SLYCAN Trust is an internationally recognized non-profit think tank working on climate change, adaptation and resilience, sustainable development, environmental conservation, social justice, animal welfare, and related thematic areas. Our presence extends to Asia, Africa and Europe through our main office in Sri Lanka and regional offices in Niger and Germany. We are active on the global, regional, national, and local level, with a particular focus on the countries of the Global South.
SLYCAN Trust works on legal and policy research, education and awareness creation, capacity-building, solution finding, and implementation of ground-level actions to facilitate and contribute to multi-stakeholder driven, inclusive, and participatory actions for a sustainable and resilient future for all.
Vositha is an attorney-at-law specialising in public international law, with a focus on international environmental law, UN human rights law, refugee law and EU law. She has over a decade of experience in working on climate change, at national and international level. Vositha is a member of the national expert committee on climate change adaptation of the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, national expert on vulnerability and adaptation measures for the Third National Communication of Sri Lanka to the UNFCCC for the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, and is a delegate focusing on compliance, adaptation, loss and damage, and gender for the Sri Lankan delegation to the UNFCCC since 2016. She is also a consultant to the UNFCCC national adaptation plans and policy unit, and worked as a country support consultant to the UNDP NAP Global Support Programme. Vositha has an LLM in public international law from University College London, and an LLB from University of London.
Dennis has close to a decade of experience working in research, and management and administration in the private sector as well as two years in coordination in the development sector. His research focuses on ecosystem-based adaptation, sustainable development, climate migration, and other topics related to climate change. He has published articles about these topics in numerous places, for example Earth Island Journal, Mongabay, The Environmental Blog, Daily FT, and Colombo Telegraph. He holds degrees in Education, English Studies, and Philosophy from the University of Cologne, Germany, and has additional qualifications in GIS mapping, video editing, translation, and publishing.
Kavindu Ediriweera is a graduate in law and a long-standing member of SLYCAN Trust, a non-profit think tank, and is currently serving as the Director of Youth Programs and Deputy Director of Programs at SLYCAN Trust.
He has over a decade of experience focusing mainly on climate change, adaptation and resilience, risk management, loss and damage, human mobility, sustainable development, just transition, entrepreneurship, environmental conservation and restoration, and social justice.
He has also been a delegate for Sri Lanka on a number of climate change negotiations, with a special focus on Action for Climate Empowerment, the impact of implementation of response measures, and Just Transition agenda items under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement.
Furthermore, he has also represented SLYCAN Trust Youth at the Youth Constituency of the UNFCCC on a number of occasions since 2012 and was nominated to represent Sri Lanka at the UN Youth Climate Summit in 2019 and Youth4Climate (PreCOP26 in 2021).
Happy studied law at the University of Johannesburg and is recognised by the British Council as a Global Change-maker and International Climate Champion. In 2013, he was part of the Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans. He serves a Senior Technical Expert in SLYCAN Trust and is the former Greenpeace Africa senior political advisor on climate and energy. Currently, Happy is an official party delegate to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and negotiates various issues such as Paris Agreement implementation and Response Measures. Happy serves on the Paris Agreement Compliance Committee. He is a non-executive director in Mansa Advisory. He serves on various boards,including the Clean City SA board, as an independent non-executive board chairperson. Happy was a commissioner in the inaugural President's Coordinating Commission on Climate Change (PCC). Happy is currently Business Unity South Africa's head of Environment and Energy. He serves in the National Nuclear Regulator board as an ordinary board member.
Dulanga Witharanage serves as the Country Director for EthicalX Climate and Innovation Hub Sri Lanka, while also overseeing the knowledge management components for SLYCAN Trust. With over six years of experience at the intersection of climate change and international development, she has concentrated on private sector development and climate change integration across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in portfolios encompassing agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.
An environmental scientist by profession, Dulanga is currently pursuing a Masters in Climate Change and Environmental Management. Her academic journey, combined with executive education at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of environmental issues and strategic management approaches.
Dulanga's entry into the international development sector was fuelled by her passion for driving meaningful change. At SLYCAN Trust, she focuses on uplifting sustainable, ethical entrepreneurs, leveraging her expertise to inspire and enact positive transformations within communities.
Shehan Liyanage is a legal counsel with experience in commercial and general civil litigation, corporate work, intellectual property work, mediation, regulatory clearances and exchange control matters, commercial frauds, immigration and emigration matters, white collar crimes and general criminal matters. Shehan works as the Senior Manager - Admin & Legal Affairs for SLYCAN Trust, and serves as a company secretary for many companies in Sri Lanka
Climate Impact, Health Equity & Human Rights Accountability Leader with a +15-year success record across strategy and program development, grantmaking and managing multi-million-dollar budgets, multi-stakeholder partnerships and funders collaboration, policy-oriented research and advocacy, capacity-building and people management spanning philanthropy, civil society organizations, and educational settings. Passionate and engaged manager committed to staff development with experience leading global teams, strives to create inclusive cultures for ownership and participation. Impact areas include climate impact and resilience, climate and health nexus, public health, water and food systems, environmental and social determinants of health, and structural change in race and ethnicity.
Before joining the SLYCAN Trust, Marek worked as a Manager with the Climate Justice and Public Health Programs of the Open Society Foundations and as the Head of Research, Advocacy and Human Rights Education Department at the European Roma Rights Centre. He has also conducted research and lectured at universities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, India, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Aberdeen.
Thibyan Ibrahim serves as the Global Climate Policy Fellow in SLYCAN Trust. He is an Assistant Director of the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy of the Republic of the Maldives. In his current role he is involved with climate finance and resource mobilisation, while also overseeing and developing climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. He undertakes climate finance and climate adaptation negotiations in the UNFCCC process as a coordinator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and is a member of the Technology Executive Committee constituted body of the UNFCCC. He has previously worked on the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment in the Maldives.
Thibyan holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Management from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Nicolás Zambrano is a policy fellow at SLYCAN Trust based in Ecuador. He has over a decade of experience on UN climate change negotiations, country policy and action. Nicolás is an Environmental Engineer with twelve years of experience in climate change at local, national and international levels. He is an expert in adaptation, climate risk assessments in various sectors, and climate and oceanic projections. As part of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador, he coordinated Ecuador’s Nationally Determined Contribution and Implementation Plan and the National Adaptation Plan. He has contributed to the UNFCCC negotiations on the operationalisation of the Paris Agreement as Ecuador’s lead negotiator and coordinator on adaptation and loss and damage for a negotiating group of developing countries. He was appointed Ecuador’s focal point for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), contributing along the Sixth Assessment Cycle. He completed his undergraduate studies at the International University SEK and holds a Master of Philosophy in Holocene Climates from the University of Cambridge.
Aishath Reesha Suhail is a country fellow for 2023 under the Global Climate Fellowship Programme of SLYCAN Trust. She is a Programme Officer at the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology of Maldives. Reesha completed her Bachelor of Arts at Monash University Malaysia, and has a background in International Relations and Social Sciences. Prior to joining the Climate Change Department, Reesha worked with the Water and Sanitation Department of the Ministry as an International Relations Officer. At present, she works with bilateral and multilateral donors and funding agencies on resource mobilisation and capacity building for climate action in Maldives
Joseph Epitu is the Commissioner Water and Environment Sector Liaison in the Ministry for Water and Environment, responsible for overall Development Partner Programme Coordination, Programme monitoring & Reporting, Project Development & Mobilization of Financing, as well as Implementation of cross cutting issues. Joseph has been active in the Water and Environment sector for the last 30 years, largely involved in capacity building and institutional strengthening of sector agencies at various levels, including CSOs, academia as well as regional/local government levels. Since 2012, Joseph has been participating at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC and other related climate negotiations as a delegate representing Uganda in the Capacity Building negotiation stream. Joseph is the National Focal Point Officer/Fellow for the current cooperative agreement between the Ministry of Water and Environment and SLYCAN Trust for implementation of activities related to climate change, sustainable development, resilience-building, risk management, stakeholder engagement, youth, and economic empowerment in Uganda.
Osman is a Principal Programme Officer with the Environmental Protection Agency in Ghana. He is an Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change professional with over 14 years working experience in environmental assessment and auditing, compliance enforcement of environmental regulations, urban planning and climate-resilient development, climate change mitigation and adaptation training and advocacy, sustainable land use management, and research and reporting.
Osman holds an MSc. in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from the University of Ghana and a BSc. in Environmental Science from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He has also completed an MPhil programme in Natural Resources and Environmental Governance from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana and awaiting graduation. Osman has also completed a six-month postgraduate fellowship programme in Land Restoration and Sustainable Land Management at the United Nations University in Iceland, and a 3-week fellowship programme in Green Growth: Policy and Economic Measures as Tools for Local and Regional Sustainable Development at Weitz Center for Sustainable Development in Israel. He is also a winner of the 2021 Strong Earth Awards by SUNx Malta and Earth Charter International.
Gabriel is an engineer in planning, environment and urban management. He has ten years’ professional experience in climate change adaptation, mitigation, climate finance and environmental and social safeguards. Gabriel was previously Programme Officer on climate change adaptation and climate finance at the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, where he was responsible for coordinating the adaptation component of Senegal’s Nationally Determined Contribution. He also monitored the implementation of many adaptation projects financed by the Global Environment Facility. Between 2020 and 2023, he coordinated Senegal’s national adaptation plan for the agriculture, health, road infrastructure and flood disaster risk management sectors. He is a member of the LDC roster of experts in national adaptation plans. He has been a negotiator on climate change adaptation issues since 2014 for the Government of Senegal.
Gabriel S.J. Mara is a SLYCAN Trust Fellow. With extensive experience in community and local engagement; Environmental management and science; Climate change and Sustainable development - including Gender-based, Climate mobility, Fisheries and aquaculture, Socio-economic, vulnerability and risk assessments, and Knowledge management. As Climate Adaptation Officer under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Fiji, he provides advice on national policies and guidance on climate-induced mobility; adaptation and conservation interventions including adaptation strategies integrated with Nature-based solutions; and Loss and Damage.
With experience in regional coordination; environmental and vulnerability assessments; and marine protected areas and resource management for communities, grassroots and international non-governmental organisations, national governments, academic institutions and multilateral entities, such as in previous functions at the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO) in Fiji supporting national priorities and harmonising UN programming across 10 countries.
In his National capacity, he undertakes climate negotiations for Adaptation items in the UNFCCC process and currently serves as the G77 and China Coordinator facilitating the Agenda item related to National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
Azan is an Environment Analyst at the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology of Maldives. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Marine and Antarctic Science at University of Tasmania Australia, and has a background in Marine and Antarctic ecosystems. Prior to joining the Climate Change Department, Azan worked with the Maldives Marine Research Institute and Crossroads Maldives in various projects related to coral reef monitoring and rehabilitation. At present, he is working on adaptation and resilience work such as development of the National Adaptation Plan in Maldives and other advocacy work related to adaptation.
Engineer Annette Kezia Nantongo is a Senior Water Officer at the Directorate of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Water and Environment where her responsibilities include coordination of climate change resilience and adaptation projects as well as development and implementation of Catchment Management Plans which are aimed at strengthening the resilience of ecosystems, agricultural landscapes and communities to the effects of climate change. Annette has 17 years of experience and worked with Makerere University in the first 5 years of her career as a project Engineer and teaching assistant before joining the Ministry of Water and Environment, where she has been working for the last 12 years. She is registered with the Engineers Registration Board and is a member of the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers in Uganda. Annette has a Master’s in Municipal Water and Infrastructure with specialization in Sanitary Engineering from UNESCO IHE Delft, a post-graduate diploma in Hydraulic Engineering in river basins from Hydraulic Research Institute in Egypt and a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from Makerere University in Uganda.
Born in 1972 in Tarwada/Keita in the region of Tahoua, Charha took his degree under the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Abdou Moumouni de Niamey as Ingénieur des Techniques Agricoles (Option: Water and Forests) in 2002, and a Masters in Agricultural Sciences majoring in Agroecology (option in Integrated Soil and Water Management) in 2018. As an engineer in water and forestry, Charha has held a number of posts within the Ministry of Environment, including:
Dr. Thusitha Sugathapala works as a senior technical expert on climate change and sustainable development at SLYCAN Trust. He is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering of the University of Moratuwa; and a Chartered Engineer, and served as the Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UoM, the Director General of Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, founding Director of Enterprise, the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and University-Business Linkages of UoM and President of Clean Air Sri Lanka. Dr. Sugathapala’s key research areas of interest cover energy, transport, environment, and sustainable development, with over 25 years of active engagement. He has served several national level committees; conducted national and regional level research programmes; and been involved with development of policies and regulations. He has also worked as a consultant for several national and international programmes under multilateral development agencies such as World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), United Nation Development Programme (UNEP), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Magdalena Mirwald serves as Programme Manager for Climate Resilience and Risk Management at SLYCAN Trust. She is an expert on disaster risk management and finance, and climate policy. Magdalena has extensive experience in project management and multi-stakeholder engagement, ranging from civil society collaboration to national governments and international organizations and processes. She has conducted policy-oriented research, capacity building, and advocacy on human mobility, national adaptation policies, loss and damage, and climate risk insurance.
Before joining SLYCAN Trust, Magdalena was a Project Manager for Disaster Risk Finance and Climate Policy at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII). She has gained experience as a consultant and at national and subnational ministries, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations, focusing on sustainable development and its link to climate change. Magdalena holds a Master’s in Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security from the University of Bonn and UNU-EHS and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from LMU University of Munich.
Anura Sathurusinghe is an expert on forestry and biodiversity. He has held many high-ranking positions within the Forest Department, most recently as its Chief Executive, the Conservator General of Forests, from 2013 to 2019. He has been Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Department Research and Education Division from 2003 to 2014, Deputy Conservator of Forests from 1993 to 2003, and Assistant Conservator of Forests from 1982 to 1993. Furthermore, he has been Chair of the Asia Pacific Forestry Commission, National Programme Director for Sri Lanka's UN-REDD Programme, and member of several advisory committees and expert panels. In addition to his work at SLYCAN Trust, he is currently also the Project Director for the World Bank's Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project in Sri Lanka, Consultant and Technical Advisor to UNDP in Sri Lanka, and Project Appraiser for the Asia Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management. He has published numerous works on forestry, is head of the Editorial Board of the Sri Lanka Forester, and a board member of several institutes at the University of Peradeniya.
Thamali Liyana Arachchi, is a chemical engineer graduated from University of Moratuwa. and currently serving as a Junior Manager - Programme at SLYCAN Trust,working on projects related to ethical, sustainable & climate-friendly entrepreneurship, and multi-actor partnerships on climate and disaster risk finance and insurance.
Her work experience covers environmental sustainability, chemical management, energy management, youth engagement, heath and safety well-being, and project implementation.
She holds a Masters degree in Entrepreneurship and conducted her research work on "The impact of recent economic and social crisis in Sri Lanka on the development of social enterprises of the country."
Sadya Ndoko is a Consultant who collaborates with SLYCAN Trust on their work on climate adaptation. With nearly 15 years of experience in this field, she has provided support to climate adaptation negotiations and assisted governments in the Global South with their adaptation planning and implementation endeavours, with a particular focus on the national adaptation plan (NAP) process. Sadya´s career has spanned roles at the United Nations Development Programme and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Prior to her involvement in adaptation work, Sadya managed extensive urban rehabilitation programme in underserved communities in Guadeloupe, Caribbean. Her academic background includes an Msc in Cities Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a master’s degree in Political Science from the Université des Antilles and a Beng in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University College.
Esther Mireku works as a Programme and Research Associate for SLYCAN Trust while holding the position Assistant Program Officer working with the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana, an environmentalist and a young climate change negotiator. A strong believer in environmental sustainability and proud to contribute toward its achievement, she has personally found benefit in regularly engaging in environmental education, including climate change advocacy, environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement, and environmental impact assessment administration. Esther holds Master in Energy and Sustainable Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology along with a Bachelor of Art in Integrated Development Studies with a specialization in Environment and Natural Resource Management from the University of Development Studies.
Iroshan Kulatunga, serving as the Technology Consultant at SLYCAN Trust, is a distinguished strategist with an extensive background in Full Stack Marketing, Information Technology, and Digital Transformation. As a proud holder of an MBA from London Metropolitan University and a qualified member of the British Computer Society, Iroshan skillfully bridges the gap between technology and business. His mastery over a diverse technology stack, combined with his expertise in Brand Strategy, empowers him to orchestrate impactful initiatives that resonate with organizational objectives.
Iroshan’s professional journey includes spearheading advertising campaigns and strategic initiatives for leading Blue Chip Brands in Sri Lanka. Presently, he holds the dual roles of CEO / Brand Strategist and Full Stack Marketer at Coexin Brandcom, and serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for 360 Restaurants and Resorts. His consulting work for a broad spectrum of companies in the realm of digital transformation further underscores his adaptability and unwavering commitment to harnessing technology for strategic advancement.
Iroshan’s expertise stands as a testament to his dedication to leveraging technology for strategic advancement.
Thilini works as a Research and Programme Officer at SLYCAN Trust, and works on thematic areas of climate change, mangroves, and agricultural insurance. Her areas of interest include coastal ecosystems and climate change. Thilini has a BSc in Fisheries and Marine Sciences from the Ocean University of Sri Lanka. She has a diploma in Information Technology and E-Commerce from the Esoft Metro Campus. She also completed an internship in the Marine Biological Resources Division at the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA). Her experience in fisheries, coastal sciences, ocean sciences, and seafood technology led her to publish her first research paper at the Ocean University of Sri Lanka.
Bonolo is a recent graduate in International Relations from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Science in Germany. She has extensive work experience in public policy, campaigning, and community engagement in politics in Botswana under the national opposition party Alliance for Progressives, including professional work experience in Germany and South Korea. For her Bachelor's thesis, Bonolo explored the potential of redefining international development in the context of emerging Global South economies, considering the cost of industrialisation to the natural environment and the disproportionate impact of climate change in the Global South. Bonolo aims to continue her work in bridging the gap between decision-makers and civil society under SLYCAN Trust through the climate research and program support role.
Mayantha Madurasinghe works as the Assistant Manager, Programme and Finance at SLYCAN Trust. He is involved in thematic areas such as food systems, human mobility, loss and damage and youth. Mayantha has represented SLYCAN Trust in various forums, including the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC in Egypt and UAE, and the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2023. He holds a BSc (hons) in Biotechnology from Nilai University Malaysia, and his extensive experience in the environmental field has led him to publish several research publications at various symposia.
Cristóbal is a Nicaraguan professional with 4 years of experience, now serving as an intern at SLYCAN Trust.
He has experience as a consultant, researcher, thesis tutor, university professor (in topics related to hydrology, basics of environmental analysis and sustainable development), and project officer supporting the implementation of a disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation project in Nicaragua.
His educational background includes a Master's in Natural Resources Management and Development from the University of Cologne in Germany, a Master's in Environmental Sciences from San Luis Potosí University in Mexico, postgraduate studies in Assessment and Management of Geological and Climate related Risks (CERG-C) from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, and a Bachelor's in Environmental Engineering from Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua.
Shifaz Ameer is a finance and administration professional who serves as a Programme and Communications Coordinator for SLYCAN Trust. Shifaz possesses a CIMA part-qualification and is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Sunderland. Before taking on this role, Shifaz held a managerial position at a Cambridge English Assessments accredited exam preparation centre for over 5 years.
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