Risa SMITH

Dr. Risa Smith is an ecologist and current Co-Chair of Protected Areas Climate Change Specialist Group, World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (WCPA). Some of her recent activities for WCPA include; leading a Technical Report titled "Enhancing Climate Change Mitigation in Protected Areas", which will be released at WCC 2025; representing WCPA on IUCN’s Nature-Based Solutions Expert Group;  preparing briefings and positions on Protected Areas and Climate Change; participating in an Horizon Scan of emerging issues in protected areas management; leading the protected areas stream for the Summit on Nature-Based Climate Solutions in Canada; and publishing a report on Enhancing Canada’s Climate Change Ambitions with Natural Climate Solutions, including a related story map. Her most recent publications focus on the importance of tackling the biodiversity loss and climate change crises together, and understanding the role of protected and conserved areas in climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction.