Environmental Policy Analysis & Development
FRAMING THE BIG PICTURE
Services Include:
Assessment of the policy, economic, market, social, and practical aspects that result in complex environmental problems, and finding the most strategic means to unlock those.
Land use sector policy reviews, particularly in forestry and agriculture
Analysis of institutional (primarily government) constraints on policy adoption
Development of policy approaches for mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts
Moving from concept to implementation - defining innovative solutions and then following that through to concrete steps that can be pursued to implement them
Bringing technical or scientific information to a policymaker audience
Drafting expert witness testimony
Applying policy research and analysis as a means to close the gap between public interest and legislation
Representative Work:
Senior Policy and Investment Expert with the UN-REDD Programme, working with member governments on formation of REDD+ policies and measures to affect driver pressure on forests, as well as methods to cultivate private sector support for PAMs and investment in REDD+ compatible activities. Priority countries: Indonesia, Myanmar and Zambia.
- Project and policy lead on an assessment of the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Bhutan, on behalf of the Watershed Management Division, Department of Forests and Parks Services. This report provides a key basis for Bhutan’s REDD+ National Strategy, but also informs broader natural resources management and sustainable development planning in Bhutan.
- Assessment of progress in National Adaptation Planning and adequate inclusion of policies, measures and finance to address risks in agricultural production. Geographic focus was in West and East Africa and South Asia. The assessment was produced on behalf of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, followed by a workshop with ministry representatives from key countries in all regions.
- Worked to legislate protection of 3.1 million hectares of British Columbia coastal temperate rainforest, and legal codes to implement ecosystem-based management to change logging practices in areas remaining in production in the 8.5 million hectare region.
- Developed, implemented and directed land, water, and air legislative initiatives and state and federal budget appropriations requests in Maine and Washington DC, applying advocacy, research and analysis.
Government relations and advancement of cause
CLEARING PATHS TO PURPOSE
Services include:
Assessing the political economy around an issue, then devising strategies for advancement of cause that is attuned accordingly
Building coalitions around an issue, and bringing that alignment to government decision-makers
Growing the prominence of an issue within a political priority for government
Identifying obstacles to government action and articulating pathways forward
Behind-the-scenes advocacy and coalition-building
Lobbying and testifying before legislative committees
Relationship building and cultivating champions for the cause within government ministries
Political strategy of how to influence member votes on key legislative issues
Assessing strategic options for donors, assessing where investments can have highest impact
Defining tangible steps for natural resource governance to have effect at international, national and local levels
Representative Work:
Framed the need for national governments and REDD+ processes to address the drivers of deforestation and degradation, through published papers, partnerships and strategic advisories. Efforts helped leverage a decision by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, adopted at COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland.
An assessment to identify possible interventions for the international community to support Myanmar’s forest and land use governance, over the medium- to long-term, based on focused new investments or through better coordination among international donors. The risks and opportunities, and benefits and challenges of various intervention opportunities were evaluated, to provide a basis for strategic assessment of where and how the international community can best assist Myanmar to fulfil the forest component of their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals. Please contact Gaby Kissinger directly for more information.
Consultation policies and decision-support processes supporting a British Columbia indigenous community in their self-governance, negotiations with the BC Province and third-parties.
Assisted in securing conservation agreements in the Great Bear Rainforest of coastal British Columbia and secured legislation for the protection of conservancies totalling over 2 million hectares and biodiversity areas totalling 390,000 hectares.
Strategic adviser to a project seeking to redefine forest management, create conservation set-asides with carbon finance, and spur local economic development for four indigenous communities on roughly 300,000 ha.
Ten years of experience developing and implementing appropriations and legislative initiatives, with in-depth experience lobbying the US Congress.
Co-chaired a diverse coalition in the US State of Maine, seeking to achieve federal authorizing legislation in the US to focus more federal investment in land conservation and community economic development.
Defining innovative finance solutions
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR CHANGE
Services include:
Assessing the impacts of private and public sector investments on sectors exerting pressure on natural resources, and defining solutions to shift pressures
- Identifying how private sector investment can minimize public sector risks in land use sectors
- Identifying policies, institutions and mechanisms to mobilize investments supporting low carbon and green economy pathways
- Cultivating finance and investment support for initiatives
- Donor advisory services – solutions for how to cultivate the greatest impact from donor investments to promote sustainable land use
- Facilitation and convening
Representative Work:
Identifying alternative investment models in sustainable and inclusive agricultural production in Africa, on behalf of the Prince’s Charities’ International Sustainability Unit.
Identified the public fiscal incentives promoting oil palm production in Indonesia, the impacts of these incentives on forests and peatlands and what the Indonesian government could do to create better compatibility between oil palm production, green economy and livelihood objectives.
Helped to facilitate a High-Level panel event, “Changing agricultural fiscal policies to stimulate sustainable economic growth, food production, and reduced deforestation,” which convened national representatives to provide insights on barriers and keys to success in addressing fiscal policy reform different national contexts and how REDD+ finance and other forms of climate finance can be used to encourage greater coherence.
Evaluation of investment options for conservation and economic development in a globally significant rainforest, on behalf of private foundations.
A continual focus on innovative finance and business plan models to shift towards more sustainable land use. This includes innovations for integrated landscape management and multi-sector solutions to shared land- and community-based risks.
Helped develop the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods Initiative, a US $26 million campaign to protect ecologically significant lands, enable sustainable forestry, and compatible economic development in northern Maine. Raised $1 million in state funds towards acquisition, and assisted in raising another $2 million privately and $3.4 million federally to support MWI land purchases and a stewardship endowment.
Collaborated on learning modules and course curriculum for a Sustainable Finance and Accounting MBA course (University of Wales).
BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY
Sowing Seeds of OPPORTUNITY
Services include:
Identifying options to increase production standards in key sourcing regions and hedge supply and quality risks
- Strategies to go beyond supply chain interventions and progressive purchasing policies (such as achieving zero net deforestation goals, or pursuing landscape approaches)
- Advising businesses on how to effectively apply tools and measures of success in stronger production standards, such as through certification
Representative Work:
Researching and defining new models for climate-smart agriculture, particularly amongst key agricultural commodities, that are attuned to demand- and supply-side constraints and opportunities, encourage inclusive business models, in order to formulate market-based solutions that safeguard natural and social capital.
Development of a framework to evaluate economic, social and environmental benefits of pulse crops, as part of the UN International Year of Pulses in 2016.
Worked with a major US cosmetics company to establish criteria for success (social, environmental, financial) for a forest carbon scheme in Latin America.
Advised a major Canadian forest tenure holder on international climate change policy related to domestic and global forests and carbon offsets.