Speakers

Kate is a Reader in Development Geography at King’s College London and the Director of the UK-funded Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme. ESPA is a global interdisciplinary research programme that aims to give decision-makers and natural resource users the evidence they need to address the challenges of sustainable ecosystem management and poverty reduction.

With an academic background in botany, forestry and geography, Kate is an interdisciplinary researcher with a special interest in natural resource governance. Her research focuses on the institutional arrangements that deliver equitable and just development and support rural people to improve the livelihoods they obtain from managing their natural resources individually and collectively.

Kate has over 25 years of experience of research and policy engagement in the developing world, including extensive fieldwork in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In addition to her academic experience, she has previously worked for the Overseas Development Institute, for GIZ, for UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme and as an independent consultant.