Defra’s Darwin Expert Committee Seeks Eight New Members

07 June 2012

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is seeking applications for EIGHT new members to join its Darwin Expert Committee (DEC).

Defra is a government department in the UK that works to deliver policies in areas such as, among others, the natural environment, biodiversity, plants, sustainable development and the green economy.

The Darwin Initiative assists countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to meet their objectives by funding collaborative projects which draw on UK biodiversity expertise.

The Darwin Advisory Committee (currently chaired by Professor David MacDonald), consisting of experts from government, academic, science and the private sector, advises Ministers on development of the Initiative and makes recommendations on applications for funding.

Defra are particularly seeking individuals who have good knowledge of the links between biodiversity and development and knowledge of or experience in projects delivering both biodiversity, livelihood and economic benefits.

This expertise should also ideally be supplemented by knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas:

1. Implementation of biodiversity commitments in key MEAs (CBD, CITES and CMS)
2. Environmental Law
3. Business & economics
4. Ecosystem-approach and ecosystem services expertise;
5. Biodiversity-related scientific or academic research;
6. New carbon markets (REDD and PES);
7. Biodiversity issues in the UK’s Overseas Territories

Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds will be considered including private sector, academic and professional institutions and non-governmental organisations.

For more information and an application pack please see Defra’s public appointments webpage.

The deadline for applications is noon on Friday 22 June 2012 and appointments will commence on 20 August 2012.