Have worked with government for 10 years, and currently employed as Assistant CEO for Research, Policy Planning and Information Processing. Have experience in community engagement in the fields of women, children, youth and disabilities development. Experience in the conducting of surveys, development and review of policies, corporate planning, social impact assessments. Have experience in the development of monitoring frameworks and information systems (excel), and inter-sectoral communication.
Dr. Margaretha Wewerinke has a broad range of experience related to human rights, climate change and sustainable development. She has advised governments and NGOs on questions of international law at climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in relation to potential legal claims related to loss and damage caused by climate change. She designed and taught a 10-day capacity building workshop on the added value of a human rights approach to climate change for Pacific Island states at the University of the South Pacific's PaCE-SD in Suva, Fiji in 2011 and is now teaching International Climate Change Law and Regional Environmental Law at the Emalus Campus of USP in Vanuatu. Her consultancy and capacity building work has focused on using domestic courts as well as international mechanisms - such as the UN Human Rights Council - to raise concerns related to climate change and its adverse effects on the enjoyment of human rights.
Over 30 years experience financial & contract management, budgeting, established financial systems in Samoa, Tokelau, SPREP & PIFS. Now, Financial Management Specialist, Samoa's Pilot Project Climate Resilience (PPCR-ECR) and Adaptation Fund-ERCC. Ability to meet funders' accountability criteria to drawdown upto US$3M in 3mnths intervals. Wealth of project experience in PPCR, AF,GEF, ADB & EU writing proposals, manage, monitor, report financial, contract progress & project results across sectors i.e regional economic integration, communities resilience to climate change & disaster risk management. Over 20 years experience in organisational development, institutional strengthening & governance, established performance management, monitoring & evaluation frameworks at regional & national levels. Extensive experience in results-based planning & management,capacity building and institutional reviews. SPREP Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) capacity building management planner.
Dr Mead’s background in coastal oceanography and marine ecology, specialising in hydrodynamic and sediment transport numerical modelling, coastal processes, climate change adaptation, coastal protection, offshore submerged reefs and amenity enhancement, and ecological assessment, allows him to effectively bridge the multi-disciplinary gap between physical processes and marine ecological impacts, which he has successfully for the past 20 years. Countries of Work Experience: Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Marshall Is, Mauritius, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, USA, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Wales, Vietnam, Chile, Bahrain.
May 2015 to Present: Hazard Analyst, NIWA, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Mar-2015 to May-2015: Individual Consultant, UNDP Adaptation Fund Assignment – Status Review of the National Coastal Infrastructure Management Plans in Samoa.
Nov-2014 to Jan-2015: Samoa National Coordinator, ADB funded Strengthening Disaster and Climate Risk Resilience in Urban Development in the Pacific Project, Phase II – Samoa Case Study.
June 2014: Field Collaborator, Archaeo-Environmental Investigations along the mid-Holocene shoreline near Aitape, PNG.
Jan to Dec-2011: NZ MoRST-Fulbright Visiting Graduate Researcher, Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering, University of Hawai’i at Manoa.
Aug-2004 to Jan-2007: Senior Scientific Officer, Geophysics Section, Meteorology Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Government of Samoa.
Dec-2003 to Aug-2004: Scientific Officer, Climate Applications Section, Meteorology Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Government of Samoa.
- Secondary teacher and administrator, 1993 - 2006, Tonga and Niue Mission of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
- Youth and Mental Health Project Coordinator, 2006 - 2009, Tonga Community Development Trust
- Ozone Depleting Substances Project Coordinator, 2010 - Now, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications
Over 27 years of experience on international development projects, focusing on coastal management, ICZM, coastal adaption, climate policy, wetland biodiversity management and catchment management. Over 12 years’ experience of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) including programmes that involve participatory planning processes, conducting feasibility studies, the assessment climate change and small island state environmental management and the design of programme implementation involving climate change.Over 10 years’ experience in institutional assessment and identification of capacity and organisational constraints within public administration, private sector, civil society (mostly in small island states). Extensive knowledge of donor agency development policies relating to disaster risk, climate change and coastal adaptation. Strong working experience for SPREP since 2011 in Tuvalu, Tonga, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Fiji, FSM, Samoa. Strong experience in many other SIDs globally.
Employment Record:
To (year) Employer Positions held
2015 Tonga Water Board Manager - Engineering
2013 Tonga Water Board Planning Engineer
2009 Tonga Rugby Football Union / Ministry of Environment & Climate Change National Head Coach / Local Consultant
2007 Tonga Water Board Acting Chief Engineer/Planning Engineer
2002 Tonga Water Board Planning Engineer
2000 Full time student, Civil & Environmental Engineering Senior Technical Officer
1998 Tonga Water Board Senior Technical Officer
Full Time Student (Diploma Water Supply Engineering, UK Student (Loughborough Uni)
1987 Tonga Water Board Technical Assistant (Works)
Consultancy Experience
2015 National Consultant (Water Resource & Supply) Tonga Nation Communication 1&2 and 3
2015 National Consultant (Tonga PACC) Hihifo Water Supply Design
National Consultant (Tonga PACC) Project Engineer & Supervision
National Consultant (Tonga PACC) PACC Hihifo Project Guideline
National Consultant (Government of Tonga) AusAid Funded Village Wate
I am the leader of several large research projects in New Zealand, focussing on adaptation to climate variability and change. I participated in the Samoan Climate Early Warning System project (part of the Samoan National Adaptation Plan of Action) through input to the Agriculture, Health and Forestry sectors project design. I regularly interact with NMHS and sector representatives to identify climate data and information needs and preferred delivery mechanisms. I am involved in the GFCS. I am involved in various Pacific activities, focussing on climate observations, climate outlook and early warnings, training and capacity building, fundamental climate research, and climate and health. I am a co-chair of WMO CCl OPACE-4 and the chair of the PICS Panel.
I am a highly experienced climate change and development consultant with extensive experience in the Pacific region working with national and sub-national governments, NGOs and Red Cross Societies. I have designed, managed and evaluated climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction projects in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste. Some project I have recently been involved in include: (i) Development of an activity design document (ADD) on ocean acidification in the Pacific (funded by NZ MFAT and implemented by SPREP); (ii) Review of sanitation and water services in informal settlements in Melanesia (commissioned by the World Bank); (iii) Evaluation of the Vanuatu Humanitarian Team (Oxfam); (iv) Design of marine ecosystem based community based adaptation project in Nissan district, Bougainville, PNG (CARE International); (v) Evaluation of the project "Supporting Community Planning for a More Resilient Vanuatu" (French Red Cross and Vanuatu Red Cross Society)
I have considerable experience in designing and implementing climate change and development projects for inter alia UNDP, UNEP, IFAD and FAO in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific region. My areas of expertise include: i) ecosystem-based adaptation; ii) disaster risk management; iii) REDD+; iv) carbon sequestration; v) community development; and vi) global support programmes for capacity building. I have led teams of international consultants in designing innovative projects for building climate resilience in developing countries. My involvement in project implementation has provided valuable insights that I apply in the design of new projects tailored to local environmental and socio-economic conditions, taking into account lessons learned from previous experiences in project design and implementation. My day-to-day duties are designing, implementing and M&E of climate change and development projects in the public and private sectors.
Kirstie Méheux is a disaster risk management professional at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, specialising in training and professional development of personnel in risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response and recovery. Kirstie has operational experience in disaster response in both Fiji and Australia. Kirstie is also an experienced researcher in the field of disaster management in Pacific Island Countries. Kirstie has delivered training in 12 Pacific island Countries and Territories. Prior to joining SPC, Kirstie worked with Australian Red Cross in their Emergency Services Team, responsible for the recruitment, training, and deployment of volunteers within Australia. Kirstie has also held Visiting Fellowships at the University of New South Wales and Fiji National University with whom she is partnering to develop a Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Disaster Risk Management.