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.
Fifteen years managing development finance in Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific and six years in small island developing states. Expert building country systems and partnerships for development. Climate change, resilience building, infrastructure, gender equality, blue/green economy, public health, education and governance program experience.
Key Qualifications:M.Sc. in Environmental Studies and 8 years of experience in project management and grant writing; Expertise in climate change adaptation and renewable energy issues and policy in the Pacific Islands. Current Position: Climate Change Advisor, SPC :- Advisor for a €11.4 million European Union funded climate change adaption project being implemented in nine Pacific Island nations; - Lead project activities in the countries of Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Tonga, including designing, implementing and reporting on €0.5 million on-the-ground sectoral projects, in the fields of agro-forestry, environmental health, and coastal protection;- Enable mainstreaming climate change into national policies, such developing the Tuvalu Agricultural Marketing Plan;- Support country preparedness for climate financing by facilitating use of country procurement and finance procedures where possible;- Lead a Pacific-wide initiative to disinfect water using UV light
My area of expertise is in the field of Civil and Environmental Engineering specializing in;
• water resources engineering and integrated management,
• civil and environmental engineering design of infrastructures,
• environmental risk assessment and minimization, climate change analysis,
• urban hydrology, water demand forecasting and allocation framework,
• hydrological, hydraulic and watershed modelling,
• system dynamic and model development.
Qualifications: Ph.D (Env Eng). University of Melbourne (UoM), Australia, ME. The University of Auckland, BE. Unitec Institute of Tech
Employment History:
HARC, Melbourne
Senior Water Resources Engineer – Candor3 Ltd, NZ, 2014 – Present.
Quest Lecturer – Unitec Institute of Technology, NZ, 2014 – Present.
Research Fellow: UoM, Australia, 2014.
Fellow/Lecturer: BYU, USA, 2012 – 2013.
Water Resources Engineer: Division of Water Resources, Utah, USA, 2013 – 2014.
Tutor: UoM, 2008 - 2010.
Env Engineer: Wood & Partners Consultants Ltd, 2007.
more
Paul Mitchell has over a decade of international development experience in more than 20 countries across five regions. Paul is an expert in climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. He has led adaptation programs for the Australian aid program and international NGO Save the Children. He has also provided consultancy services for government, non-government and international organisations. Paul focuses on helping organisations integrate climate change risk and adaptation into development programs at all levels and throughout the project cycle, as well as developing and implementing capacity building programs. He holds a BA (Hons) in Cultural Studies and Sociology and a Masters in International Development from UNSW. Paul has completed consultancies in the Pacific for a range of organisations, including: DFAT, the World Bank, Save the Children, CARE and Oxfam. More information is available at www.adapt-develop.com
Barbara is a climate change and disaster risk reduction specialist with more than 16 years of direct professional in-the-field experience. She has provides advisory services in policy and program development, program and project evaluation, training and capacity building, to national and local government agencies and international and regional organizations, including the United Nations system and NGOs with focus on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for resilient development, food security, gender, policy leadership and advocacy. She is specialised in programmes aiming at climate change and disaster risk reduction mainstreaming into national and sector response policies, strategies and plans.
She has used multi-stakeholder participatory approaches in Pacific countries and has proven hands-on expertise in-the-field. She worked with government and beneficiary institutions to formulate policies and implement programmes. She was responsible for the formulation of national policies, vulnerability assessment, gender, disaster risk reduction and natural hazards prevention and mitigation through the promotion of long-term strategies to adaptation planning for effective aid delivery at national and regional level. In her work she has developed funding recommendation, strategic positioning, partnership and recommended doable and realistic implementation plans, including timelines, costing and roles and responsibilities.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Global Environmental Protection and International Policies and is an active member of the Pacific Infrastructure Advisory Centre and Adaptation Learning mechanism as well as the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery East Asia and the Pacific Disaster Knowledge Network. Barbara is serving on United Nations Women National Committee Aotearoa New Zealand.
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.
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.
Over 10+ years consultancy work on climate resilience policy & institutional review; CC project & program design including development of PPDs & financial proposals; MfDR-based corporate planning; M&E/R; Organisation Review; Community development/assessments etc for Samoa and the Pacific. Designed & developed the Pacific Island owned Rapid Response Fund & Regional Technical Support Mechanism (ADB funded; SPREP implemented; overall guidance by WARD/CROP agencies). National consultant for several projects including PPCR Samoa country track; DRM/DRR Act/policy review; CRPD impacts ratification for GoSamoa etc. SQA/NUS Professional Unit Certified Adult/Community Trainer- conducted in-country training & workshops/forum including the 2015 post-SIDS Joint CSO Forum (CSSP SUNGO/GEF-SGP/PIANGO) for Samoa. 20+ years experience in Pacific island project design, management & implementation in the areas of environmental information, knowledge management and clearinghouse mechanisms.