Felisa Falcon, JD, MA

PROFESSIONAL BIO

Felisa Falcon is a multidisciplinary professional with a solid background in climate governance, sustainability, and climate finance — especially the Paris Alignment. She also performs Environmental & Social Risks and Impact Assessments of diverse sectors, i.e. various Financial Intermediaries (FIs), defining their compliance against benchmarking standards and due diligence best practices, i.e. EU taxonomy, TCFD and TNFD. She possesses a deep knowledge of the topics of the International Climate Policy Agenda, specifically the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, the Paris Agreement within the UNFCCC NDCs (the core of the PA and the achievement of its long-term goals) and the GCF on its accreditation country processes. Moreover, with her personal style, she has engaged multiple stakeholders and partners throughout different projects and monitored their development. She is an expert in comprehensive investigations, collecting and presenting results, performing analysis-giving advice, generating findings to support decision-making and leading data collection analysis to reporting through creative implementation based on her hard qualitative and quantitative skills. Felisa is embarking (through her academic undertakings at MIT and her current role at SLR) on a journey on the following frameworks: Climate Risk Assessment on TCFD, SBTi and GHG Protocol in the entire project life cycle. She can solve all project issues through her solid attention to detail and teamwork abilities. She is also competent in collaborating with all levels of an organization, with strong communication, negotiation, and management as soft skills. She has acquired extensive knowledge that can be shared through capacity building to raise awareness in all of the areas mentioned above. Felisa’s primary mission is to enhance a sustainable and resilient environment, society and economy.

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Conducted in-depth analysis of how governments in the APAC region incorporate green environment elements into their COVID-19 recovery plans via engagement that examines the significance of green measures in stimulus plans
• Built high levels of stakeholder relations during the 2019 Climate Finance & Sustainable Investing Conference
• Authored Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Sustainability and Digital Cooperation to address how digital advancement can facilitate the debate on sustainability (published by the UN HQ Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Sustainability and Digital Cooperation)
• Published MA thesis on Climate & Energy Policy Integration in the EU: a Pathway to Global Environmental Governance
• Led Joined-up Governance for Low-carbon Cities (2017-2021), a detailed research project funded by a Dutch organization for scientific research at the Australian National University
• Determined GHG emission targets & established decarbonization strategies for inclusion in regional sustainable development reports
• Participation in the implementation of the 5P Project : partnerships for a resilient energy future : brochure for ESCAP
• Analysis of the policies (specially INDCs) to be part of the indicators on the UNESCAP Asia Pacific Energy Portal

EDUCATION

• MIT — Blended Professional Certificate: Chief Sustainability Officer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, 2022-2023)
• Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science and International Relations with a Major in Globalization and Environment (New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016)
• Master thesis with the topic Climate and energy policy integration in the E.U.: a pathway to Global Environmental Governance? (Published on the University Homepage)
• Lawyer (JD) — University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay, 2012
• Certifications:
• Data Analysis for Management Certificate — The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom, 2020
• Certified Expert in Climate & Renewable Energy Finance — Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Frankfurt, Germany, 2018
• Seminar for the Economy Development in LATAM — Tianjin, Shenzhen, Beijing, China, 2013

EXPERIENCE

• SLR Consulting, Climate Change Advisor — Frankfurt, Germany (from 2022)
• Manage opportunities and projects in the wider ESG and climate change advisory space with support from its diverse technical teams
• Lead and advise on transition and implementing the sustainability idea from strategy to implementation along the value chains, focusing on climate change
• Develop and execute concepts, strategies, and implementation of climate change and ESG strategies and disclosure for their national and international clients
• Working closely with the European leadership group to help develop both the Financial Sector and ESG business strategies for Europe, covering clients, marketing, geographies, partnerships, and financial performance (this leadership group comprises people from multiple sectors and service lines)
• SURECO & Partners, Senior Consultant — Montevideo, Uruguay (2022)
• Developing mainly the gap assessment and action plan of the leading financial institution of Uruguay to be accredited to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through the ALIDE support readiness program
• The main tasks that emerged for this gap assessment in climate finance involved expanding the analysis of this financial institution on the following key aspects: fiduciary, social and environmental safeguards, and gender
• Established a desk research to create a regional report involving NDAs, NDCs and Sustainable Finance data analysis from Argentina and Uruguay
• Managed communications with the key stakeholders
• Felisa´s sabbatical year (2021)
• Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Project Manager — Hong Kong, China (2018-2020)
• Provided hands-on support in developing regional projects for sustainable development & digitalization fields within the APAC region
• Delivered projects from conception to completion, created workshop content, and provided expertise regarding global audiences
• Developed research to collaborate on position papers on sustainable development, climate change, and energy security
• Coordinated with the private sector, governments, and academic stakeholders
• Managed social media to build engagement with global audiences on environmental issues
• Conducted policy research related to sustainability, climate change, climate finance, and energy transition
• The Australian National University, Remote Research Assistant (2017-2018)
• Developed inventory of 20 examples of urban development policies regarding transportation and parks in Montevideo, then performed a detailed study of 8 specific policies
• Presented findings at meetings and participated in exchanges of ideas to achieve meeting goals
• UNESCAP, United Nations Intern — Bangkok, Thailand (2015-2016)
• Managed the Asia Pacific energy portal program of 53 member states
• Established energy policy data sets (specifically INDCs)
• Uruguayan Ministry of Economy & Finance, Lawyer — Montevideo, Uruguay (2012-2014)
• Investigated administrative proceedings and supervised customs processes, including import, export, and transit rules to audit illicit tasks
• Participated in the judiciary, convocation of board meetings, and shareholders' meetings, while directing the publication of statements
• Volunteer experience
• Unidos por los Niños, Fundraising, Supporter & Project Assistant — Montevideo, Uruguay (2011-2012)
• Parliamentary Commissioner, Volunteer for Human Rights — Montevideo, Uruguay (2008-2010)