event`s speakers

20/10/2014
Mayors Adapt Signature Ceremony 2014
List of Speakers
Connie Hedegaard
European Commissioner for Climate Action
Born in 1960, Connie Hedegaard had already been working
with climate issues for several years by the time she began
her appointment as the EU's first ever Commissioner for
Climate Action in February 2010.
In August 2004 she was appointed as Danish Minister for the
Environment. In 2007 she was in charge of setting up the
Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy, where one of the main
tasks was to prepare the UN Climate Conference in
Copenhagen in December 2009.
Connie Hedegaard began her political career while a student
at the University of Copenhagen. There she studied literature
and history while at the same time pursuing a political career
that encompassed both Danish and international politics. In
1984, at the age of 23, she was elected to the Danish
Parliament as a member for the Conservative People's Party,
thereby becoming the youngest Danish MP ever at that time,
and in 1985 she became Chair of the Atlantic Association of
Young Political Leaders. In 1989, Connie Hedegaard became
first spokesperson for the Conservative People's Party, but
chose to leave politics for journalism in 1990.
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Besides her political career, Connie Hedegaard has had a long
career in journalism. In 1990, she began working as a
journalist on the Danish national newspaper Berlingske
Tidende. In 1998 she became head of the news bulletin
service Radioavisen at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation,
after which she hosted the current affairs programme
Deadline on the television channel DR2. Between 1998 and
2004 she also wrote for the Danish national daily newspaper
Politiken.
Apart from working as a politician and journalist, Connie
Hedegaard has sat on a number of committees and boards,
including chairing the Centre for Cultural Cooperation with
Developing Countries (CKU) and as a member of the board of
the Danish Parliament's Democracy Foundation. Lastly, she
has received various prizes for her involvement in and
contributions to social debate, due in great part to her wideranging activities as a lecturer and author. Her publications
include Da klimaet blev hot, [When the climate got hot]
published in Denmark in 2008, as well as contributions to
several anthologies and topical books
Michael R. Bloomberg
UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change
Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of the global financial
data services and media company, Bloomberg LP. Between
2002 and 2013, he served as Mayor of New York City and
reduced the city's carbon footprint by 19 percent, revitalized
the waterfront, implemented ambitious public health and antipoverty programs, expanded support for arts and culture, and
increased graduation rates and private sector job numbers to
record highs. As a philanthropist, Bloomberg has given over
$3.3 billion in support of education, public health, government
innovation, the arts, and the environment. In 2014, United
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Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon appointed Bloomberg
Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. In that role,
Bloomberg works to highlight the climate work cities are
doing and the critical role mayors can play in helping nations
create ambitious carbon reduction commitments. This builds
on his role as president of the board of the C40 Climate
Leadership Group, a network of megacities working to reduce
global greenhouse gas emissions. Bloomberg also serves as a
Co-Chair of Risky Business, an organization that is quantifying
the economic risks American businesses face from climate
change.
Margareta Wahlström
Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary General for
Disaster Risk Reduction
In November 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon announced the appointment of Margareta Wahlström
as his first Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Disaster Risk Reduction. Ms Wahlström has extensive
experience in both disaster relief operations and disaster risk
management, with the United Nations system and the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies. Her broad experience spans conflict and nonconflict emergencies, and addressing long-term issues of
sustainable development. Ms Wahlström is also the head of
UNISDR, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction, which is the focal point in the United Nations
system for the coordination of disaster reduction. Under the
SRSG’s leadership, UNISDR is in charge of supporting the
implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 20052015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to
Disasters throughout the world and to facilitate the process of
developing a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.
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Christiana Figueres
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Climate
Change secretariat, has a long and distinguished career in
climate change and sustainability issues, having participated
in the climate change negotiations since 1995. She has made
important contributions to the literature on the design of the
climate solutions, worked with governments and NGOs, and
been a frequent advisor to the private sector.
Ms. Figueres holds a Masters Degree in Anthropology from
the London School of Economics, and a certificate in
Organizational Development from Georgetown University. She
was born in San José, Costa Rica in 1956 and has two
daughters.
Jakob Hougaard
Deputy Chairman, Technical and Environmental Committee,
City of Copenhagen
Jakob Hougaard studied Anthropology at the University of
Copenhagen. From 1999 until 2005 he worked as a political
adviser for the Social Democratic parliamentary group. From
2006 until 2009 he was Mayor for Employment and
Integration. Since 2010, Jakob Hougaard is Consultant in fund
Danish Resources. On the political level, he has been a
Member of the City Council of Copenhagen since 2001. Since
2010 Jakob Hougaard has been Vice Chair of the Board of
Copenhagen Utility. Since 2014 he has been Deputy Mayor in
the Technical and Environmental Administration.
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Josef Schmid
Deputy Mayor of Munich
Josef Schmid studied Economy and Law. Until 2014, he
worked as a lawyer and was a partner in a law firm. In 2002
he became a member of Munich City Council. From 20072014 he served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Group
of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in the Munich City Council.
Since 2014 Josef Schmid has been Deputy Mayor of the City
of Munich as well as the Head of the Department of Labour
and Economic Development. As Deputy Mayor he is
responsible for the Committees for the Environment, Health,
Construction, Communal Services, and Culture of Munich City
Council. Josef Schmid is the Deputy Chairman of the Christian
Social Union (CSU) Munich and a member of the CSU Party
Executive Committee. He is the head of the steering
committee for the “Integrated Action Programme on Climate
Protection in Munich”.
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Nabilla Ait Daoud
Deputy Mayor of Antwerp
Nabilla Ait Daoud was born on the 4th of January 1977 in
Deurne (Antwerp). Prior to her political career she worked in
a pharmacy. A few years ago she started her own business,
Tramezzini. In listening to her clients she gained insights into
what moved and motivated the people of Antwerp, and what
was at the heart of life for people in the city. Nabilla’s
appetite for politics was whetted and she presented herself as
candidate for the district Deurne and for the City Council of
Antwerp. After the election victory of N-VA, she became
Alderwoman of childcare, youth, environment and animal
welfare.
Cllr Alan Coleman
Mayor of the County of Cork
Cllr. Alan Coleman has been a member of Cork County
Council for thirteen years, representing Fianna Fáil on the
Bandon/Kinsale Electoral Area Since 1991.
He became leader of the Fianna Fáil party in 2004.
Mayor Coleman was a previous vice president of Energy Cities
and a member of board for two terms.
Elected Mayor of the County of Cork in June 2014 and is
under no illusion as to the importance of the position given
the scale of Cork County and its population. Mayor Coleman is
committed to supporting his fellow councillors and
management in developing a sustainable County into the
future.
Mayor Coleman is now chairperson of the Tourism Strategic
Policy Committee for Cork County Council.
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Mayor Coleman is a previous chairperson of the Transport
Strategic Policy Committee from 2009 – 2014 and also
previous chairperson of Cork Area Strategic Plan from 2004 –
2009.
Hans-Joachim Kosubek
Deputy Mayor of Worms
Hans-Joachim Kosubek has been the Deputy Mayor of Worms
since 2013. Prior to that, he held different positions in Worms'
City Council, and has been a member of the Council since
1979. He works specifically on environmental protection,
waste management and construction, transport and fire and
disaster risk reduction.
José Sá Fernandes
Deputy Mayor of Lisbon
Mr. José Sá Fernandes is Deputy Mayor in Lisbon Municipality
since 2005. Being responsible for the Green Structure and
Energy, he is committed to promoting a more efficient use of
energy consumption of municipal buildings and equipment,
providing more sustainable energy sources, and consolidating
green areas and urban allotment gardens, by developing an
integrated system of Greenways. Another one of the main
axes of his public work has been the promotion of bicycle use
in Lisbon.
Before being Deputy Mayor, as a lawyer, Mr. Sá Fernandes
advocated for public causes, especially concerning the
Environment. He was also distinguished with the Portuguese
National Environment Award 2003/2004 and, in 2012, he
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received the Portuguese National Mobility Award, for
promoting bicycle use.
Salvador Esteve i Figueras
President of Barcelona Province
Salvador Esteve i Figueras was born in Martorell (Barcelona)
on the 29th of April 1945, is married, has five children and is
the grandfather of twelve grandchildren. He lives in Martorell.
He studied commerce, accounting and training, and
specialised in savings. He worked in the Pension Fund of
Aging and Savings (later Savings Pensions de Barcelona)
between 1962 and 2004. Politically he has been affiliated with
the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) since 1977
and currently sits on the National Council and the National
Executive Committee of CDC. He has been Alderman of the
City of Martorell in 1979-1984 and 2003-2007 and was Mayor
of the town from 1987 to 2003, and again from 2007 to
present. He was a Member of Parliament of Catalonia IVa, Va
and VIa legislatures (1992-2003), Provincial Deputy to the
Provincial Council of Barcelona (1991-1992) and President of
the Catalan Association of Municipalities and Provinces
between 2007 and 2011.
Julie Laernoes
Vice-President of Nantes Métropole in charge of ecological
footprint, energy transition, energy, climate and sustainable
development
Municipal councillor (city of Nantes) in charge of energy and
buildings. Elected in March 2014.
Julie Laernoes worked with Dominique Voynet (member of
Europe Écologie - the Greens, former mayor of Montreuil,
former French senator of the Seine-Saint-Denis department)
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during the 2007 presidential campaign and was member of
the Mayor’s Cabinet, city of Montreuil (Seine St Denis).
S. Björn Blöndal
City Councelor, Deputy Mayor, Chairman of the Chief
Executive Board of City Council.
Born December 8th 1969 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Entered
politics in 2010 with the Best Party. Became the political
advisor to Mayor Jon Gnarr, and one of his main
collaborators. Founding member of the Best Party.
Lead the ballot for Bright Future in Reykjavik, the political arm
and successor of the Best Party, winning 2 seats in City
Council, with 16% of the vote.
Maria Angels Ramon Martinez Llin
Current position: Deputy Mayor of the Department of the
Environment and Sustainable Development of the City of
Born June 15, 1963 in Valencia. Married. Two children.
Law degree from the University of Valencia.
Advanced Studies Diploma, specializing in Civil Law from the
University of Valencia.
Representative in the Valencian Parliament during
Legislatures II, III, IV, V and VI.
Regional Minister of Agriculture and Environment of the
Generalitat Valenciana (1995-1997).
Regional Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the
Generalitat Valenciana (1997-2003).
Representative in Congress from 2004 to 2008.
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Paolo Dalla Vecchia
Councillor Responsible for the Environment, Venice Province
Paolo Dalla Vecchia is Councillor of the Province of Venice,
responsible for environment and energy. He has a degree in
law from the University of Bologna.
As provincial councillor between 2009 and 2014, Paolo Dalla
Vecchia significantly contributed to enhancing the role of the
institution and local communities in terms of territorial
planning, environmental quality and safety. In 2010 the
Province of Venice joined the Covenant of Mayors and today
41 of the 44 municipalities work together on these issues. At
the same time he has worked to promote adopting the
instrument of “Water plans” which aim to organise local
adaption to intense meteorological events.
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Mario Aymerich
Director – Environment and Regional Development Projects
Directorate, European Investment Bank
Mayor Aymerich graduated in Civil Engineering and post-graduated
in Transport & Urban Planning at Polytechnic Universities of
Catalunya and Madrid. He was Public Servant at the Metropolitan
Council and the Municipality of Barcelona (82-88) and worked as
Engineering Executive (88-98) in a leading private multi-national
Intelligent Transport Systems company. He was part-time professor
at UPC and UPM (Transport Planning & Economics, 83-95) and is
author of more than 40 technical articles and co-author of 5 books.
Mario Aymerich has worked at the EIB since January 1999. In April
2011 he was nominated Director of the Department dealing with
Environment and Regional Development Projects, comprising
different sectors related to regional convergence and sustainable
development, social integration and quality of life, urban
regeneration and access to basic services, cultural heritage and
tourism, natural resources and agro-industry, recovery from and
protection against natural disasters, biodiversity and adaptation to
the effects of climate change.
Birgit de Boissezon
Senior Head of Unit, currently for 'Sustainable Management of
Natural Resources', DG Research & Innovation, European
Commission
The 'Sustainable Management of Natural Resources' Unit defines
and implements - supported by Horizon 2020, the EUs framework
programme for research and innovation -, objectives and priorities
for nature-based solutions which increase economic, social and
environmental resilience and improve risk management, to renature cities, adapt to climate change, restore biodiversity and
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ecosystems, and valorise cultural heritage. Earlier EC positions
related to strategy and policy, planning and evaluation of EU
research framework programmes (FP). For three years research
counsellor at the Danish Permanent Representation to the EU in
Brussels, after six years in the Danish Ministry of Research in
charge of FP coordination at national level and of dissemination and
use of S/T results. As biologist by training, the career started in the
French dairy branch organisation CNIEL/CIDIL in Paris, as
responsible for its Information and Documentation Centre.
Rosário Bento Pais
Head of Unit Adaptation, DG Climate Action, European Commission
Rosário Bento Pais took the responsibility for the Unit on Adaptation
to Climate change both at international and EU level since the
creation of DG CLIMA in 2010.
From October 2007, she worked as Deputy-Head of Unit of the
International negotiations on Climate Change Unit. Before, she was
a member of the cabinet of Mariann Fischer Boel, responsible for
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), competition policy (excluding
state aid), infringement procedures, legal service, environment,
internal market and services, transport, energy and outermost
regions. From 2002 to 2004, she worked as an administrator in DG
Environment’s department of international agreements and trade:
working on legal and institutional affairs and international
negotiations. Before, she was councillor and assistant to the deputy
permanent representative at the Portuguese Permanent
Representation to the EU in Brussels and was seconded as a
national expert to DG Environment’s department of international
affairs, trade and environment where she dealt with bilateral
agreements, was OECD desk officer, and gave legal advice on
international negotiations from 2000 to 2002.
Rosário Bento Pais worked from 1996 to 2002 for the Portuguese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1996 to 1999, she was chancellor
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at the Portuguese Embassy in Luxembourg. Before, she held a
Robert Schumann Scholarship at the European Parliament,
Luxembourg (1995-1996).
Rosário Bento Pais obtained a masters in international relations
from the Universidade do Minho, Portugal (1995), and a masters in
European judicial studies from the European Institute of Public
Administration, Maastricht (1998).
Birgit Georgi
Project Manager Regional Vulnerability and Adaptation, European
Environment Agency (EEA)
The EEA is an agency of the European Union. Its task is to provide
sound, independent information on the environment. As a major
information source, the EEA helps the Community and member
countries to make informed decisions about improving the
environment and moving towards sustainability.
Birgit Georgi coordinates activities related to urban adaptation to
climate change, such as the milestone report Urban Adaptation to
Climate Change in Europe (2012), making urban information and
tools available at the European Climate Adaptation Platform
Climate-ADAPT, and organising capacity building among cities with
the Open European Days at Resilient Cities.
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Dr. Jerry Velasquez
Chief, Advocacy and Outreach Section, United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
Jerry Velasquez is Chief of the Advocacy and Communications
Section and Head of the Making Cities Resilient Campaign of the UN
Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). Before moving to this
function in Geneva in August 2013, he was for six years the
UNISDR Regional Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific covering 37
countries and 16 territories from Central Asia to the Pacific Islands.
The Regional Office is based in Thailand, with oversight for the subregional office in the Pacific in Fiji, and the Kobe liaison office in
Japan.
He previously worked for the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya with the Division for the
Global Environment Facility (DGEF) and the Division for
Environmental Laws and Conventions (DELC), where he focused on
the promotion of cooperation among Multilateral Environmental
Conventions. Prior to this he was the Coordinator of the Global
Environment Information Centre (GEIC), a joint programme of the
Ministry of Environment of Japan and the UN University, where he
coordinated the Inter-linkages programme – promoting synergies
among the work of Multilateral Environmental Conventions.
Additional Speaker:

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Sander Happaerts, European Commission
Kristalina Georgieva
European Commissioner for International Cooperation,
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response
Kristalina Georgieva is the European Commissioner responsible for
International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
Her portfolio covers the European Commission's activities in the
areas of humanitarian assistance (where the Commission is one of
the largest donors in the world) and Civil Protection (where the EU
helps coordinate the interventions of 32 European Countries). A
particular focus of her work has been to move beyond disaster
response and address the entire disaster cycle.
Before joining the European Commission, Kristalina Georgieva held
various senior positions in the World Bank. She was Vice President
and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group (2008-2010),
serving as the interlocutor between the World Bank’s senior
management, its Board of Directors and the 186 member countries.
Prior to this she was World Bank Director for the Russian
Federation. Before the she worked as Director of the Environment
Department and was in charge of the World Bank's environmental
strategy, policies and lending.
Johannes Hahn
European Commissioner for Regional Policy
Johannes Hahn has held various management functions in the
different sectors of the Austrian economy and industry, including as
CEO of Novomatic AG for 5 years. Between 1992 and 1997 Hahn
was Executive Director of the Austrian People's Party Vienna.
Starting in 2002, he was elected Deputy Chairman of the Party and
Chairman in 2005. A Member of the Regional Parliament of Vienna
from 1996 to 2003, he became Federal Minister for Science and
Research in 2007.
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He has been a Member of the European Commission in charge of
Regional Policy since 2010.
Jiří Buriánek
Secretary General, Committee of the Regions
At its meeting of 24 June 2014, the Bureau of the Committee of the
Regions (CoR) decided to appoint Mr Jiří Buriánek as new CoR
Secretary General. Mr. Buriánek, of Czech and German nationality,
served previously as Director at the Secretariat-General of the
Council, responsible for network industries (energy, transport,
telecommunications/information society) and European
infrastructures (Connecting Europe Facility and Trans European
Networks).
Prior to this, he has also served as Enlargement Manager at the
European Commission's DG Joint Research Centre and as Secretary
General of PostEurop, the European Restricted Union of the UN
Special Agency of the Universal Postal Union uniting 42 European
Universal Service Providers.
The CoR Secretary General has a mandate of five years.
Vittorio Prodi
Former Member of the European Parliament
Vittorio Prodi is a Physicist. He worked as a university lecturer and
researcher at leading national and international institutes. He is the
author of numerous scientific publications and five international
patents.
For ten years he was President of the Province of Bologna and later
a Member of European Parliament (2004/2009 and 2009/2014).
Vittorio Prodi was the first vice-president of the Temporary
Committee on Climate Change, has been a member of the
Committee on Environment, Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and
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President of the Intergroup "Sky and Space", which is also involved
in satellite observation of the earth. Finally, he was a member of
the inter-institutional working group about adaptation to climate
change.
Moderation by:
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
Jos Delbeke, Director-General, DG Climate Action, European Commission

Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director, DG Climate Action, European Commission

Rosario Bento Pais, Head of Unit Adaptation, DG Climate Action, European Commission