CHRIS DODWELL
Chris is Practice Director of the Climate Change & Sustainability team at Ricardo Energy & Environment, leading a team of experts which advise governments and businesses on solutions to the world’s most challenging environmental problems. In the run up to the historic climate negotiations in Paris in 2015, Chris led work to support more than 15 countries with combined population of more than 500 million in preparing the climate pledges submitted at COP21. He is currently leading ground-breaking work to support developing countries to implement the Paris Agreement. Previously, as International Business Development Director, Chris was responsible for leading Ricardo’s rapid growth outside Europe over the last 5 years with projects in more than 40 countries covering air quality, climate, energy, and sustainable transport, water and waste management.
Chris has over twenty years’ experience working in environmental policy and regulation. Prior to joining Ricardo, Chris worked on environmental issues at the heart of the UK Government for over 10 years, leading the UK Delegation to the UN climate negotiations, working as head of international policy at the Department of Energy & Climate Change and acting as senior legal advisor in the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Chris trained as a lawyer at the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer including working in their Viet Nam office. He studied at Cambridge University and has a Masters degree in International Environmental Law from University College, London.
Chris has an extensive global network of senior contacts in UK and overseas governments, international donors and philanthropic funds, think-tanks, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. He is a board member of the Climate Markets & Investors Association.