
Katherine is a Principal Consultant in technical policy and sustainability specialising in international climate finance, renewable energy and M&E.
Our global experts had a wide-reaching presence at the recent COP29, here’s a round-up of who was doing what across some of our key focus areas.
December 2024
Our team had a wide-reaching presence at the recent COP29 conference in Azerbaijan, engaging in a diverse range of events and discussions that addressed critical climate issues. From a focus on the intersection of health and climate to discussions around how innovative financing approaches can be leveraged to promote climate justice, our experts contributed to high-level panels, side events, seminars, workshops and debates. Here’s a round-up of who was doing what across some of our key focus areas.
Bimal and Apar from our Nepal office contributed to high-level discussions on the urgent issue of loss and damage in mountainous regions. A pivotal moment was the ‘Mountain in Peril, Addressing Loss and Damage in the Himalayas' high-level party event, where President Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepal emphasised the need for greater cooperation between mountainous and maritime nations. The recent climate-related disasters in Nepal, which have claimed over 500 lives in recent months, highlighting the pressing need for action.
We also participated in various side events, underscoring the transboundary nature of climate impacts and the necessity for collaborative solutions. Scaling solutions for Loss and Damage emerged as a key theme, with regional cooperation identified as a crucial strategy.
We presented around our forthcoming evaluation of the Adaptation Fund Readiness Programme (a UNFCCC multilateral fund that finances projects and programmes and which is now also part of the text of the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance) – the results from the evaluation will be presented in April 2025 with the aim of enhancing process and ensuring the fund is adequately meeting the needs of the most vulnerable countries.
With the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), our climate finance expert, Katherine, looked at the potential of nature-based solutions for adaptation. This builds on the initial work undertaken in Fiji which incorporated the use of GIS and Earth Observation data to build institutional capacity and access climate finance for Nature-Based Seawalls.
Katherine and colleague Maha were panellists in the side event: Women Leading the Change – Advocacy and Activism for a Just Transition, highlighting how women face disproportionate climate impacts but are also strong advocates and solutions to the crisis. Drawing on experiences from three OPM projects – Pakistan’s Sub-National Governance, Nepal’s Policy and Institutions Facility (PIF), and our work with the Global Shield incorporating gender in Climate and Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (CDRFI) – this important event looked at both how women can become more active participants and the benefits to all stakeholders when they do.
Elsewhere at the conference, we delved into the lessons and best practices of Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) schemes in Fiji, Colombia, Pakistan, and Kenya. We discussed the findings of a study evaluating the impact of parametric insurance payouts on the resilience of farming and fishing communities. This broader conversation touched on the role of the private sector in protecting livelihoods and ecosystems, and how innovative climate finance mechanisms can be used as tools for shock-responsive social protection to reduce vulnerability.
At the invitation of the British High Commission, Maha also participated in the Chevening Climate Debate, where discussions cantered on accelerating climate finance for a just transition.
Our experts Shehryar and Durre', supported an event at the Pakistan pavilion of the conference aimed at highlighting the linkages between climate change and health. Shehryar moderated a discussion on climate vulnerability and health assessment in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, drawing on the Evidence for Health programme that saw OPM supporting the development of the country’s first Climate Health Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Assessment (CHVA). The CHVA is a critical study designed to assess and address the health-related vulnerabilities posed by climate change. Read more here.
Meanwhile, our Nepal Country Director, Suresh, took part in a United Nations University discussion, calling for more action to address the disruption of health systems by climate change, emphasising the role of grassroots citizen actions.
President Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepal
Bimal Regmi speaking at 'Scaling solutions for loss and damage' at COP29
Katherine Cooke taking part in a panel discussing our evaluation of the Adaptation Fund
Shehryar Khan in conversation with Ehtisham ul Haq, Chief of International Development and Planning and Development Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Maha Kamal and Katherine Cooke speaking at 'Women Leading the Change – Advocacy and Activism for a Just Transition'.
Suresh Tiwari at the COP29 Health Pavilion
Suresh Tiwari speaking at a United Nations University discussion at COP29
Katherine is a Principal Consultant in technical policy and sustainability specialising in international climate finance, renewable energy and M&E.
Apar is a Senior Consultant in our Nepal office who works with the government and clients to manage climate, resilience and sustainability issues.
Bimal is a Senior Consultant for climate change and disaster risk based in our Nepal office. He contributes to our broader work in the country.
Maha Kamal is a Consultant in our Energy, Resources and Growth hub in the Climate, Resilience and Sustainability Practice.
Suresh Tiwari is our Country Director in Nepal and a public health and public financial management professional.