The Team
Dr. Katharine Rietig
Katharine is Principal Investigator of this project and Professor in International Politics at Newcastle University, UK. She is an expert in global climate change negotiations, climate change policies and transitions to low carbon societies. Her research examines how negotiation deadlocks can be resolved through learning, non-state actors and multilevel governance dynamics between countries and the United Nations, and how these dynamics facilitate policy change for more effective environmental governance. She has been participating regularly as academic observer in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations since November 2009 and conducted various research projects on the UNFCCC negotiations focusing on the influence of non-national actors, negotiation strategies and the role of leadership by state and non-state actors.
She holds a PhD and MSc in Environmental Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an M.A. in Political Science, International Law and Economics from the University of Munich. Her research and impact activities have been funded by the UK Research and Innovation Council/ Economic and Social Research Council, the British Academy, the Wolfson Foundation and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. Her work has appeared in leading peer-reviewed journals including International Affairs, Global Governance, the Journal of European Public Policy, Policy Studies Journal, Policy Sciences, Public Administration, Environmental Politics, International Environmental Agreements, as well as Environmental Policy and Governance.
Christine Peringer JD
Christine is Co-Investigator on this project and is an expert in multi-stakeholder planning and problem-solving facilitation, working in sectors including environment, sustainable development, justice and health. Clients have included the Government of Mexico (Guidelines for Mexico’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory), Canadian Environmental Law Association (Great Lakes Summit), Federation of Canadian Municipalities (Country Strategy for Vietnam-Canada collaborative projects) and Quaker International Affairs Project (Dialogue Process on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights).
Christine holds a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Ontario (1985) and is the author of “How We Work for Peace” Peace Research Institute – Dundas (1997). She is an active member of the Climate Change Project of Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and has been a member of the MBBI observer delegation at the UNFCCC negotiations since 2019. Since 1985 she has been a member of the World Federalist Movement – Canada and currently serves as Senior Advisor on Climate Governance.
Christine has served for twenty years as a principal in her consultancy firm, Group Facilitation and Mediation Services. For more information see www.peringer.ca
Jecel is a Research Fellow for Planet and Net Zero of Insights North East, a new project led by Newcastle University and delivered via a core partnership with the NHS, North of Tyne Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council and Northumbria University. She is also a PhD Researcher in International Politics and Development at Newcastle University studying Learning happens in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Alongside her PhD, Jecel also does consults on governance projects of international organisations and serves as the coordinator of the Better Climate Governance project.
Prior to taking a doctorate, Jecel worked for 10 years with governments, international organisations, non-government organisations and the private sector providing support on project design, management and monitoring and evaluation. She has worked with the Asian Development Bank in Manila, Philippines supporting social projects related to education, financial inclusion, jobs and poverty reduction. She was a training consultant with Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung in its Energy Training for Young Professionals and with Kindernothilfe Luxembourg in its Post-Disaster Recovery Project. Jecel was one of the youngest managers of the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific handling the Checkmyschool project and the promotion of social accountability in East Asia Pacific.
Jecel holds a Masters in Public Administration, a Diploma in Public Management and a Bachelor of Psychology, all from the University of the Philippines. She was an Asian Future Leaders Scholar of Korea University and a Clinton Global Fellow of the Clinton Institute in Northern Ireland. For more information about Jecel’s background and engagements, visit www.jecelcensoro.me.
Anand is a PhD Candidate at Newcastle University. His research explores how education for sustainability is currently planned and implemented within UK Higher Education Institutions and how this process can be made stronger. He holds a MSc in International Business Management from Newcastle University.
Alongside his PhD, Anand is a research assistant for the Better Climate Governance Project and Conference Director for their 2023 annual conference.