Hello! My name is Serena and I am one of the new Carbon Project Officers joining CO2balance. I am delighted to be supporting the team on advancing our projects in Zambia, Mozambique and Guatemala. The latter being the first Latin American host country for one of our projects!
As a Colombian-Italian sustainability content creator, coach and consultant and having graduated in Ecological and Environmental Sciences from the University of Edinburgh in 2019, I am excited to be offering my diverse skills to help the team in the development of carbon projects. My variety of working experiences including Colombia and Indonesia, as well as my proficiency in Spanish, Italian and French are well aligned with the values at CO2balance to support rural communities.
In 2020, I stayed for four months in the coffee-growing region in Caldas, Colombia. During my visit, it was evident to me how much climate change had affected this area. The increase in unpredictable and extreme weather conditions continue to negatively impact the coffee. The land has also been targeted by international corporations to implement monocultural avocado farming for exports. Both climate change and land use change have affected the viability of the local traditional coffee agroforestry and I was interested in understanding these relationships further. I went on to research the changes, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, and shared potential solutions with the local council to help their decision-making regarding the surrounding landscape.
As a Research Assistant in the Wakatobi National Park, I carried out similar ecological surveys to those during my degree, but this time underwater! My research contributed towards the coral reef monitoring programme. The data we collected was used to track the annual changes in the reef and inform the Indonesian government on their commercial fishing policies. During my time here, I also had the opportunity to explore the mangrove ecosystem and the potential to develop blue carbon projects with CO2balance is an exciting prospect. Understanding the interconnectivity of these amazing ecosystems and having a wholistic approach are both key when it comes to bringing creative solutions towards the climate crisis.
Empowering others to take steps towards climate action is a central part of my work as a content creator, coach and consultant. I help busy individuals and conscious business owners who are motivated to create a positive social and environmental impact by sharing actionable steps. My aim is to support businesses that are driven to move away from ‘business-as-usual’ and change our climatic trajectory. Now, I am pleased to work within a purpose-driven company that shares similar values.
I am grateful for the welcoming and ambitious team around me and I am excited for what’s to come. On top of it all, it is a delight to be based in Taunton and discover this part of the country. I love nature walks, birdwatching, cycling, coastal adventures and urban explores. I am looking forward to enjoying all of these, visit the nearby cities like Bristol and Exeter, and maybe even swimming in the south coast…
Serena
Carbon Project Officer
