Emily Massawa

I am a dedicated climate change crusader and professional with over twenty five years' experience working at senior management level, on institutional and capacity development programmes to enhance response to climate change including policy development and implementation. I have worked with governments, regional and international organizations, private sector including academia and NGOs across urban and rural Africa. My career has evolved starting from the the field of environmental conservation, protection, and management, rising through the ranks to senior management and directing programmes in terrestrial and wetland ecosystems management, marine environment protection and conservation, integrated water resources and compliance and enforcement of the Environment Management and Coordination Act(1999),gradually moving to work on negotiations and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and focusing on climate change in developing countries * I possess extensive knowledge and a good understanding of intergovernmental processes and practices having been a principle national and lead negotiator on the Rio Agreements, in particular the Conventions on Biodiversity and Climate Change, and continuing with work under the climate change to date, representing Africa and chairing UNFCCC constituted bodies on several thematic negotiation issues including serving as chair to the African Group of Negotiators (2004-2006) * Coordinator of COP12/CMP2, held in Nairobi in 2006. I served as an advisor to the COP 12 Presidency, including COP 22 under the Kingdom of Morocco. * I have extensive working contacts around the world, largely developed through my work on negotiations of multilateral environmental agreements and further enhanced in work on sharing of best practices in climate programme delivery, data management, and forming regional networks. * I also have huge networks across Africa, both regional, intergovernmental, and national institutions and with bilateral partners, multilateral and regional banks, including the private sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations. * I am passionate about climate change issues and have played a lead role in working with different intergovernmental organizations building capacities of vulnerable developing countries to take part in the negotiations and in activities that contribute in building adaptive capacities, including programmes support on meeting their reporting requirements under the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and lately the Paris Agreement. This includes the development of climate policies, strategies, and action plans, climate mainstreaming and programme development and implementation, including access to climate finance. * I have been working on climate change mitigation and adaptation including means of implementation (capacity building, finance, and technology transfer), and championing work on climate action as well as the inclusion of vulnerable groups while serving on the boards of the World Bank set up on carbon finance, including the Host Country committee, Community Development Carbon Fund, and the BioCarbon Fund. * Served as director of SolarNET, a company that advises and supports the provision of renewable energy systems in marginalized regions and schools in East Africa, an area I have been able to show my deep commitment to advancing diversity, equality, and inclusion, ensuring equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. * I have served as a team leader and senior level manager in several major African climate change programmes, to name a few; ADAPT (Sudan), supporting Sudan and UN agencies, PREPARED (East African Community), UN-IGAD Scan on collaboration on climate and security programmes in support of the Office of the Special Representative in Addis Ababa. Director in charge of Compliance and enforcement of EMCA in the Kenya government, besides serving as the Designated National Authority to the CDM and the Focal Point to the UNFCCC. * Fluent in oral and written English language and Swahili and basic French with a rich multicultural experience. My leadership abilities have not only been in the UN negotiations but also while discharging my duties at my workplace, where I have attained good records in meeting deadlines, creating an enabling work environment, excellent communication skills, mentoring early career professionals and staff, organizing for training and otherskills development programs.