Portrait of the week: SPI members

UNCCD relies on the input of expert women in implementing its mandate. In particular, the members of our Science-Policy interface (SPI), which guides the application of world-leading science into meaningful and impactful policy that we, our Parties, and our partners can use on the ground. The SPI includes female specialists in desertification, forestry, soil, dust-modelling and weather extremes. Guided by all these women, the UNCCD continues to strive for a better, more equal world. During the month of March, we are featuring them here:

• Nichole Barger is an ecologist who works in partnership with diverse entities in the US on land degradation and restoration issues such as the ecological risks of fire mitigation treatments, historical drivers and biogeochemical responses to woody plant encroachment, forest decline and regeneration, and more recently restoration of degraded dryland ecosystems with a specific focus on soil ecology
• Anna Luise is working in Romeat ISPRA – Institute for the Environmental Protection and Research (Italy’s environmental agency) on issues related to sustainable development at local, national and global level, the assessment of the environmental damage, the monitoring, evaluation and governance issues related to sustainability issues, land degradation and desertification, the analysis of policies and the development of indicators, playing a role of technical support in decision and policymaking processes as well as in the negotiation within the UNCCD. She is Italy’s science and technology correspondent for the convention 
• Everlyne Nairesiae is a social scientist known for her contribution in coordinating and facilitating global networks, development of global methodologies and tools for  land governance, including monitoring of land in the SDGs and impact evaluation; research and analytical frameworks and strategies for mainstreaming gender in natural resource governance and management; and capacity development for governments, CSOs and other actors.
• Caroline King-Okumu's expertise includes work on institutional, policy and economic aspects of global environmental challenges with focus on land, water and climate-related issues in the global drylands, especially in Africa. She works with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on international development issues and business cases for the environment.
• Katrin Ehlert is an environmental scientist with over eight years research and consultancy experience in the field of soil protection in the context of agricultural usages,  soil and water quality assessments and environmental impact studies. Katrin is part of tech support unit at the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) which works with stakeholders globally and on all levels to develop drought early warning systems and policies
• Karma Dema Dorji serves as the Programme Director of the National Soil Services Centre in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in Bhutan which works on sustainable aspects of soil and land management to achieve food security and protect the country’s pristine environment. As the national focal point for UNCCD, Ms. Dorji oversees the fulfillment of the Convention’s requirements, including the development of the national action program to combat land degradation and national reporting
• Marijana Kapović Solomun is a member of UNCCD Roster of experts, LDN national expert for Bosnia and Herzegovina and expert for the national drought management plan. Dr. Kapović Solomun has broad international and national experience in scientific projects, as leader or expert for soil, land degradation and forestry, who published significant number of scientific papers 

Read more:

• UNCCD Science-Policy Interface