Speakers and Panelist bio’s
Mr. Wu Hongbo
Mr. Wu Hongbo is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. He guides the UN Secretariat support for the intergovernmental processes such as the follow-up processes of the Rio+20 Conference. In addition to overseeing substantive services to intergovernmental processes, Mr. Wu oversees DESA’s policy analysis and capacity development work.
H.E. Ambassador Jürg Lauber
H.E. Ambassador Jürg Lauber is Vice-President of the UN Economic and Social Council and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN. Previously, he was Head of the UN and International Organizations Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Bern. From 2009 to 2011, he was Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva.
H.E. Ambassador Per Thöresson
H.E. Ambassador Per Thöresson is the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN. Previously, from 2006 to 2014, he served as the Ambassador of Sweden to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, Berne. From 2002 -2006, he was Ambassador and Director-General for Administrative Affairs, at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm.
Mr. Manoel Sobral Filho
Mr. Manoel Sobral Filho is the Director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat. He has published widely on issues related to tropical forestry, deforestation, climate change, and wood-based bio energy. He previously served as Director of Brazil’s Forest Product Research Center, and subsequently as Executive Director of the International Tropical Timber Organisation.
Ms. Federica Pietracci
Ms. Federica Pietracci is the Interim Secretary of UN-Water. Since 2010, she has facilitated UN-system engagement in Rio+20 and its follow-up processes, including in processes leading to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and in the High level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. She joined the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in 1996.
Panelists
Prof. Royal C. Gardner
Prof. Royal C. Gardner is the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel, Ramsar Convention. He has been a member of the Ramsar STRP since 2005 and Chair since 2013. An internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy, he is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University (USA).
Dr. Erika Svendsen
Dr. Erika Svendsen is a research social scientist with the US Forest Service and co-Director of the NYC Urban Field Station. The field station conducts research and communicates ideas among scientists and practitioners regarding urban natural resources. Erika’s focus is environmental stewardship as it relates to governance, civic engagement and human well-being.
Mr. Bram Gunther
Mr. Bram Gunther is the co-Director of the Urban Field Station, the science and research hub of Forestry, Horticulture, and Natural Resources of the New York City Parks Department. It is co-run by the U.S. Forest Service. He was previously Chief of Forestry, Horticulture, and Natural Resources. He is also the President of the Natural Areas Conservancy, a public/private partnership.
Ms. Lila Karbassi
Ms. Lila Karbassi is Head of Environment at the United Nations Global Compact, the UN’s voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. She was in charge of the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum and currently oversees the Caring for Climate initiative which has been endorsed by nearly 400 companies from 65 countries. She has been part of Global Compact’s management team since 2005.
Ms. Sarah Davidson
Ms. Sarah Davidson is the Manager for Water Policy at WWF. She leads the design and implementation of effective policy initiatives and strategic partnerships with governments, multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, and other stakeholders to advance WWF’s vision of a world where all major basins are sustainably managed to support biodiversity and human livelihoods.