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IUCN CEESP Religion, Spirituality, Conservation and Climate Justice Specialist Group
GROUPE DE COMMISSION DE L'UICN

IUCN CEESP Religion, Spirituality, Conservation and Climate Justice Specialist Group

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Vue d'ensemble et description

Description:

The IUCN CEESP Religion, Spirituality, Environmental Conservation and Climate Justice (RESPECC) Specialist Group focuses on outreach to faith-based institutions, movements and networks, as well as ...

The IUCN CEESP Religion, Spirituality, Environmental Conservation and Climate Justice (RESPECC) Specialist Group focuses on outreach to faith-based institutions, movements and networks, as well as spiritual communities engaged in environmental conservation and climate change.

Leadership de groupe

Ms Sarah FRENCH
Chair

Sarah French is an Independent Senior Advisor specializing in Biodiversity Conservation and Education. With extensive experience in both conservation and international development, she has dedicated her career to advancing the intersection of conservation biodiversity, education, policy, and sustainable development. Sarah has worked as a lecturer, consultant, advocate and policy expert in areas including biodiversity and business, strategic programme management, alternative livelihoods, climate mitigation and adaptation, environmental education, and conservation policy.

Sarah has carried out consultancies for a range of international organizations, including DFID, DGEF, FAO, GAIN, GAVI, GIZ, the governments of Costa Rica and the Netherlands, ICTSD, ILO, IUCN, PROFOR, PROFOREST, the Stockholm Convention, UNDP, UNEP BTI, and WWF International. She has worked across multiple sectors, such as trade, education, conservation, ecotourism, forestry, and agriculture, collaborating with public, private, and not-for-profit entities worldwide. Her experience spans practice and policy at the local, regional, and international levels.

Her career has also seen her serve in senior leadership roles, including as Director of Environmental Education and Conservation Policy at A Rocha International. In this capacity, she led the strategic management and growth of environmental education programs, while advocating for policies promoting environmental sensitivity, ethical responsibilities, and sustainable livelihoods. 

Sarah was also the head of delegation at international forums such as the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC), the COPs of the UNCBD, and the UNFCCC. Prior to this, she served as Director of International Operations at A Rocha International, overseeing the organization's strategic programme management, global growth and development.

Sarah is an active member of several IUCN Commissions, including CEC, CEM, and CEESP. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the CEESP Specialist Group ReSpECC (Religions, Spirituality, Environmental Conservation, and Climate Justice), where she works to promote the role of faith and spirituality in environmental conservation and climate justice.

In academia, Sarah has lectured on International Development, Environment, and Geography at UK universities, including Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Chester, and the Centre of International Development and Training at Wolverhampton University.

With a life-long commitment to the natural environment, Sarah has lived in Latin America and several European countries and has worked extensively across Africa, Asia, North America, and Europe. 

Currently based in Geneva, Switzerland, Sarah is also a passionate advocate for social justice and environmental sustainability, reflecting her Christian faith through her professional and personal commitments. She is dedicated to connecting people with nature, ensuring that both the natural world and vulnerable communities are supported in the face of global challenges.

Sarah French is an Independent Senior Advisor specializing in Biodiversity Conservation and Education. With extensive experience in both conservation and international development, she has dedicated ...

Mr SHANTANU MANDAL
Co-Chair

Shantanu Mandal is a graduate in Fashion Design from the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology in Kolkata, India and also holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. He is passionate about values and how they can be lived and applied in the fields of education, well-being, youth and the environment. In 2019, Shantanu was one of seven youths to be funded by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to attend COP 25 in Madrid. Since then he has been representing the Brahma Kumaris Youth at a number of high profile environmental conferences. For more than 10 years he lived in Mt.Abu in the Brahma Kumaris HQ at Mt.Abu now he is supporting in the International coordinating office of the Brahma Kumaris in London.

Shantanu Mandal is a graduate in Fashion Design from the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology in Kolkata, India and also holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. He is passionate about ...