Contraction and Convergence Campaigns

MARY OTTO-CHANG

Canadian born, Mary Otto-Chang has worked in sustainable development for twenty-five years, and since 2000, has focused on climate change, and risk reduction. A post graduate in environmental studies and in social sciences, (PhD studies UWI, Kingston, MES, HBA, York, Toronto) much of her career has been with the United Nations, working as staff with UNDP, and UNICEF, and as a consultant to other UN agencies including UNEP, and UN/ISDR. She has worked in over twenty countries and also has experience with the private sector, government, academia, and with NGO´s. Currently, Mary is a consultant to the United Nations, most recently in the capacity of a Listed Contributor to UNEP´s GEO 5 (2012). In October 2010, she founded ALIANZACLIMATE, a not-for profit organization aimed at building bridges and empowering leadership for global climate action, for which she volunteers her time. Her career achievements include:

Steering Committee, World Sustainability Forum, 2011,Manaus, Brazil
Lead Consultant- UNDG Sustainable UN, Towards a Climate Neutral & Green United Nations: Regional Efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean, May 2010
Lead Author – UNICEF TACRO - Children in a Changing Climate – Latin America and the Caribbean – A Region at Risk, 2009
Listed Contributor: Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Environmental Change and Human Security Project, Oslo, Norway, Report 2008:3, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation and Human Security
Co-Speaker with Rt. Hon. Herb Gray: Second Annual Canadian Risks and Hazards Network Conference, National Multi-Stakeholder Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction, Toronto, Canada, November 2005.
Trainer: United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme (UNDMTP)
Member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination Team - (UNDAC) Caribbean Region 2001 UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
Fellow: York Centre for Applied Sustainability, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada (1999-2001)
Fellow in Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada 1992 – 1996
Chair: Sustainability – International Solar Forum (American Solar Energy Society/ Union of Concerned Scientists / American Institute of Architects) Washington, 1997
United Nations Junior Professional Officer (Canada), (UNDP Jamaica) 1986-1988
CIDA Scholar: United Nations Internship, UNCHS Habitat, Nairobi, 1984

Mary and her husband Haris, live in the Canal Zone of Panama City.
She has two children, Dominick, and Evangelina.

Email
Telephone - Panama +507 232-0408