Meet the #EURESFO22 Observers

Efrén Feliu

Climate Change Adaptation Manager, TECNALIA Research and Innovation

Efrén Feliu, Climate Change Adaptation Manager, TECNALIA Research and Innovation

Holds a Building Engineering Degree as well as different postgraduates including spatial planning and territorial development. Has a relevant professional background in consultancy and capacity development for public administrations and utilities. Worked in Central America for over 4 years and is involved in international and European initiatives for more than 20 years. He is currently Climate Change Manager at the City Territory and Environment Area of Tecnalia, coordinating applied research projects for the development of Decision Support Systems in the fields of sustainable spatial development, nature-based solutions, regional-urban resilience and sectoral climate change adaptation. Has a long trajectory using climate projections data in climate proofing analysis. Is actively involved in standardisation activities, having participated in ISO Working Groups related to Climate Adaptation Framework (ISO 14090 and 14092) as well as Climate and risks Analysis (ISO 14091), being currently appointed as national expert in CEN TC465 and TC467, CEN-CENELEC SF-SCC TG on Nature Based Solutions, as well as ISO/TC 207/SC 7.

Leon Kapetas

Lead for Programs, Climate Resilience, Global Resilient Cities Network

Leon Kapetas, Lead for Programs, Climate Resilience, Global Resilient Cities Network

A hydrologist by training, Leon is a Senior Climate Resilience Specialist leading the implementation of programs for the Resilience Cities Network. He has a strong interest on Nature-based Solutions as a vehicle for adapting to climate change, protecting natural capital, and meeting development objectives.

Leon has experience in research and consulting environments across high- and low-income countries. He has worked as consultant for the World Bank on the development of ‘climate resilience toolkits for PPPs’ and has developed climate risk assessments for African cities. His work in South America focused on water resources development in Andean catchments. Leon also worked as expert for the Urban Innovative Actions (ERDF) to support Amsterdam’s program of smart Blue-Green roofs. As Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, Leon developed NBS assessment methods in the context of adaptation planning. Over the years, he has engaged in numerous capacity building schemes on climate resilience & NBS mainstreaming.

 

Marianne Zandersen

Senior researcher, Aarhus University

Marianne Zandersen, Senior researcher, Aarhus University

Marianne is an environmental economist and senior researcher at Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science in Denmark, focusing on environmental and behavioral economics in the fields of urban and peri-urban systems, nature-based solutions, climate change and ecosystem management. She is currently the coordinator of the H2020 project ‘REGREEN’ (2019-2024) on fostering nature-based solutions for equitable, green and healthy urban transitions in Europe and China. She is also part of the European Topic Center on Climate Change Adaptation and LULUCF, having i.a. recently contributed to two EEA reports of interest for climate resilience: ‘Urban adaptation to climate change in Europe’ and ‘Nature-based solutions in Europe: Policy, knowledge and practice for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction’.