Mataio Tekinene

"Malo lava."

"Mataio Tekinene is a senior Tuvaluan environmental and climate governance expert who has served for many years within the Government of Tuvalu’s Ministry responsible for environment and natural resources. He is widely recognised as a former Director of Environment and a national focal point for several international environmental and climate change programmes, including Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP-supported initiatives. In his role, he has been closely involved in national climate change policy development, coastal resilience planning, biodiversity conservation, and waste and environmental management, as well as representing Tuvalu in regional and global climate negotiations. He is also known for his strong advocacy on the impacts of sea level rise on atoll nations, often highlighting the urgency of climate action for vulnerable Pacific communities and contributing technical and policy leadership to Tuvalu’s adaptation and resilience efforts."

"Mataio is highly experience and skilled in environmental management, social impact assessment, community based development and stakeholder consultations. He is well known and respected locally, well-connected and have a deep understanding of local governance and culture - attributes that I found most valuable when seeking access to Government agencies, donors and local NGOs and organizations. He is highly professional, reliable, and has a low key but effective approach to getting things done. I have the highest respect for Mataio and have no reservations in endorsing him."