Ben Sims has 13 years of experience in more than ten countries across Asia and the Pacific. Ben is an expert in climate finance, public financial management, investment planning, climate risk assessments, adaptation planning (asset, community, sector and national levels), policy and institutional design and reforms, and the development of sectoral and national strategies and plans.
Ben has provided consultancy services for government agencies and international organisations, including SPREP, ADB, World Bank, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), UN Environment, UNDP, UNDRR, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Government of New Zealand. Recent consultancies are summarised in this profile - my full consultancy record is provided in my CV.
Ben’s recent work in the Pacific includes leading the development of the PNG National Climate Finance Strategy and PNG GCF Country Programme; completion of climate finance training for government agencies in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands; design of the GCF no-objection procedure for RMI; and analysis on strengthening flood risk management institutions in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. He has also led an assessment on mainstreaming climate change into Cambodia’s PFM system and development of an investment plan to strengthen the country’s disaster risk management. Ben was previously a staff member at GGGI, where he worked on establishing the Institute’s country programs in Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
He holds a Master of Environmental Management and Development and Master of Diplomacy from the Australian National University, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Auckland, and is a Certified Expert in Climate Adaptation Finance from the Frankfurt School. Ben is currently studying a Master of Public Health at the University of Auckland part time, where he is researching the impacts of flooding on population health.
James Lewis, Director of Intercoastal Consulting, is a certified practicing civil engineer with over 15 years of experience specialising in coastal engineering throughout Australasia and across the Pacific. He has a broad knowledge of coastal protection design, integrated coastal management and surf amenity. James’s skills extend outside the office where he has led large-scale metocean deployments, analysing the data captured in the field to calibrate numerical models used to inform coastal design.
He has focussed the last 10 years of his career on working in Small Island Developing States (SIDs) in climate change adaptation, concerned primarily with developing climate-resilient coastal protection. James aspires to see the design phase through to implementation; having supported procurement, and contracting and undertaken construction supervision on large projects in remote locations. He aims to provide value and support through the complete project lifecycle including the social, financial and institutional aspects of these projects, endeavoring to understand the administrative, governmental and funding mechanisms specific to each country and community and their relation to the delivery of a successful project.
Using his knowledge of coastal engineering, the ocean and the environment, James’ primary endeavor is to assist coastal communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
- 4 years in the finance industry
- Large scale project management change projects/programmes across diverse sectors and industry such as education, organisational change, social development, corruption, gender, equality, disability, social inclusion, equity, and Pacific development
- Capability development expertise - training and development proven experience in human centred design and train the trainer concepts.
- Masters in Advanced Leadership Practice (Massey University NZ)
- Specialise in building high performing teams by living ones vision, mission and culture
Dr George Carter is a Research Fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University (ANU). He is also the Director for the ANU Pacific Institute a large network hub of scholars in the university - connecting and promoting Pacific research, teaching and training at the university.
The broad focus of George’s research interest explores Pacific island peoples’ and states influence and agency in international and regional politics. His research interests explore international politics of (negotiations, security, gender, finance, justice, science and traditional knowledge) climate change, geopolitics and regionalism(s), as well as the foreign policy and diplomacies of small island states in the Pacific. Furthermore, he is interested in indigenous philosophy and non-western international relations that focus on the longstanding history, practices, protocols and principles of Pacific political communities, contributing to Oceanic Diplomacy.
He has undertaken research in multilateral forums including climate change, security, ocean, sustainable development negotiations, as well as in regional organisations and national governments across the Pacific. George teaches university and executive courses in international relations, diplomacy, security, environment and climate change, policy, cultural communication, and Pacific studies.
His research and teaching interests are informed by his education, work experience in the Pacific and upbringing through his proud Samoan Tuvaluan, i-Kiribati, Chinese, British ancestry. He serves his family and communities in Samoa, where he holds the matai/chiefly title of Salā.
For fifteen years Julie has supported governments, communities, NGOs, and humanitarian organisations across the Pacific, Asia and Australia to address climate change through their policy, project and program work. Her specialties are adaptation, resilience and gender. She has expertise in research, writing and analysis. She also has substantial expertise in developing and delivering tailored training packages and developing targeted and practical communication materials, guidelines and toolkits for diverse audiences. She has excellent written and verbal communication skills and substantial experience in mentoring, capacity building and leadership. She has a Masters in Sustainability from Murdoch University and is completing a Master of Climate Change from the Australian National University.