Training and supporting new climate change negotiators
Active Project
Shaila Mahmud
Researcher, Climate Change research group
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3463 7399
shailacynthia
Languages:
English,
Spanish (basic), French (beginners)
Technical negotiation advisory and policy research on climate finance: advises the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group in the UNFCCC process, ensuring LDC voices are heard in shaping the narrative and policies on climate finance needs, access and quality through multilateral fund guidance, article 2.1(c) on aligning financial flows with low-emission, climate-resilient development, and article 9 of the Paris Agreement. Collaborates on policy research within IIED on priority issues for LDCs, including multilateral fund policies, coherence across climate finance delivery channels, and analysis to inform strategic positions in negotiations.
Capacity building: delivers capacity-building programmes for LDC negotiators through regional training, mentorship and peer-to-peer exchange, strengthening long-term negotiating capacity and enabling effective, evidence-based participation and LDC leadership across UNFCCC processes.
Expertise
Climate diplomacy; climate finance; capacity-building; UN climate negotiations; policy-research
Before IIED
Before joining IIED, Shaila led climate finance initiatives at CABI to accelerate adaptation and resilience in agriculture and food systems, partnering with NIRAS, TechnoServe, CPI and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Her UNFCCC engagement began at COP22 through climate tracker and the LDC universities consortium on climate change in Bangladesh. She later worked with UNDP Bangladesh, advising the Ministry of Planning on SDG13 climate action and strengthening national climate reporting.
Education
- MSc, climate change and international development, University of East Anglia, UK as a Chevening scholar. Thesis: political analysis of adaptation finance governance in the Green Climate Fund Board after the Paris Agreement, examining North-South dynamics and the dichotomy between adaptation and development.
Current work
Shaila is a researcher specialising in international climate change processes under the UNFCCC. She combines strategic advisory support on climate finance negotiations for the LDC group with policy research on priority issues for LDCs, while managing initiatives that build the negotiating capacity and leadership of early-career LDC delegates.
Projects
