Chukwumerije Okereke
Chukwumerije Okereke is Professor of Global Climate Governance and Public Policy at the School of Policy Studies at the University of Bristol, UK and also CO-Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike. He is a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Senior Academic Visitor at the University of Oxford, UK. Professor Okereke started out as Chemist with a BSc in Industrial Chemistry from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). But he is now a globally recognized leading scholar on global climate governance and international development with expertise in climate justice, national green growth transition in Africa, climate adaptation and business climate strategies. Professor Okereke was previously Professor in Environment and Development at the School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, UK where he also served as Co-Director of the Center for Climate and Justice and Co-Director of the Reading University Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarship Programme. He was also previously Director of the Center for Climate Change and Development at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford.
Background
Over the last 20 years, Professor Okereke has maintained an extensive high-impact engagement with national governments, businesses, and NGOs in Africa and led on several high-profile international projects on climate change policy, mainstreaming, and green economy transition in Africa including the UNDP funded Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) commissioned by the Committee of African Heads of State on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), the Analysis of the Adaptation Components in Africa’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) commissioned by the African Development Bank and the Rwandan Green Growth and Climate Resilience Project, which was the first-ever national low-carbon plan in Africa.
Prof Okereke was the technical leader of the Committee Convened by the Hon Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamiala to review the Climate Change Bill. The Committee was headed by Hon Sam Onuigbo, the Sponsor of the Climate Change Bill. Professor Okereke, during the review, introduced several innovative aspects of the Climate Change Act such the carbon budget and DG position of the national council on climate change. Professor Okereke has provided leadership on several other national climate change research and policy including the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, Nigeria’s Long Term Vision, and Which Way Nigeria, Citizens Scenario 2060.
Professor Okereke is the Coordinating Lead Author of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. He has served as Lead Author on other major global scientific assessment projects including the IPCC Special Report on 1.5degree global warming and the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC; the United Nations Environment Programme’s Urbanization, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services Assessment. Professor Okereke is a member of the Steering Committee of the Earths Systems Governance Project and a leading member of the Global Earth Commission’s Safe and Just Transformation Working Group. Professor Okereke is a member of the editorial board of several highly reputed journals in the field including, Global Environmental Politics, Business and Sustainable Development, Earth Systems Governance,and International Studies Review.
Professor Okereke has published widely in the field, given a countless number of keynote speeches, and been interviewed by leading media houses in the world including BBC News, BBC World Services, France24, China Global Television Network, Channels TV, AriseTV, New York Times, and several others.