How To Manage Environmental Conflict in the Face of Climate Change
Partners for Democratic Change and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars discussed how to manage natural resources to prevent conflict. European and Latin American experts discussed policy changes and inter-sectoral cooperative efforts to better manage local environmental disputes and mitigate contentious issues.
Panelists:
Sylvia Aguilera, Acting Director, Centro Colaboración Cívica (Partners-Mexico)
Ms. Aguilera is a licensed social psychologist by the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, with a master degree in peace studies with a specialization in Latin American Conflicts by the Bradford University in England. She also has a specialization in Working with Conflict from Birmingham, England. She has worked as a General Director for the Mexican Commission for Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (CMDPDH) and has participated in NGOs such as Misión Civil por la Paz (Civilian Mission for Peace) and as part of the citizen board of the Human Rights Commission in Mexico City. In the international arena she has collaborated as a consultant with academic, public and civil institutions from Africa and Latin America elaborating strategies and evaluating human rights and conflict resolution programs. Currently she is Project´s Director at Socios Mexico - Centro de Colaboración Cívica where she is a facilitator and trainer with collaborative leadership and management skills. Ms. Aguilera has worked with indigenous communities that have inter community conflicts using her expertise as a facilitator collaborating with civil organizations, several state departments and the Legislative branch. Ms. Aguilera is very skilled at facilitating professional briefings, educational courses and roundtable discussions. She is also a member of the Board of the (CMDPDH), of the OXFAM México and of ACTION for Conflict Transformation.
Geoff Dabelko, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Geoffrey D. Dabelko is director of the Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP), a nonpartisan policy forum on environment, population, health, and security issues founded in 1994 at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. He is also an adjunct professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Geoff has held prior positions with the Council on Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy and served as a lecturer at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
For the past 18 years, he has facilitated dialogue among policymakers, practitioners, journalists, and scholars grappling with complex links among environment, population, development, conflict, and security. His current research focuses on environmental pathways to confidence-building and peacemaking, with a special emphasis on managing transboundary fresh water resources. Geoff is principal investigator for ECSP’s “Navigating Peace: Forging New Water Partnerships” initiative.
Geoff is co-editor with Ken Conca of Environmental Peacemaking (2002) and Green Planet Blues: Four Decades of Global Environmental Politics (4th edition forthcoming 2010). He blogs regularly on Grist and New Security Beat and is also editor of the annual Environmental Change and Security Program Report.
Tom Peterson, President and CEO, Center for Climate Strategies
Tom Peterson founded the Center for Climate Strategies to assist governments and stakeholders with developing effective policy responses to climate change. Mr. Peterson is also an adjunct professor of law at Pennsylvania State University School of Law, where he teaches Climate Law and Policy. Mr. Peterson has been involved in the design, facilitation and economic assessment of 15 U.S. state climate action planning initiatives, and previously represented the White House and U.S. Senate in U.S. climate treaty negotiations and national policy development. His professional experience over the past 26 years includes posts as Director of Domestic Policy for The Center For Clean Air Policy; Economist with the U.S. EPA; Economist with the Office of Transportation and Air Quality; Senior Advisor to the White House Climate Change Task Force; Brookings Legislative Fellow to U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman; and Economist with EPA's Water and Agriculture Policy Division. Mr. Peterson holds a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Economics from the College of William and Mary; a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University; and a MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Julian Portilla, Program Director of M.S. in Mediation and Applied Conflict Studies, Champlain College
Mr. Portilla is the director of the Master's in Mediation and Conflict Studies at Champlain College in Burlington Vermont. Julian's experience has been primarily working on community, environmental and political consensus-building processes and trainings in several countries throughout Latin America as well as the United States. Most recently based in Mexico, his primary responsibilities were managing several consensus-building processes on and around the Baja peninsula regarding fishing, environmental and land development policy issues. In addition to his current responsibilities at Champlain College, he is currently involved in a multi-stakeholder dialogue process to revise the Management Plan of the Loreto Bay National Park on the Baja Peninsula. Julian holds a Master's degree from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University and a BA in Political Science from Vassar College.
Moderator:
Anne Devero, Director for International Programs, The Center for Climate Strategies
Ms. Devero’s primary role at The Center for Climate Strategies is to provide international program assistance to countries with an interest in developing effective policy responses to climate change. Prior to working for The Center for Climate Strategies, Ms. Devero draws upon nearly 20 years of experience in the private and non-profit sectors and has amassed formidable management and international expertise throughout her career. Ms. Devero worked for Partners for Democratic Change where she was responsible for forging collaborative and strategic relationships with the corporate sector around innovative development initiatives worldwide. Based on her pioneering work, Partners undertook on a long-term effort to facilitate closer linkages with the private sector to develop sustainable Centers and innovative programs. Ms. Devero was a former Partner with Coopers and Lybrand and Senior Manager with Peat Marwick. During her tenure with these firms she provided consulting to over 150 US and international corporations on the strategic use of information and communications technology to enhance access, quality and productivity. Ms. Devero holds a B.S. in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland and a Masters in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, with a focus on International Energy Policy and Environmental Studies.
