This year, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the SPREP Treaty, which brought about the establishment of the organisation as a separate, autonomous body, tasked with the protection and conservation of the Pacific environment.
The organisation has seen countless technical experts and passionate environmentalists come through its doors during the past 30 years, from the Pacific region and also from around the world, who have contributed through sharing their knowledge and expertise to the building of a resilient Pacific environment in the face of the countless challenges it faces today.
One of these people is Ms. Diane McFadzien from the Cook Islands. Diane is currently the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Regional Manager for Asia Pacific, based in Songdo, Korea. In particular, Diane manages the GCF’s relationships with both governments and entities, predominantly those based in the Pacific, South East Asia and the Maldives.
Diane has worked in the environment space for more than 15 years and is an internationally recognised expert in climate change and resilience. She was with SPREP from 2010-2016 and shares with us about her time at the Secretariat in this Q&A:
Q: What is the name of your organisation? What is your position and where are you based now?
A: My current position is the Regional Manager for Asia Pacific, with the Green Climate Fund, based in Songdo, Korea.
In particular, I am managing GCF’s relationship with both governments and entities, predominantly based in the Pacific, South East Asia and the Maldives.
Q: When did you work with SPREP? And what position/s did you hold?
A: I joined SPREP in late 2010, starting as the Adaptation Officer but then promoted to the Adaption Adviser position.
I was with SPREP for two contractual terms, six years total, leaving in Nov of 2016.
Q: Having worked with SPREP, what is a key work activity or outcome you are most proud of?
A: I was extremely fortunate to have a VERY diverse role while I was at SPREP, along with a very supportive Director (the late Dr Netatua Pelesikoti) who allowed me a lot of autonomy and room for growth. She often pushed me to work in areas that I was less familiar with, for example into areas related to gender or disaster risk management. In terms of a key activity, I thoroughly enjoyed the work that we undertook to empower Pacific voices in the international climate change arena – working with Climate Analytics to establish the High-Level Support Mechanism, and the collaboration under the One Crop umbrella that started in the lead up to Paris, and has only grown from there.
Q: What is your favourite memory of SPREP?
A: I absolutely loved the team spirit – how when you had a big event on, the entire Division and other parts of SPREP rallied, to make it happen. I also loved the social atmosphere – the bar nights, the family activities, and being able to eat BBQ ribs (thanks to Espen!) with colleagues in the weekends.
Q: What advice would you give to young people interested in working to protect our environment?
A: Just do it, be open to any opportunities, build up a diversity of experiences, and get as much ground experience as you can with a wide range of stakeholders – ie community level, civil society and of course also governments. There is no one straight career path to do this, so find a space in this very vast area that you are passionate about.
Q: As SPREP celebrates its 30-year anniversary would you have any words of encouragement, or any messages for SPREP and her Members?
A: Just a big thank you, not only to the immediate SPREP family but the WIDER family of SPREP, ie its Member governments and partners, as although I’ve since left SPREP, I still very much feel like a valued part of this wider community and that is an absolute privilege!