About & How We Engage

CEESP members contribute to the mandate of the Commission by providing insights, expertise, and traditional knowledge as well as by promoting policies and actions that relate to the human dimensions of conservation.

 

 

 

 

Our Vision

Description

A world where sustainability, social justice, diversity and equity are valued in nature conservation and in development.

Our Mission

Description

To contribute to the IUCN mission by generating and disseminating knowledge, mobilising influence, and promoting actions to harmonise the conservation of nature with the critical social, cultural, environmental, and economic justice concerns of human societies.

Our Structure

Description

The work of the Commission is organised into Regions and Themes that focus on key directions to meet CEESP's mandate. Specialist Groups, Task Forces and Working Groups each operate under a related Theme.

Our Mandate

We work closely with the IUCN Secretariat, IUCN’s Regional Offices, other Commissions, and IUCN members to realise the Union’s One Programme Charter. Our work is based on the CEESP Mandate 2021-2024. 

Our Objectives for Reimagining Conservation

A Challenge to Reimagine Conservation in 2022
Reimagine Conservation

Reimagine Conservation mobilizes the Union and beyond to transform our thinking, engagement, and practice to protect the planet, and contributes directly to 2021-2024 Programme and the 20-year vision of IUCN. 


reimagine justice
Reimagine Justice

CEESP advances evidence-based dialogue and practice related to human rights and conservation to transform how conservation is done with people, while elevating the social impacts in order to protect the planet.


reimagine funding
Reimagine Funding

CEESP advances the dialogue around conservation finance and makes funding more inclusive for Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), youth, and women in order to achieve our climate and biodiversity goals.


reimagine leadership
Reimagine Leadership

CEESP advances dialogues and evidence-based research for what conservation leadership needs to look like in the future to support the protection of the planet.


Our Network

CEESP is a unique network of approximately 1,200 volunteers representing perspectives and disciplines from biology and anthropology, economics and law, to culture and Indigenous peoples - among many others. Our work represents the crossroads of conservation and development. Our members offer resources and expertise to meet the challenges of conservation.

 

Membership in CEESP is open to any individual who has relevant experience and has skills determined important to the work of a Thematic Group, Specialist Group, Region or the Commission as a whole. Membership applications are reviewed by the Regional Vice Chairs.

Commission Leadership

Kristen Walker Painemilla
Kristen Walker Painemilla, Chair of CEESP

Kristen provides leadership on a range of policies and practice related to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, gender, human rights-based approaches, social safeguards, and engagement with the peace and development community. Effective conservation can only occur with and through the cooperation of Indigenous peoples and local communities living in and around protected areas — and elsewhere. Support of women as conservation stewards and decision-makers is central to this work. 

 

Throughout her 25-year career, Kristen has advocated effectively and globally to improve the engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities in conservation through a human rights-based approach, and a focus on people-centered conservation. Since 2016, Kristen has also powerfully committed herself to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in her elected role of Chair of the IUCN Commission on Environment, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP), promoting research and policies to balance nature conservation with socioeconomic and cultural concerns. Under her tenure, the Commission has supported the Union’s Members, supported all seven Commissions, advanced work with Indigenous Peoples Organization Members, engaged in research around well-being and conservation, peace and migration and governance.  

 

Kristen is the Senior Vice President for the Center for Communities and Conservation at Conservation International (CI). For more information on her work with CI, visit here. Kristen holds a degree in Latin American Studies and Anthropology from George Washington University. She was a Cotlow Scholar in 1996, a Fulbright Scholar in 1997-1998 and is a Senior Fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program. She serves on several boards, including the Equator Initiative, the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force and the Chol-Chol Foundation. 

Kristen provides leadership on a range of policies and practice related to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, gender, human rights-based approaches, social safeguards, and engagement with the ...

Effective conservation can only occur with and through the cooperation of Indigenous peoples and local communities living in and around protected areas and elsewhere.

Kristen Walker Painemilla, Chair of CEESP
Ameyali Ramos Headshot
Ameyali Ramos, Deputy Chair of CEESP

Ameyali Ramos has been working on social and environmental governance, international policy and human rights issues for over 20 years.

Iben Munck
Iben Munck, Executive Officer for CEESP

Iben Munck's background is in international tourism and nature conservation. Decades of travel and living in different cultures and countries provided her with a deep commitment to community empowerment and nature conservation. 

Iben Munck's background is in international tourism and nature conservation. Decades of travel and living in different cultures and countries provided her with a deep commitment to community ...