Climate Partnership. His extensive work with communities, civil society, private sector and governments in the Pacific have shaped his current action research interests. These include innovative and science-based solutions and strategies for dealing with change in the Pacific, including climate change. After his PhD at James Cook University, he joined Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom's lab at Indiana University to investigate the emergence of networks of community-based MPAs and taboos. Dr. Bartlett resides in Port Vila, Vanuatu and makes frequent consulting, speaking and training trips around the world.
Lisa is a manager within KPMG’s Climate Change and Sustainability practice. She as over fourteen years experience quantifying and developing solutions to mitigate the impacts from climate change and sustainability. As a civil engineer specialising in climate change and sustainability, Lisa has worked with asset owners to determine how they are best positioned to respond to the impacts of climate change. She has extensive experience interpreting climate models and has worked closely with CSIRO to run specific climate models for clients. She applies her knowledge to understand and consider the risks and uncertainty of climate change to guide and inform decision making for business and government. She has worked across the major infrastructure phases, design, construction and operation, and assets, from buildings, roads, mines, water, costal settlements, electricity to rail. She has practical design and construction experience, which she has applied to develop design solutions to mitigate the short and long term risks posed by climate change. Lisa knows how to evaluate the costs and benefits of adaptation to determine the most optimal adaptation solution (i.e. optimising investment decisions).
Key skills: providing strategic, targeted knowledge network, evaluation and technical services to international environmental and development programs and institutional capacities. Thematic interests and work experience: project design, implementation and results based monitoring: child rights, disability mainstreaming in UN funds and programs, inclusive education sector planning, biodiversity strategic planning, disaster risk reduction , climate change and resilience, natural resources and protected area management, ecosystem services and environmental science. Policy and bottleneck analysis and implementation problem resolution including work in environment sectors, poverty alleviation and education, improved service delivery and transparent government initiatives. Advocacy interests focusing on one UN programming, education for sustainable development, education systems and planning, climate change adaptation, emergencies, disaster risk reduction and resilience. Communication: training and education experience, including organizing and leading workshops. Research: data analysis, writing/editing materials for a wide variety of audiences and preparing content for websites.
Countries of Work Experience: Fiji & Kiribati
Community rep/trainer and advisor: Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA)
Programme Advisor: Fiji YWCA
Projects Advisor: Lomaiviti Environment Committee/Nabuna Youth Club/Sawana Youth Club
Fiji Financial Literacy Network (Certified Trainer-NCSMED)
Women in Business (Fiji)
Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM)
Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni (ELFA Fiji)
Professional Associate and Alumni member for East West Center
International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN)
Facilitator for Capacity for Peace and Development (UNDP)
Socio-Economic Officer (October 2005-June 2007)
Sustainable Livelihoods Officer (July 2007-June 2008)
Programme Projects Officer (July 2008-June 2009)
Coastal Management and Inshore Fisheries Programme Field Coordinator (July 09-April 10)
Coastal Management and Inshore Fisheries Programme Coordinator (May 10-to date)
Sustainable Coastal Resource Use Management Programme Coordinator (January 2012-June 2013)
US Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Certification
State of Michigan Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Certification
Storm Water Management Program Certification
Advanced Topics in Geographic Information System (GIS) Certification
Countries of Work Experience: USA, Republic of Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands
Principal - Roles and Experience:
2013-2014: RMI, Environmental Specialist, ADB TA No. 8306 RMI - Ebeye Water and Sanitation Project
2011-2012: Palau, Environmental Specialist, ADB TA No. 42439-01 PAL - Palau Sanitation Sector Development Project
2010-2011: Palau, Environmental Specialist, ADB TA No. 7394-REG - Strengthening the Capacity of DMCs to Respond to Climate Change
2008-2009: Paulau, Environmental Specialist, ADB TA No.4977-PAL - Babeldaob Water Supply Project
2001-2007: Palau, Environmental Manager, Palau Compact Road, National Highway Project, US Army Corps of Engineers