Summary of Key Skills

Creating new initiatives designed to promote collaboration and involvement

• Setting up the East Greenwich Traders Association - 2005
• Advocating the New Regional Environmental Centre (NREC) in the Caucasus - 1995-2000.
• Working as a catalyst to set up the multi-national Caspian Sea Environmental Programme - 1996-7
• Inventing the first environmental awareness-raising programme in former Soviet Union - 1996-8

Influencing political/environmental bodies to get concrete actions and results

• Bringing ministers of environment together from across the former Soviet Union - 1995
• Advocating a shift in European environmental policy with regard to the former Soviet Union - 1996
• Advising the UK Government on policy orientations in run up to  Kiev 2003 Ministerial conference: 2003
• Building capacity in Serbian Government & related environmental institutions: 2003-2005

Inspiring and motivating people at grassroots level

• Blocking off a residential road to through-traffic, London - 1999-2001
• Putting environmental sustainability into practice (eg persuading local council to install bike racks) – 2001
• Stood in elections  for Greenwich Council (1999, 2002) and for Parliament (2005)

Representing ideas and interests at international levels

• Addressing UNEP Governing Council on behalf of world parliamentarians - 1999
• Attending inter-governmental environmental co-ordination meetings - 1994-2003

Main Professional Experience

Additional Projects

Qualifications

M.Sc. Agricultural Economics (Thesis: “Structural Adjustment and Ecological Sustainability”)
Wye College, University of London, 1989-90

Certificat Pratique de la Langue FranVaise :  University of Grenoble, 1986-87

BA Geography (Hons.) 2nd Class:  School of African & Asian Studies, University of Sussex, 1983-86

Others

Languages: 
English mother tongue; very good French; good German, Russian, Serbian; basic Arabic; studying Mandarin.  

Interests:
Sustainable urban living, mountainbiking, cycle-touring, climbing mountains, swimming.

Key Skills in more detail

Creating new initiatives designed to promote collaboration and involvement

• Setting up the East Greenwich Traders’ Association in Greenwich – (2005)

Over the last 20 years businesses in East Greenwich have suffered from ever increasing traffic and the sensation that the Council does not listen to them, or is interested in their views.  New construction is planned in the next few years.

I spoke to the shop owners along the main road to invite them to an inaugural meeting which I chaired, to set up a Traders Association for East Greenwich.  The aim of the association is to channel the views of the local entrepreneurs through to the Council, and to get action to address problems faced by businesses.  The traders agreed to set up the association.  I suggested that two of them chair the association; I was asked to remain on as a patron.   Since then, the Council has recognised it as a stakeholder body, and has started to listen and take account of their views.

• Advocating the New Regional Environmental Centre (NREC) in the Caucasus – (1995-9)

European Commission and US Government had a project to create three separate RECs in the former Soviet Union. Intention was to create centres to act as repositories of environmental information, act as independent watchdogs, train people to be effective environmental advocates, and facilitate co-operation between the national government, private sector and other stakeholders to address environmental problems, especially pollution.

Conveyed to the Commission, US and European governments the Georgian people’s commitment, enthusiasm, initiative and existing track record of work with NGOs, and pointed out the potential opportunity that would be missed by not involving them in the project. Persuaded donors to fund an additional REC in Georgia, also serving Armenia and Azerbaijan, with a mandate to promote projects within the Caucasus. The Caucasian REC became operational in 2000 and has been judged to be the most effective of all NRECs.

• Working as a catalyst to set up the Caspian Environmental Programme –(1997)

There had been two previous unsuccessful attempts to launch a Caspian Sea Environment Programme to preserve this endangered marine ecosystem. As EC Environmental Officer responsible for the area, used impending loss of finance as diplomatic leverage to persuade the World Bank, United Nations and Caspian countries to put aside their individual concerns, get down to talks and agree upon a programme of action to tackle the Caspian environment.   Despite objections from some countries, successfully achieved Iranian Government representation too.  

Created unprecedented levels of co-operation and clarity during the launch conference – the senior World Bank representative was heard to remark, “This is the best example of co-operation between the EC and the World Bank I have ever come across.”

As a result of these new levels of co-operation, a brand-new initiative was created to link European Commission grants and World Bank (IBRD) /European Bank (EBRD) loans to fund projects which tackled environmental issues in the former Soviet Union. 

• Inventing environmental awareness-raising programme for former Soviet Union – (1996-7)

Procedural problems in the European Commission thwarted the preparatory consultative process in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and the Caucasian countries.

Conceived the idea of a brand-new, stand-alone project to raise awareness of environmental issues among the peoples of the former Soviet Union.  Launched first-ever independent public opinion poll to find out how much importance people placed on the environment. Persuaded members of the European Parliament to lend their support in training members of parliamentary environment committees.  Brought in media experts to foster objective to stimulate audience interest and action.  Enrolled groups working in the EU with deprived urban communities to teach principles of neighbourhood responsibility in St Petersburg and Moscow.

As a result of the success of this project, a second phase was tendered by the EC.

Influencing political/environmental bodies to get concrete actions and results

• Bringing ministers of environment together from across the former Soviet Union – (1995)

Environment ministries had been marginalised and inadequately funded, so constraining their ability to set up a ‘polluter-pays’ system.
 
Advocated bringing environment ministers from the former Soviet Union together with representatives of finance ministries, European governments and international banks. Contributed to enhancing environmental policy co-ordination within the countries of the former Soviet Union.  Advised ministers to communicate to the European Commissioner and the Head of Environment Committee of European Parliament their dissatisfaction with the tiny importance attributed by the European Commission to environmental projects in their countries.

The consequence was that the environment became a priority sector within EU aid from 1997.

• Advocating a shift in EU environmental policy towards the former Soviet Union – (1996)

The pan-European Ministerial Environment Conference in 1995 focused largely on central Europe. European Governments agreed that more attention would need to be given to the former Soviet Union, but there had been no change in policy or approach.

Argued that the former Soviet Union needed different treatment from central and eastern Europe, and exhorted representatives of European governments at an EC ‘round table’ meeting to adapt their approach.  Persuaded bilateral donors, banks, and business representatives of need for training for officials in project preparation financing.  Insisted on consultation with major stakeholders if National Environmental Action Plans were to be ‘owned’ by the countries concerned.  Persuaded international finance institutions to seek opportunities to lend money towards ‘green’ projects in this region, and persuaded local government in EU to help transfer skills.

The consequence was that the entire inter-governmental steering committee agreed to change course and implement a flexible approach.  The subsequent pan-European Ministerial Environment Conference in 1998 endorsed this change of direction, and there is now an official inter-governmental process supporting former Soviet Union countries in developing environmental, legal and planning mechanisms which draw on best practice from elsewhere.   

• Formally established New Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus – 2000-2002

Meetings between ministerial representatives of the three Caucasian countries and the European Commission had failed to get agreement on the proposed Charter. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan wanted their own NRECs, and did not trust nor want to work with each other within the proposed International Centre.

Carried out shuttle diplomacy between the European Commission, the European Parliament, the foreign embassies and governments of the three Caucasian Governments, and used diplomatic leverage to persuade the Presidents of all three countries to grant power-of-attorney to sign the Charter. Engaged in discussions with the Georgian Ministry of Justice to enlist their agreement to set up this international non-governmental organisation without precedent. Succeeded in getting the NREC registered formally and legally set up.  The EU Troika visited Georgia in 2001 and declared, “This project is the best example of European aid in the region.”

Continuing to provide strategic and management advice to this centre, as well as similar centres in Almaty and Moscow.  Despite obvious teething problems, the centres are addressing the critical environmental needs of their regions, and promoting co-operation across boundaries. 

Inspiring and motivating people at grassroots level

• Stood in elections to Greenwich Council (1999, 2002) and Parliament   (2005)

Residents often feel alienated by both politicians and council administrators, whether they be white British people who have lived in Greenwich all their lives, or new arrivals from Bangladesh, Somalia, or Kosovo.

Given my own personal working and living experience in countries of all major faiths, I have an outstanding ability to relate to people from other parts of the world, and can connect with them, and make them feel very much part of Britain’s multi-cultural society.  I was able to inspire people to support me as their candidate, to make a difference..  

• Blocking off a residential road to through-traffic, London – (1999-2001)

A local residential road had become a major thoroughfare for cars and vans avoiding delays on the main road nearby, resulting in big traffic volumes, fast speeds, bad vibration from car engines idling, and high exhaust pollution entering houses.

Prepared a questionnaire to all residents of the street, and requested their views on transport and the environment.  Created a residents’ group to analyse the results and drew up a follow-up questionnaire to determine what to do. Ninety-two per cent of residents supported creating a cul-de-sac.  The Council closed the road at one end, and it is now quiet, clean and safe. 

• Putting environmental sustainability into practice – (2001)

Since the British railways have been privatised, there is little incentive for train operating companies to cater for, let alone welcome, passengers who want to travel with their bicycles.

Managed the “CycleMark” scheme in 2001, financed by the Strategic Rail Authority, to identify the best station, best journey, best operator, and best individual contributing to the promotion of integrated bike/rail journeys.  Involved local authorities, rail companies and bicycle groups.  The Strategic Rail Authority has agreed that bike/rail opportunities need to be enhanced.

Also persuaded the local council to install bicycle racks, and open cycle paths.

Representing ideas and interests at international levels

• Addressing UNEP Governing Council on behalf of various parliamentarians – (1999)

The United Nations Environment Programmearranged a meeting of their Governing Council to discuss increasing its budget and expanding its actions under its new Executive Director.

As the Executive Director of a network of parliamentarians around the world, I adressed the meeting, after the country representatives and before any other organisation, and asserted that parliamentarians needed to be consulted much more fully since they were the democratically elected representatives of the world’s people.  Advocated increased support and spending for UNEP, and advised the German Environment Minister.

More resources were granted, and UNEP committed itself to work more closely with parliamentarians and other stakeholder groups.

• Attending inter-governmental environmental co-ordination meetings – (1994-2002)

Regular co-ordination meetings of senior officials took place twice a year between governments from Europe, the USA, Canada and Japan.  International bankers and representatives of international organisations attended too.  Counterparts were usually senior Heads of Department.

Advocated the exchange of information, co-operation and partnership to prevent overlap, duplication, and the waste of resources.  Argued for practical action rather than just fine words.  Declared that imaginative thinking would be needed, and urged the creation of new ways of financing environmental sustainability

The quality of the overall international assistance programme was enhanced: duplication and overlap were avoided, and projects tailored to support and complement other actions.