With an academic background in environmental sciences, Jamal holds a Doctoral degree in Physical Geography from the University of Cologne, Germany. She began her career at Turkmenistan’s National Institute of Deserts, Flora, and Fauna, where she spent over ten years conducting applied research on sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration. She later applied her expertise in development projects across Central Asia and the Caucasus. From 2011 to 2021, she served as Regional Coordinator at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. Currently, Jamal leads work on forest biodiversity and ecosystem restoration at the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, supporting implementation of global ecosystem restoration commitments.

Mariana is a Global Manager and has over 18 years of experience working on biodiversity policy and finance issues. She was formerly the National Coordinator for BIOFIN Mexico and worked for several environmental agencies in the Mexican Government. She has extensive experience on a wide range of issues related to biodiversity conservation, protected area finance, ecosystem services, ecosystem-based adaptation, and has closely worked with international organisations such as UNDP, WB, GEF, GIZ, KFW and AFD. Mariana holds a Master's Degree in Environmental Policy and Development Studies from the University of Sussex.

Eva Bortolotti currently works at the UNDP Nature Hub to enable finance to accelerate the successful implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In her global role, she supports a range of projects related to nature finance and private sector engagement, among which the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), the Nature Investment Facility (NIF), and the country implementation of other innovative financing instruments for nature. Prior to joining the UNDP Nature Hub, Eva worked at the UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub in Geneva, where she supported the positioning of the UNDP SDG Finance offer, the implementation of SMEs finance projects across Africa and Latin America, and the engagement with the Swiss private sector ecosystem. Before joining UNDP, she worked as consultant for different UN agencies and research centres, including the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), the United Nations 75 Initiative (UN75), and the Centre for International Environmental Studies (CIES), producing qualitative and quantitative research on sustainable development, social and environmental policy, and sustainable finance. Eva holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute, where she graduated with a research project on environmental finance fully funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Terence Hay-Edie is a senior UNDP Programme Manager and Advisor to the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) which has provided cumulative funding of over $850 million in grants to civil society organizations in 133 countries to tackle the inter-linked crises of biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation. Terence has thirty years of experience in the field of multi-lateral governance and environmental finance with the UNDP, UN Office for Project Services, Global Environment Facility, bilateral donors (Australia, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway), UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and philanthropic foundations. He advocates for the application of actor-network theory, institutional ethnography, and behavioural science insights in multi-cultural settings. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge, and an MSc in Environmental Change & Management from the University of Oxford.

Jamison Ervin is Manager of the Global Programme on Nature for Development at the United Nations Development Programme. She has worked with UNDP since 2008. Previously she worked with The Nature Conservancy, World Wide Fund for Nature, and the Forest Stewardship Council. She holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont, a Master’s degree in International Administration from the School for International Training, and a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Bates College.

Brett Jenks has championed behavior change in conservation for more than 20 years. As CEO, Brett leads Rare’s global mission to empower and inspire people to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices, and protect vital natural resources. Under Brett’s leadership, Rare has created large-scale, global partnerships with foundations, NGOs and governments to tackle environmental challenges like overfishing, unsustainable land use practices, and climate change with a people-centered approach rooted in behavioral science.

Onno is Head of the Biodiversity Finance Portfolio at UNDP – based at the UNDP Representation Office in Brussels. He oversees biodiversity financing at UNDP and the work of BIOFIN, including programme development, resource mobilisation and partnerships. Previously, he was UNDP Biodiversity Programme Officer and Environment Team Leader in Mongolia for four years, where he was responsible for protected area financing, community-based conservation and environmental policy. He also worked in Mongolia as a policy expert for the establishment of a Clean Air Fund and for four years in Kenya at UN-HABITAT’s regional office for Africa and the Arab States. Onno holds a Master's degree in Economic Geography from Utrecht University.

Peter Houlihan is the founder of Biosphere Dynamics™ and the Biosphere Futures Foundation, where he is advancing next-generation Biosphere Intelligence™ systems to safeguard the future of life on Earth. A global conservation and innovation leader, his work spans field biology, expedition operations, photography and filmmaking, frontier technology development, and international policy and diplomacy. He previously served as an Executive Vice President at XPRIZE, leading large-scale innovation initiatives with governments, the United Nations, Indigenous leaders, scientific institutions, and industry worldwide. He is a National Geographic Explorer and photographer, an Explorers Club Fellow, and has served as faculty at UCLA and Johns Hopkins University.

Phemo is a Senior Technical Advisor with the Nature Hub of UNDP supporting implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, including the UNCBD and UNCCD. She coordinates programming of environmental finance, specifically from the GEF, to address land and ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss and drought impacts. Phemo joined UNDP in 2012 to head the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Unit of the Botswana Country Office, and has previously also served as a Regional Technical Adviser (RTA) in the Africa region. Previously she worked for IUCN on community-based natural resources management and for USAID-funded programs on transboundary water management as a water resource governance expert. Phemo trained as a Political Scientist and she holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, UK, and an MSc in Water Resources Management from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

Sean Lees is the Nature Pledge Coordinator for UNDP in Asia and the Pacific. In this capacity, Sean assists the organization in developing nature-related programming, including partnerships with the private sector. Prior to this, Sean worked for UNDP driving responsible business practice in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. He advised companies on international standards on managing sustainability risks, drafted standard-setting guidance, and promoted policy development at the national levels. Sean started his career with UNDP in 2007 and worked on human rights and rule of law issues in Asia and the Middle East. Sean also served as a policy officer at the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General in New York City. Prior to his work with the UN, Sean worked as an attorney to the US Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Boston College Law School.

Anna Giulia Medri is the head of the UNDP Equator Initiative. An attorney by training, Anna Giulia is licensed to practice law in New York and Europe. She leads the work of the Equator Initiative within the Nature for Development programme recognizing, advancing and scaling Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ solutions for sustainable development for people, nature and resilient communities. Her background includes work experiences in the private sector as well as at a not-for-profit organization. Anna Giulia’s fascination with nature and her interest in human rights makes her an enthusiastic supporter of sustainable development solutions as means to ensure the respect of Indigenous Peoples communities’ basic rights.

Carola Moreno is Head of Financial and International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance of Chile. Trade Policy and Trade Facilitation issues are under her supervision, as well as the Sustainable Finance Office, the Public Debt Management Office and the Sovereign Wealth unit. She previously worked as representative of Chile at the Executive Board of the IMF, and Head of the External Monitoring group at the Central Bank of Chile. Ms. Moreno held different positions in academia and published papers in peer-reviewed international journals. She holds a M.A. in Political Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics from Boston University.

Arturo Mora is an Ecuadorian/Colombian Environmental Economist, graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, with postgraduate studies in Sustainable Livelihoods (University of Bradford, UK) and a master’s degree in international Biodiversity Conservation (UNIA, Spain). He has over 28 years of experience in biodiversity financing, the use and trade of threatened species, and biodiversity policy, working with international organizations and the United Nations. He is currently the National Coordinator for BIOFIN-UNDP in Ecuador.

Economist with a master’s degree in Population and Development, specializing in Environment and Development, with extensive experience in population analysis and its relationships with environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural processes, incorporating spatial and regional dimensions. For the past nine years, he has coordinated projects at the United Nations Development Programme on issues related to biodiversity finance, climate change, energy, and pollutants, focused on strengthening institutional capacities at the national and local levels for sustainable development. He is currently the Coordinator of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) at UNDP Colombia.

Ana Lucía Orozco Rubio (Costa Rica, Guatemala) joined the BIOFIN Global Team as an Environmental Finance Specialist for the LAC Region. Before this post, she worked as the BIOFIN Coordinator in Costa Rica from late 2019 until January 2023. She has more than 18 years of experience in Sustainable Development and has specialized in public policy and finance mechanisms for biodiversity, with inclusive instruments for Indigenous people and women's economic empowerment.

Midori Paxton is the Director of the UNDP Nature Hub within the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. Under the UNDP Nature Pledge for 2030, Midori leads UNDP’s work to support over 140 countries with a range of actions to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework, Land Degradation Neutrality, nature-based solutions for climate and SDGs, and other multilateral agreements. The thematic areas range from ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, ocean and water governance, environmental governance, food system, biodiversity finance and work around value shift for behavioural change for nature and people. Midori brings 30 years of experience and expertise at the interface of nature conservation and sustainable development at country, regional and global levels. She was the UNDP Head of Ecosystem and Biodiversity between 2016 and 2023, and a regional technical advisor based in Bangkok from 2010 to 2016, supporting countries in Asia with identification and implementation of ecosystems and biodiversity projects. Between 2000 and 2010, she worked in Namibia at the UNDP Country Office in Windhoek and also under the Directorate of Parks and Wildlife Management, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, coordinating a successful and innovative project to strengthen the national protected area system. She also took two UNV humanitarian assistance assignments as an information officer as part of the UN peace keeping operation in Somalia in 2004 and a field officer administrating refugee camps with UNHCR in Tanzania in 2006. Prior to that she worked as a journalist and staff writer for the Japan Times newspaper, covering environmental and human rights issues. Midori holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from University of Cambridge. She is a prolific writer and is the author of six books and hundreds of published photos and articles.

Josie Raine is a Communication and Behavior Change Specialist in the Bureau of Policy and Programme Support at UNDP where she leads the value shift work under the UNDP Nature Pledge. Her work focuses on shaping strategic narratives, partnerships, and initiatives that elevate the role of Nature in achieving human development outcomes, aligning policy, finance, and practice with global environmental and development goals. A British national based in Nairobi, she previously served as a Climate Change Communication Specialist at UNEP and as Executive Director of Freeland Foundation, supporting counter-trafficking campaigns in Southeast Asia. Her background spans strategic communications and behavior change, beginning with UK government public information campaigns and including seven years in the United States running communications planning for Procter & Gamble's oral healthcare accounts. Josie has advised WHO, UNICEF, Médecins du Monde, in addition to brands and companies across many sectors and countries. Josie is a former guest lecturer at City University of New York.

Andrew John Rhodes Espinoza is a distinguished leader in environmental conservation, with over 20 years of experience dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity. His career is marked by a deep understanding of the political, social, and environmental challenges facing conservation efforts in Mexico and around the world, as well as by a solid background in environmental public policy and widely recognized technical and administrative expertise. He currently serves as Head of Public Affairs and Policy for Mexico at Innovaciones Alumbra, where he drives innovative solutions and strategic partnerships to advance environmental sustainability through a multisectoral approach. On the international stage, Andrew represented Mexico as Ocean Coordinator at the Undersecretariat for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served as Sous Sherpa to the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, actively contributing to the development of global policies focused on ocean governance. In the public environmental sector, he has held several senior positions at the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), where he served as National Commissioner (agency head), Director General of Promotion and Institutional Development, and Director of Climate Change Strategies, leading strategic processes to strengthen the country’s protected areas. In civil society, he was Director General of the Pronatura System and Central Coordinator of the Natural Protected Areas Fund at the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature A.C., promoting financial mechanisms and collaborative conservation efforts involving multiple stakeholders. At the global level, Andrew Rhodes currently serves as Deputy Chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Co-Chair of Working Group 4: “Developing a Sustainable and Equitable Ocean Economy” under the UNESCO Decade of Ocean Science, reaffirming his role as a key voice in shaping holistic solutions for the future of the planet.

Penny Stock is responsible for coordinating the implementation of UNDP’s Nature Pledge 2030. She also serves as Senior Technical Advisor on Ocean Finance and Small Island Developing States. She leads implementation of the GEF-financed Blue & Green Island Integrated Programme as well as UNDP’s engagement with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and One Ocean Finance. She is a sustainable development expert with 20+ years of international experience working in diverse natural environments from marine to mountain and across thematic areas including ecosystems and biodiversity, climate adaptation, sustainable land use, and circular economy. Before her current role, she worked as a GEF Regional Technical Advisor supporting project development and implementation in the Africa and Asia Pacific regions. She began her career with UNDP in 1998 working for Capacity 21 and the GEF Small Grants Programme.

Sineia Bezerra do Vale, from the Wapichana Indigenous People of the Serra da Lua Indigenous Land, located in Roraima, has a degree in Environmental Management from Faculdade Cathedral de Ensino Superior (2006). She has a master's degree in Sustainability with Traditional Peoples and Territories from the University of Brasília (MESPT/UNB). For decades, she has coordinated the Department of Territorial Environmental Management and Climate Change of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), where she leads the methodology for the development of various Territorial and Environmental Management Plans for the state's Indigenous lands, as well as the Climate Change Response Plans recognized as the first Indigenous Adaptation Plans in Brazil, also produced in conjunction with the Indigenous communities of Roraima. She is the organizer and author of “Amazad Pana'Adinham: Indigenous communities' perception of climate change in the Serra da Lua Region - RR,” the first Brazilian Indigenous publication on climate change, which was a reference for the chapter on Indigenous and traditional peoples in Brazil's PNA Implementation Plan. She is also the coordinator of the training of Indigenous territorial and environmental agents and Indigenous firefighters in Roraima. She was the coordinator of the Technical Chamber on Climate Change of the Management Committee of the National Policy for Territorial and Environmental Management of Indigenous Lands - PNGATI (2016/2018). Reappointed in 2023 by the National Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) as National Coordinator of the Indigenous Committee on Climate Change (CIMC), where she has led the process of preparing Indigenous leaders from all biomes and regions for climate advocacy processes. Her career and collaboration on climate issues have been recognized through various awards and honors. In 2024, she was recognized for her collaboration as an “Indigenous Scientist of Brazil” by Planetary Guardians, receiving the award from renowned scientist Dr. Carlos Nobre. In 2023, she received the Romy Trophy Award from the Rio de Janeiro State Magistrates School (EMERJ), given to the five most active women of each year. In 2022, she received the “Women Who Make a Difference” award from the U.S. Embassy in Brazil.

Rita Maria el Zaghloul is the Director, High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People (HAC for N&P) Secretariat. The HAC for N&P is a coalition of 122 countries championing the protection of 30% of our planet’s land and ocean by 2030. The HAC for N&P have been awarded with the Earthshot Prize, Revive Our Oceans Category 2024. Rita served for 4 years as Minister Counselor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations, acting as lead diplomat and negotiator for Peace and Security, sustainable development, climate change and nutrition. At the United Nations, Rita co-led the process of the proclamation of the Decade of Family Farming, co-chaired the Special Committee of Peacekeeping Operations for 2 consecutive years and chaired the Committee on Information amongst others. Rita also served for 3 years with the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica as Coordinator and Costa Rica’s focal point for the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People during which she oversaw the coalition growth from 5 to 118 members in 3 years with the support of the HAC co-chairs. The coalition was crucial to adopt the Global Biodiversity Framework and in particular led on the 30by30 Target. Rita holds a degree in International Relations from the National University of Costa Rica and a master's degree in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London. A dual citizen from Costa Rica and Lebanon, she is fluent in Arabic, Spanish, French and English.