For those who were not able to attend our Research Symposium at McMaster University in October… you missed some great presentations.
One of the most powerful addresses was from Senator Elizabeth Thompson of Barbados. Her professional experience and background made her an ideal keynote speaker.
And the fact she is from the Caribbean means she has lived that of which she speaks.
Please take some time to watch this video.
Whether in the global North or South, on the side of national governments or in the setting of an international development institution, she has been involved in advocacy and policy issues around environment, climate change, sustainable development and the international policy agenda since 1994.
In 2008 she received the UN’s top award in environment, sustainable development and climate change that of “Champion of the Earth.” In 2012, she served as Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Coordinator of the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development. Her immediate past role was as Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations.
She is an attorney, with LLM, MBA, LEC, but for many years worked as a policy maker, hence at various times during her political career she has also been Minister of Health, Housing and Lands, Physical Development, Energy and Environment of BarbadosAnd coming from the Caribbean, she has lived what she describes.