Parallel 1C

Moderator: Selam Kidane Abebe

Legal adviser to the African Group of Negotiators, UNFCCC

Selam Kidane Abebe is a legal adviser to the African Group of Negotiators in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Currently, She is seconded to the delegation chairing the African Group and provides legal support and advises African Ministers on climate change and negotiators.

Prior to that Mrs. Abebe worked for the government of Ethiopia. Mrs. Abebe was involved in preparation national Strategy on climate change named Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy of Ethiopia and the initial preparation of REDD Readiness Preparation Plan of Ethiopia.

She is currently involved in the REDD negotiation and the negotiation of Paris Agreement that resulted in the market mechanism for sustainable development. Mrs. Abebe has presented on climate change in different international conference and published articles on climate change.

Dr. Simon Lord

Chief Sustainability Officer, Sime Darby

Dr. Simon Lord is Chief Sustainability Officer at Sime Darby in Malaysia. He has over 30 years of experience in the agricultural and oil palm sector. Dr. Lord has been actively involved in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil’s greenhouse gas working groups, which developed “Palm GHG”, a customised tool for palm oil producers to monitor emissions. In 2011, he also published New Britain Palm Oil Limited’s inaugural Carbon Footprint Report, the first in the industry.

Honorable Harrison S. Karnwea Sr

Managing Director, Liberian Forestry Development Authority

Honorable Harrison S. Karnwea Sr, was Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Liberia before becoming Managing Director of the Liberian Forestry Development Authority. He has over thirty years of experience in the private sector, managing rubber plantations in Liberia. He first entered the Public Sector as Superintendent (Regional Governor) of Nimba County in the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) in 2003. Mr. Karnwea holds a Bachelor’s degree in management. Harrison has been working on REDD+ since his ascendency to the positions of Managing at the Forestry Development Authority of Liberia (FDA) in September 2012.

Minister Shiferaw Teklemariam

Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, Ethiopia

Dr. Shiferaw Teklemariam is the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change in Ethiopia. Dr. Shiferaw studied Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and graduated with an MPH in 2000. He also obtained an MBA in Organizational Leadership from Asuza Pacific University, California, USA in 2006. Dr. Shiferaw won a seat in the federal parliament in the May 2010 and 2015 national election.   Following the formation of new government of 2015 he was appointed as Minister of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change. He is also cabinet Minister since 2008.

Yitebitu Moges

National REDD+ Coordinator, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, Ethiopia

Mulugeta Kassaye

Bio to follow