The first four months of Yamide Dagnet’s tenure as Open Society Foundations’ new climate justice director have been a swirl of meetings as she and other members of staff learn how to best direct more resources toward climate change mitigation and adaptation – issues that she said require “urgent” attention from the philanthropy sector.
Dagnet will lead OSF’s efforts to support the implementation of the Paris Climate Accords and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on climate action, as well as its efforts to engage in initiatives to speed the global transition to renewable energy. She said she wants to do so in a fair manner that advocates for vulnerable populations in the developing world and ensures that climate investments benefit them and don’t result in “human rights abuse.”
“What we do and how we do it will matter,” she told Devex in her first interview since taking the position. “The ‘how’ will be as important as the ‘why.’”