Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all for over 30 years. Through science, policy, and partnerships, CI is helping build a healthier, more prosperous and more productive planet.
POSITION SUMMARY
Conservation International (CI) believes that getting the right rules and incentives in place, the right policy framework, is essential to achieving our mission to “empower societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity”. Policies to harness the immediate potential of natural climate solutions (NCS are essential to addressing global climate change and this position will have a heavy focus on informing such policies in the region. At the same time, ambitious global policies on how we manage biodiversity and the high seas will be developed over the next few years and the countries of the Asia Pacific Region will be an important voice in how they are formulated and implemented.
The Asia Pacific Policy Director will have the opportunity to be a part of a Global Policy and Government Affairs team that leads CI’s engagement in international policy arenas and works directly with CI country programs to implement key policies at the national level. The Director will be embedded in CI’s Asia Pacific Field Division, which spans 14 countries with a regional headquarters in Singapore. They will also be a part of CI’s Technical Fellowship program, which hosts conservation Fellows who work to create dynamic and unconventional approaches to address barriers to sustainability and contribute to a shift in how nature is valued and protected. With 2-year contracts, the Fellows are able to expand the breadth of their skills, gain valuable experience in their fields, and find innovative solutions together with CI program staff and local partners.
The Director will be responsible for working with select CI country programs in the region to develop policy recommendations and implement strategies to influence the design of domestic policy frameworks related to natural climate solutions (NCS). As a secondary priority, they will be responsible for supporting key CI country programs in the region to engage their governments on their positions for global negotiations on other emerging priorities in the international policy arena (e.g. biodiversity and the high seas). They will have the opportunity to leverage Conservation International’s strong foundation in policy engagement in the region as well as in the Global Policy and Government Affairs team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop policy recommendations and implement strategies to influence the design of policy frameworks in Indonesia and other priority countries in the region to facilitate demand for natural climate solutions (NCS) through domestic carbon markets as well as the generation of high-quality supply of NCS credits for domestic and international markets.
- In collaboration with CI country program in Indonesia, and building on CI’s existing policy recommendations, design and implement strategies to influence the design of policy frameworks to facilitate demand for natural climate solutions (NCS) through a domestic carbon market in Indonesia and a potential regional market. Potentially support other countries in the region on this work as well (eg Cambodia, Philippines).
- In collaboration with CI country program in Indonesia, and building on CI’s existing policy recommendations, and building on CI’s existing policy recommendations, design and implement strategies to influence the design of key regulatory frameworks (e.g., REDD+ nesting) and enabling conditions (e.g., clarity on carbon rights) to unlock the generation of high-quality NCS credit supply for domestic and international markets. Potentially support other countries in the region on this work as well (eg Cambodia, Philippines).
- Support engagement with governments in the region on CI policy recommendations related to global climate, biodiversity, and ocean policy negotiations, and other related events (eg World Economic Forum Meetings, G20 Meetings). As appropriate, support collaboration with external partners to create shared policy inputs for national governments related to CI’s climate, biodiversity, and ocean policy priorities.
- Plan and track programmatic activities to comply with international donor requirements and reporting.