Dr Joice Ferreira
Joice is a Brazilian Ecologist with ten years of research experience in the Eastern Amazon at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA). Her work focuses on addressing socioecological issues related to agricultural expansion and management in the Amazon. She is currently researching the relationship between land-use, agricultural practices, ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and the well-being of rural communities. Additionally, Joice is affiliated with postgraduate courses in Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the Federal University of Pará.
Valerie is the Head of the Climate Change and Biodiversity Programme at UNEP-WCMC, focusing on the interplay between climate change, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Her work includes managing the programme’s team and collaborating with governments and stakeholders to develop impactful projects. With a PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology, Valerie has conducted extensive research in the Caribbean and Latin America on forest ecosystems. Recently, she has worked on promoting ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change and ensuring biodiversity considerations in land-use planning, including REDD+ initiatives.
Cristina contributes to a portfolio of projects that investigate the interconnection between climate change mitigation/adaptation and biodiversity conservation. In these projects, Cristina supports assessments that aim to evaluate the benefits that restoration actions can bring to biodiversity, or estimate the potential reduction in carbon emissions from achieving biodiversity conservation targets.