I am a lawyer by profession and is currently the People’s Lawyer for Tuvalu. I holds a Master of Law in Government and Regulation from the Australia National University, Professional Diploma in Legal Drafting (PDLD), Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (PDLP) and BA/LLB degree from University of the South Pacific .
I have been practiced as a lawyer in Tuvalu for more than 10 years. For 6 years, I worked as a government lawyer in the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) of Tuvalu and then as the People’s Lawyer in the Office of the People’s Lawyer (OPL).
In the OAG, I worked as a government litigator, prosecutor, legal drafter and represented the Government in national and international conferences.
As the People’s Lawyer I became both the public solicitor and defender and also managed the OPL. I involved in alternative dispute resolution settlements and work directly with the people. I also conducted public education and awareness for the people and capacity building for OPL staff.
My interest in the environment started as I worked as a climatologist in the Apia Observatory, Samoa, where I learnt a lot about the close links between the weather/climate and other components of the environment including humans. I later took an academic career with the National Uni of Samoa (participate in the environment issue) in its inception years until the end of 1999.
Moving to Australia in 2000 allowed me to take an administration pathway with the University of NSW until 2006 and a theology degree. This helped developed a more complete toolkit to deal with the environment issue. Returning to Samoa this decade gave me an opening to connect in a more meaningful way with communities which are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Currently I'm enjoying this work immensely with the OLSSI.
Consultancy: Conducted consultancy on water quality testing and training for sanitation and water assessment technicians in Samoa. Currently part of team member drafting Samoa's GEF-SGP country programme strategy for its 6th Operational Programme. Drafted methodology for Samoa's second greenhouse inventory. Drafted primary science curriculum for Samoa. Lessons learnt from completed consultancies have been applied to research and teaching to a student community and applied to the assessment of community climate change resilience and conservation projects. Work experience: Researcher on water quality assessment using conventional methods; currently trialing the use of DNA technology for water assessment. Background in ocean acidification. Project member for EU-funded EDULINK Project on Education for Sustainable Development and Pace-Net Plus Project on Health, Food security, marine and maritime and inland water research, Climate change. Experience in budgetary and report writing
Paul Holper is an experienced environment and science communicator. He spent 25 years at Australia’s CSIRO in senior positions. He managed the Australian Climate Change Science Program, with over 100 researchers. Prior to that he was Communication Manager for CSIRO Atmospheric Research. He convened international climate change ‘GREENHOUSE’ conferences and has run workshops in Australia and overseas. Paul is a Director of Scientell PL. He has worked for iCLIM, the Pacific climate change adaptation program run in collaboration with SPREP. This entailed visits to Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu and extensive discussions with government officials, representatives from NGOs and environmental practitioners. He has produced climate change brochures for the Victorian Government, highlighting the latest projections and adaptation options. He has an honours degree in chemistry and qualifications in science communication and education. He has written 23 science books for children and for adults.
Project and Programme Design, Preparation, Implementation and Evaluation
Capacity Building, including training, institutional strengthening and policy development and planning
Disaster and Climate Risk Assessments and Management - nationally as well as for specific sectors, islands and communities
Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction Financing
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.
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
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.
Tom is a sustainability expert and certified knowledge manager. Tom recently co-founded innovative start-ups in training, software and services. Tom’s focus is to help establish a robust system of knowledge content, tools, processes, expertise to enable effective solutions to sustainability issues. Tom’s career includes roles as a senior manager in a government cleantech funding program, director at an international certification company; as well as co-founder of a non-profit and a specialized consultancy/software company (ClimateCHECK). Tom’s experience covers North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Tom has worked with 100s of organizations on climate change, clean technologies and sustainability. Tom co-founded the GHG Management Institute, the world’s leading GHG training provider with 1000s of experts in over 100 countries. Tom co-founded Interactive Leader and led development of the Collaborase online platform - used by sustainability and green standardization initiatives implementing “Interactive Standards 2.0” systems. Tom is International Chair of ISO climate change standards (ISO TC207/SC7 GHG management and related issues). As Chair of ISO TC207/SC7, Tom leads the efforts of 57 participating countries, 18 observer countries and 18 liaison organizations to develop international standards to meet the needs for GHG Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV). ISO TC 207/SC7 encompasses standards for GHG quantification, GHG verification and GHG accreditation (e.g. ISO 14064, 14065, 14066). Tom’s experience with GHG standards also includes WBCSD-WRI GHG Protocol, Climate Disclosure Standards Board, UNFCCC CDM, and various GHG programs. Tom has a degree in environmental economics and completed graduate studies in climate change economics. Tom also has degrees in environmental engineering, and completed graduate studies specializing in GHG measurement, air pollution and clean technologies.
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.
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.