Last year, the likes of Pact, USAID, and the Commonwealth Secretariat advertised for climate change or environment officers despite their remit not exclusively being on the topic.
“It’s a burgeoning area,” said David Bonnardeaux, director of environment, climate and energy at Pact, a nonprofit that focuses on ending poverty. Such roles are becoming commonplace in NGOs, regardless of their thematic area, as more organizations look to green their operations and recognize the cross-cutting nature of climate change.
Similar positions have been advertised in the private sector for many years, but “it’s a relatively new concept in the development space,” said David Nicholson, who took up the newly created role of chief climate officer at Mercy Corps 18 months ago. His remit includes realizing the organization’s commitment to environmental sustainability and increasing its overall understanding of climate issues.