Where are low levels of security, a lack of resilience, and increasing exposure to ecological threats combining to potentially catastrophic effect? What efforts, areas of focus and sub-national regions should the international community focus on and how can this be translated into more effective support for nationally and locally driven environmental and socioeconomic development efforts? How will the increasing number of megacities contribute to rural-urban dynamics, supply routes, energy usage, and migration over time?
On Thursday, October 20th at 11am ET, join AfP and leading voices from the fields of conservation, climate change response and adaptation, conflict prevention, and climate-fragility as we examine the newly released third edition of the Institute for Economics and Peace's Ecological Threat Report and discuss how the international community can better respond to these changing dynamics while leveraging newly identified opportunities and supporting national and local efforts already underway.
This is a hybrid event. To attend virtually, register through the link below. To attend in-person at AfP’s offices (1800 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 401 Washington, DC), email Nick Zuroski.
About the Speakers:
Steve Killelea
As a global philanthropist, Steve Killelea has laid the foundations to develop an entirely new understanding of peace. As a thought leader, he has reshaped the entire concept to recognise its integrity to the revival of our economic and political systems. Few have provoked global thought amongst both policymakers and members of the public quite to the extent of Steve. An international entrepreneur behind the global think tank, the Institute for Economics and Peace, he combines a highly successful career in technology with a philanthropic focus on peace and sustainable development to shed new light on issues, from terrorism and conflict to economics and prosperity.
Tegan Blaine
Dr. Tegan Blaine is the director of climate, environment & conflict at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Prior to joining USIP in 2020, she served as vice president on a climate change initiative at the National Geographic Society. She also led the climate change team in USAID’s Bureau for Africa for over a decade, where she developed USAID’s strategy and investment plan for its climate change work in Africa, and built and led a team that provided thought leadership and technical support to USAID’s Africa missions. Before USAID, Dr. Blaine worked on climate change and international development at McKinsey & Company; served as a policy advisor on water at the U.S. Department of State; and taught math and physics as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.
Richard Ponzio
Richard Ponzio is Director of the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program and a Senior Fellow at Stimson. Previously, he directed the Global Governance Program at The Hague Institute for Global Justice, where (in a partnership with Stimson) he served as Director for the Albright-Gambari Commission on Global Security, Justice & Governance. He brings expertise in the areas of global and national democratic institution-building, global political economy, South-Central Asia, and the role of international institutions in responding to state fragility, climate instability, global financial volatility, and population displacement.
Allison Brown
Allison joined USAID seven years ago through the Science and Technology Policy fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her time at USAID has included climate and environment positions in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, the Bureau for Africa, and now in the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization. She has helped develop Agency-wide policies and documents including those related to climate risk management, COVID-19 and, most recently, the Climate Strategy. Allison went to school in Oregon before getting her PhD in chemistry from Michigan State University. She worked on solar energy conversion as a postdoctoral researcher in Uppsala, Sweden before joining USAID and moving to DC. Allison is a native of Missoula, Montana, where she has made her home again. She loves hiking and cross country skiing and spends most of her free time and resources orienteering and travelling with her husband and young daughter.
Dr. Fatima Akilu
Dr. Fatima Akilu is the Executive Director of Neem Foundation. She also heads the Psychosocial Services Component of the foundation. She is a trained psychologist with over 20 years experience in the field of mental health and psychology. She has taught and authored research papers relating to homelessness, ethnicity and its relationship with mental health. Dr. Akilu holds a Masters Degree and PhD in Psychology from the University of Reading (UK), and has worked as an Adjunct Professor of General Psychology at Broome Community College (USA) for over 12 years.