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Our Planet in Permanent Change: Do I Have a Role to Play?

Yolanda Kakabadse photo
Thursday, October 18, 2018
5:00 pm
Yolanda Kakabadse

Yolanda Kakabadse Navarro is an Ecuadorian conservationist of Georgian descent. Yolanda Kakabadse was president of the World Wildlife Fund (2010-2017) and Ecuador's former minister of the environment. Kakabadse's work with the environmental conservation movement began in 1979, when she was appointed Executive Director of Fundación Natura in Quito. During her tenure, Kakabadse helped Fundación Natura become one of Latin America's most important environmental organizations. In 1993, Kakabadse created Fundacion Futuro Latinoamericano, an organization dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of Latin America through conflict prevention and management. She served as the foundation's executive president until 2006 and remains as Chair of the Advisory Board. From 1990 until 1992, Kakabadse coordinated the participation of civil society organizations for the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in Geneva. From 1996 to 2004, Kakabadse was president of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and a member of the board of the World Resources Institute (WRI). In August 1998, Kakabadse was appointed Ecuador's minister of environment, a position she held until January 2000. Kakabadse is also a trustee of the Ford Foundation and a board member of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction since 2004. Kakabadse is an Earth Charter International Commission member.