Development Management

Dr. Fernando Aragón-Durand

Heriberto Frías *** * Mexico City, 03020 * 52-55-563***** * **********@*****.**.**

CONSULTANT ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND POLICY

PROFILE

More than 15 years as a knowledgeable and effective consultant on disasters, risk reduction,

climate change adaptation and public policies in particular for national and state goverments in

Mexico and Central America.

Well-organized; able to generate results to achive organizacional objectives within time frame

and budgetary expectations.

A skilled communicator; able to maintain cultural sensitivity, establish rapport with members of

diverse groups and promote team working and cohesiveness.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2000-pres. Consultant on disaster policies, risk and vulnerability analysis and climate change

adaptation in Mexico and Honduras.

MARIO MOLINA CENTER-MEXICO, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY-MEXICO, EL COLEGIO DE

MÉXICO, MEXICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES,

NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF HONDURAS, UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

1994-2000 Academic Director of the Sustainable Development and Environment Program

IBEROAMERICAN UNIVERSITY, PUEBLA, MEXICO.

1994 Environmental analyst for regional and urban planning

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, MEXICO

1989-pres. Lecturer on environmental management, urban sustainable development and regional

political ecology, risk and disasters management in several universities and academic

institutions in Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Honduras at undergraduate and graduate

level.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Research, consulting and advisory

Developed frameworks to analyze vulnerability to climate change and propose

adaptation strategies within the 5th National Communication of Mexico to the United

Nations Convention on Climate Change and the National Adaptation Strategy.

Coordinated a team to carry out disaster risk and vulnerability analysis that are part of a

National Regional Strategy for Promoting Low-Carbon Development in Mexico. This

study was done to the Mario Molina Centre and funded by the National Council of

Science and Technology of Mexico.

Designed and proposed a set of strategies to improve the participation of the insurance

sector in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Mexico.

Designed a framework and a methodology to develop a risk base line for micro and

small enterprises so the Mexican National Development Bank NAFIN could be better

equipped to assess financial feasibility of its products and services.

Training and Development

Conducted seminars and workshops to mainstream disaster risk and climate change

adaptation into development planning and policies in Mexico and Honduras for key

actors and institutions.

Performed as a resource person for two international seminars for Lead Network

(www.lead.org) in Guadalajara and Mexico City; facilitator of various workshops and

fieldwork for these seminars. Interpreter from Spanish into English for 100 international

lead associates.

Founder and Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Program on Sustainable Development

and Environment oriented to promote environmental education and research as central

activities in the University, including outreach activities with local urban communities

Designed and implemented courses and workshops on environment and sustainable

development at undergraduate and graduate level for hundreds of students

Iberoamerican University in Puebla, National Autonomous University of Mexico and for

local people.

Facilitated meetings with academic staff to provide update in analytical and

methodological tools for mainstreaming environment into courses and research projects

at the Iberoamerican University.

Policy reports, research papers and communication

Drafting policy reports that contain key findings for improving linkages between

disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Producing scientific papers on climate change adaptation and disasters prevention in

international and national peer-reviewed papers and books.

Enhancing knowledge sharing and communication amongst several stakeholders.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Planning Studies, Development Planning Unit, University College London

M.Sc. Urban Development at El Colegio de México

B.Sc. Biology/ Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico

Diploma on Leadership for Environment and Sustainable Development/Rockefeller

Foundation-El Colegio de Mexico

Diploma on Environmental Quality Management

Diploma on Ecology, Population and Development.

LANGUAGES

Spanish: native, English: excellent; Portuguese: Excellent; French: fluent.

SKILLS

Qualitative research: discourse analysis, narrative, interviews, focus groups discussions,

vulnerability assessment, In Vivo software

Project evaluation

Policy analysis

Scientific writing and policy reporting in Spanish, Portuguese and English

Grant and project writing

Networking and team working

Cross-cultural communication.

REFERENCES

Available upon request

Contact this candidate