Jorge Rogat, Ph.D.
Member of the Board – Executive Director
Jorge is a dedicated sustainability professional with a vast experience in the areas of sustainable transport, technology assessment and technology transfer. Between 2010 and 2017, he was the global project manager of the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) project implemented in approximately 60 countries in Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2000 and 2010 he was responsible for the sustainable transport programme at the UNEP Risoe Centre, Denmark. During the last years he worked at UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC), mainly on the implementation of energy efficiency projects in Latin America. Jorge has published several papers and edited a few books and guidebooks on energy efficiency, technology assessment and sustainable transport.
Mauricio Zaballa Romero, Ph.D.
Member of the Board – Deputy Executive Director
Mauricio has a proven track record in climate change and sustainable development across Latin America, Central Asia and East Europe. His experience ranges from the formulation of climate change policies and low carbon development strategies, GHG emission inventories, NAMAs, mitigation portfolio assessment for climate finance, carbon markets and emission trading schemes, technology transfer, REDD+ proposals, to the formulation and implementation of NDCs. In addition, Mauricio played a key role in developing MRV systems, and monitoring and reporting systems for the Biennial Transparency Reports under the Enhanced Transparency Framework. Finally, he has formulated financial proposals and written project proposals on climate change for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), GEF, NAMA Facility and the Adaptation Fund. In addition, Mauricio played a key role in developing MRV systems, and monitoring and reporting systems for the Biennial Transparency Reports under the Enhanced Transparency Framework.
Klas Sandström, Ph.D.
Member of the Board
Klas has had a long career in the international water sector. With a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies of land and water management conditions in Tanzania, he became a senior consultant specializing in integrated water resources management. His work experience includes water demand management, urban services, basin development, transboundary water issues, and policy development across Southern and East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Throughout his career, he has prioritized capacity building-designing and managing training programs, lecturing, and supporting university development. Since 2018, Klas serves as a senior advisor to Somalia’s Ministry of Water as a World Bank consultant. He believes sustainable development thrives best when national professionals are engaged, learning by doing, and driving progress.
Xianli (Lisa) Zhu, Ph.D.
Member of the Board
Xianli is an economist with more than 20 years of international experience in climate policy, carbon markets, energy efficiency, ESG, and sustainable development. She has advised governments, international organizations, and the private sector on policy design, MRV systems for enhanced transparency under the ICAT project, and capacity building across Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and Europe. Her expertise covers Article 6 carbon markets under the Paris Agreement, the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), sustainability and supply chain analysis, as well as climate finance and green transition strategies. Most recently, she worked at the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre on energy efficiency and carbon market initiatives and served as an expert evaluator for EU Horizon 2020 proposals. Xianli has published extensively on climate policy, ESG, and sustainable finance, reflecting her commitment to advancing low-carbon and climate-resilient pathways worldwide.