Accelerating Solutions for Climate Action at COP25

Dr. Barbara Buchner is Executive Director of the widely renowned Climate Finance program at Climate Policy Initiative. Named one of the 20 most influential women in climate change and one of the 100 most influential people in climate policy, Barbara advises leaders on climate, energy, and land use investments around the world.

Barbara directs the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) and its sister programs in Brazil and India. The Lab’s public-private approach solicits, shapes, and tests cutting edge climate finance instruments that resolve financing barriers hindering alternative energy, adaptation, and land use projects. Instruments from the Lab have mobilized over 1.4 billion US dollars for sustainable development in developing countries in just four years.

Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council is a passionate advocate for green buildings and cities as one of the most effective solutions to climate change and as a means to deliver on social justice and other environmental goals, such as stopping biodiversity loss.

Prior to joining WorldGBC, she was CEO of Colombia Green Building Council and also has expertise in the fields of economic research, journalism and international affairs. Thanks to her active, committed and participatory leadership, and thorough knowledge of sustainable development, the Colombia GBC met significant milestones that enabled sustainability in construction to become mainstream in her home country.

Dr. Yasmine Fouad is Minister of Environment of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. Her expertise is in Environment and International cooperation with more than 18 years’ experience working in Government, in UN organizations, NGOs and Universities. She holds her MSc in Environmental Science and PhD in Political Science / Euro Mediterranean Studies.

Helena Molin Valdés heads the Secretariat for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to reduce short-lived climate pollutants since 2013, hosted by UNEP in Paris. CCAC is a unique multi-stakeholder partnership, to scale up measures to reduce methane, black carbon, tropospheric ozone and HFCs, as a complement to aggressive CO2 mitigation, and to improve public health and other SDGs.

An experienced leader within the UN system, she was a senior executive with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), leading work on resilience, disaster risk reduction, sustainable development, and climate change related topics, globally and as head of the regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean. She worked with the Pan American Health Organization on hospital mitigation and disaster preparedness. She started as a practicing architect in Sweden.

Dr. Hoesung Lee is Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), elected since October 2015, and Endowed Chair Professor at Korea University Graduate School of Energy and Environment, Seoul, Korea. His research encompasses the economics of climate change, energy and sustainable development. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Korean Academy of Environmental Sciences, council member of the Global Green Growth Institute, and a member of the Asian Development Bank President’s Advisory Board on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.

Iván Arriagada has been CEO of Antofagasta plc since 2016. He previously held the post of CFO at Chilean state copper mining giant Codelco.

He previously served at BHP Billiton as Operations Vice-President, Base Metals and before this was CFO for BHP’s Base Metals group. Before entering the world of copper mining, he held various posts in finance and business development at Royal Dutch Shell.

Mr. Arriagada is also currently chairman of the International Copper Association, which brings together the major copper producers globally to promote the use of copper and sustainability in the industry. He is also co-chair of the Mining sector governors’ group of the World Economic Forum.

George was the executive director of Sierra Club BC, one of the province’s oldest environmental advocacy and education organizations. He also served three terms as president of the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU). In both organizations, George was a respected negotiator and a strong fiscal manager. Prior to these positions he lived in Terrace for many years, and worked throughout BC’s northwest and coastal communities.

George has been a faculty member of Simon Fraser University’s Dialogue and Negotiation program, teaching courses in multi- party negotiations and collaborative decision-making. He has guest lectured at a number of universities in B.C. and abroad, and served on advisory committees for post-graduate and undergraduate degree programs at three B.C. universities.

George is a passionate advocate for issues facing his constituents, including education, health care, the arts, child care, workers’ rights, transit, affordable housing, environmental responsibility and climate action. He also advocates for a more sustainable, modern and diverse economy. George enjoys running, kayaking, live music and theatre.