Speaker

Dr. James R. Smith

Dr James R. Smith is Director of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) where he works with companies to integrate natural climate solutions into net zero strategies, and increase investment in NCS for climate mitigation and adaptation. James also leads work programs within the Natural Climate Solutions Alliance, a multistakeholder coalition of >45 organisations sharing a vision to enable NCS to contribute their full potential towards the Paris climate goals, as well as help solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges. Prior to joining WBCSD James worked in impact investment, investing in NCS projects generating carbon credits for sale on international carbon markets. This built upon experience developing REDD+/avoided deforestation and sustainable agricultures projects in the NGO sector. From these experiences James has developed a deep technical understanding of Nature-based Solutions and voluntary carbon markets, complemented by a PhD in tropical forest ecology and conservation from the ETH Zürich.