Ambika Chawla

Programme Management Officer, UN-Habitat (Secretary)

Climate change policy researcher and writer. My area of specialization is climate change and urban areas. In specific, I look at how urbanization and climate change challenges are interlinked.


Climate change has direct effects on the physical infrastructure, industries, and services of a city. More importantly, climate change can jeopardize the livelihoods and physical and social health of urban communities. I am particularly interested in strategies and approaches to build urban resilience to climate change.


In addition, I possess knowledge of green growth principles and approaches. My research aims to link key green growth principles and approaches to solve pressing socio-economic and environmental problems in cities. I possess broad knowledge of the key urbanization challenges in Vietnam.


In addition to my expertise on cities and climate change, I have written on a myriad of topics related to climate change. My policy reports, as lead author or co-author, have been published by the Panos Institute (UK), the World Wildlife Fund, the One Earth Future Foundation, the Global Green Growth Institute, and UN-Habitat.


I am the project coordinator for the book "State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World" published by the Worldwatch Institute. The book is an important reference guide on climate change and has been published in 25 languages around the world.


I have been invited to present my policy reports at the UN Climate Conferences in Copenhagen (2009) and the Resilient Cities Congress in Bonn, Germany (2010). I recently led a session on Public Private Partnerships for Building Resilience to Climate Change at the World Habitat Summit on Towns, organized by UN-Habitat and the Urban Economy Forum.


My educational background is in environmental law, with a specialization in climate change law and policy.


As a journalist, I have been published by Ensia, Yes! magazine, Canadian Global Affairs Institute, Green Biz, Daily Climate, Global Diaspora News, Environmental Health News, among other media.


I am the founder of Urban Climate Innovations, a woman-owned think tank which works to design transformative solutions to address our most pressing urbanization and climate challenges. You can learn more about Urban Climate Innovations here: www.urbanclimateinnovations.org

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