Josh’s SSN portfolio covers human resources, staff wellbeing and knowledge management, in addition to providing oversight for the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA), the Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA), and African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) programmes. He has extensive experience as a knowledge management and communications specialist, media researcher and a journalism educator. Josh has worked for a range of international non-governmental organisations in the fields of sustainable development, gender, and environmental and social justice. Between 2010 and 2016, he taught an MPhil module in Media, Democracy and Development at the University of Stellenbosch Journalism department and serves on the editorial board of the Global Media Journal – Africa. A Kenyan national, Josh holds a BA (Hons) in Political Science and French, and a Masters degree in Communication and Development Studies.

Zaheer Fakir is an Associate of the SSN NPC. He has more than 27 years of experience in the world of international politics, trade, finance and development issues. He currently serves as the Chief Policy Adviser on International Governance and Resource Mobilization within the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa. This portfolio includes bilateral relations and multilateral environmental agreements, international conventions, donor coordination, resource mobilization and management, liaising with foreign governments, the African Ministerial Conference of Environment, African Union, G20, World Bank, UN and other international organizations. Zaheer serves as the South African Operational Focal point for the Global Environment Facility, a Board member the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds as well as a founding member and former Co-Chair and Board member of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Zaheer has served as GCF Co-Chair twice (2013 – 2014 & 2016 – 2017) and as a GCF Board member from 2013 to 2018.
Zaheer has been at the forefront of negotiations on a number of major multilateral outcomes most notably the Governing Instrument of the GCF and its operationalization, the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 and the Katowice Climate Change Conference. Prior to joining the Department of Environmental Affairs, Zaheer worked for the Department of Trade and Industry in the field of international trade and investment.

Yacob is an Associate of the SSN NPC. He is a Professor of Energy and Development Policy at the University College London; and held an academic post at the Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, UK. He is a founding member of the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he worked as Senior Climate & Energy Specialist (2010-2013).
He has 25 years of research, teaching and advisory experience specialising on the links between energy infrastructure provision and human welfare. His research is focused on three interconnected areas: energy systems and development; energy systems and climate change; and political economy of low carbon development. He served as a Coordinating Lead Author of the Energy Systems chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5^th Assessment Report (Working Group III on Mitigation), lead author in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5^oC, and currently lead author in the IPCC 6^th Assessment Report.  He recently led the chapter on Energy Transitions in UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report (2019).  Yacob Mulugetta is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS).

Ronald is an Associate of the SSN NPC. He is a professional focusing on sustainability management and mainstreaming sustainable development in the public sector. Ron has worked on multiple innovative cutting edge programmatic interventions related to mainstreaming climate compatible development (CCD), climate change into development planning in sub-Saharan Africa, climate resilient infrastructure, energy and water infrastructure (incl. food-energy-water nexus), promoting applied research and dialogue between policy and science stakeholders, long-term adaptation planning, climate finance and decision-making. He also works on projects relating to resource efficiency and optimisation, sustainable public procurement, green jobs, green and inclusive economy. He holds a Masters in Sustainable Development, Planning and Management from the University of Stellenbosch and various IAC business management related qualifications.