The Team

The platform is created by a group of enthusiastic minds with a range of backgrounds related to climate change, including experiences at NGOs, think tanks, governments, GEF, UNEP, and UNESCO. By doing so, we hope to contribute to the international knowledge-exchange and encourage people to take action against the biggest challenge of our generation.

Sirca S. Gogus, Coordinator & Author

Sirca believes that living in an ever-connected globe, at the age of Anthropocene, not only yields opportunities in front of individuals, but also bestows certain responsibilities on them. That is why she has made the conscious decision to devote her academic and professional career to the climate-development nexus. With a background in social and political sciences, which she complemented with European governance and public affairs, Sirca has been trotting the globe for the past seven years. Her research interests and professional expertise include international negotiations and interest representation, climate mitigation and finance, adaptation funding, the EU and US energy-climate-environment portfolios, natural resource and environmental economics, payments for ecosystem services, climate ethics and religion, political economy and ecology, and environmental impact assessments. Sirca’s greatest ambition is to be a life-long learner. Her favourite pastime is being on the beach. She may or may not be daydreaming frequently about the day she can engage in both, simultaneously. In the spirit of fairplay, she thinks all fields of sport are equal with football being the most equal one. View all posts by Sirca S. Gogus →

Janto S. Hess, Webmaster & Author

Exploring the link between tourism and climate change caught Janto’s attention. Janto is undertaking PhD studies at the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR), at University College London (UCL), focussing his research on investigating the potential of state-driven instruments to involve the private (tourism) sector in Small Island Developing States in adaptation finance. Besides his studies he works as a consultant in the field of climate change adaptation and finance. His expertise is based on several years of experience in international development (for example with UNDP and GIZ) and in the tourism sector. Furthermore, Janto gained research experiences with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the German Development Institute (GDI-DIE). Throughout his life he lived in seven different countries including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, England, and Germany. View all posts by Janto S. Hess →

Rory Walshe, Leading Editor & Author

Rory is fascinated by disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in developing countries, with specific experience in Small Island Developing States. This includes conducting several research projects and publications across the South Pacific and more recently working in Cusco Peru for the Indigenous Peoples’ Bio-Cultural Climate Change Assessment Initiative (IPCCA). Rory has a first class BSc Hons in Disaster Management, an MSc in Climate Change and International Development with distinction and is currently a PhD Student at University College London (UCL).  View all posts by Rory Walshe →

Snaliah E. G. Mahal, Editor & Author

Snaliah’s main area of interest has to do with (although not limited to) Small Island Developing States, especially those in the Caribbean region, and how they are affected by climate change and environmental issues. As the Vice President of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (St. Lucia Chapter) she was coordinator of its GEF SGP funded project on the environment, targeted at youth in marginalised parts of St. Lucia. She lived and studied in Mexico for 5 years where she also did an internship at the United Nations Information Centre. She has experience in teaching at the secondary school level and enjoys the outdoors, reading, listening to music, and of course watching cricket and football. View all posts by Snaliah E. G. Mahal →

Lorraine Dongo, Editor & Author

A social scientist working in international development, Lorraine is keen to see greater action on equitable sustainable access and use of natural capital; variegated, applicable and sustainable systems of climate governance and finance; implementation and effectiveness of responses to environmental challenges caused by climate change. Currently a Freelance Consultant and a Postgraduate student in Climate Change and International Development at UEA, Lorraine has a background in public policy, equality and human rights legislation, civic participation, community cohesion, community leadership and representation  and she is fascinated by the politics that emerge when these intersect with climate change action or no action particularly in developing countries.

Her current research interests within the climate change realm extend to climate politics and policy making; finance; socio-ecological governance; multi- stakeholder participation; impact assessments, policy appraisal; low carbon development, green growth, regional integration and international negotiations.

Petros Theodorou, Communications & Author

Petros holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and a Master in International and European Studies, with focus on Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development, both from Panteion University in Greece. His scientific interest was captured by the interplay of climate change impacts with social and societal processes, leading him to the University of East Anglia for the MSc in Climate Change and International Development. The climate change adaptation-development-human mobility nexus as well as the communication of climate change are his major fields of interest. He is also keen on the narratives about urban resilience, particularly in developing countries, as he is fascinated by the multidisciplinary approach and the integration of various kinds of knowledge that resilience calls for. He has worked for environmental NGOs and non-profit associations in Athens and in Brussels as well. Recently, he concluded a postgraduate research internship at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in Bangkok. When he does not dream about trips around the world, he enjoys playing basketball, listening to music and cooking with friends. View all posts by Petros Theodorou →

Anna Perez Catala, Co-Founder & Author  

Anna’s longtime passion for nature brought her to climate change issues. She is especially interested in the strong social and political forces that shape the responses to climate change. She loves traveling and reading, if possible both at the same time, and she has the strong necessity to be involved with the society around her, being part of many organizations and grassroots movements devoted to political and social change. She held an Environmental Science BSc in the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and an MSc on Climate Change and International Development in the University of East Anglia (UEA). She has founded different organizations to promote knowledge-sharing and community learning related to her main interests, and writes for different blogs and news sites. View all posts by Anna Perez Catala →

Raphael Danglade, Co-Founder & Author

Raphael has been studying Geography and Environmental Studies for the past three years. He is now enrolled in a Masters of Science in Climate Change and International Development. His field of interest lies in mitigation strategies and the private sector. Helping companies to reduce their carbon emissions and compensate their ecological footprints by implementing socio-economic development projects around the world is something he considered as ground-breaking. He had the opportunity to diversify his fascination for such approaches by working for private sector companies and non-governmental organisations. He is now very inclined towards providing knowledge and expertise around such strategies that he knows will become fully integrated to any corporations in the near future. View all posts by Raphael Danglade →

Grace Eunhye Lee, Co-Founder & Author

Grace is an intern with Division of Mitigation and Adaptation at the Green Climate Fund. She previously interned with UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi where she supported the preparation of COP 12 to the Convention on Biological Diversity and UNEP publication ‘State of Biodiversity in Africa’. She also undertook internship with UNEP New York Office, where she covered intergovernmental and interagency meetings held at UN Headquarters to follow up on the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Grace holds a Bachelor of International and Global Studies from the University of Sydney, Australia, and a Master’s degree in Climate Change and International Development from the University of East Anglia, UK. A citizen of Korea, she speaks Korean, English and Spanish. View all posts by Grace Eunhye Lee →

Kilian Raiser, Co-Founder & Author

Having grown up in diplomatic communities and subsequently studied at the United World College of the Atlantic, Kilian has always been involved with global issues, especially climate change. He is particularly interested in Urban Planning and Policy. Kilian loves engaging in political and philosophical conversation, and is constantly in search for new opinions and interesting discussions. Otherwise Kilian can be found composing music or practicing with his band, he is also a passionate cook, and wishes he would/could spend more time outdoors, especially in the alps. View all posts by Kilian Raiser →

Karen Hiawalyer, Co-Founder & Author

Karen Hiawalyer is from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and currently resides in Port Moresby. After completing a degree in Energy and Environmental Physics at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), she worked with the UPNG and the PNG National Weather Service as a part-time physics tutor and weather observer. Her major research while at the PNG National Weather Service was an investigation into the abnormal variation in surface atmospheric pressure at Nadzab Airport, Morobe Province (PNG). She went on to join the PNG National Research Institute where she obtained a Diploma in Economic Policy Analysis. In 2009, she joined the PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring as the Program Officer for Climate Change, Environment and Bougainville Affairs. Being part of a central agency providing policy and budgeting advice to government, she has four years of policy, planning, programming and budgeting experience in climate change, environment and Bougainville Affairs; and has further contributed to PNG’s development policy in many other areas of poverty alleviation. With regards to climate change, Karen has a special interest in rural adaptation policy development and sustainable natural resource management.View all posts by Karen Hiawalyer →