Sustainable Solutions presents "Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Governance"

Join moderator Rachel Isaacs, program coordinator for the MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy and MS in Geographical Information Systems programs, for a timely conversation on climate governance, Indigenous knowledge, and the future of global implementation. As guest speaker, Ian Parker, a lecturer in the MS in Energy Policy and Climate program and a career U.S. Foreign Service officer, will explore how Indigenous stewardship and lived ecological knowledge intersect with international climate policy at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Drawing on ethnographic research in Indonesia and firsthand diplomatic experience, Parker will examine how authority, equity, and decision-making shape which solutions become actionable – and why meaningful climate progress requires more than technology or funding, but a redistribution of power. Ian Parker is a lecturer in Johns Hopkins University’s MS in Energy Policy and Climate program and a career U.S. Foreign Service officer serving as a Climate Policy Advisor in the Department of State. He leads multilateral climate negotiations supporting Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has held diplomatic and development roles across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Trained as an anthropologist, his research focuses on human-environment relations, climate governance, and environmental diplomacy. He holds a PhD and MA in Anthropology from UC San Diego, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in Anthropology from Reed College. Sustainable Solutions Series Overview The Sustainable Solutions Speaker Series is presented by the MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy and the MS in Energy Policy and Climate programs at Johns Hopkins University. Each talk features scholars and practitioners working to tackle ‘wicked’ environmental, energy, and climate problems. Speakers take us through how they leverage technology, policy, the private sector, markets, research, and field work to form innovative and lasting solutions. From water insecurity to climate adaptation, natural resource conflict to energy transitions, and food insecurity to sustainable agriculture, this series features the depth and breadth of Johns Hopkins University faculty and our greater community as we work toward a sustainable future.