How did you get your current job?
I applied for an advertised position for an adviser in 2010. I have since become a senior adviser.
Why do you think they chose you for the job?
It was a combination of experience from social sciences and languages, and good timing. I had gained experience that made my interests look goal-oriented, experience which looked good on my CV. I studied Chinese in addition to human geography, and I used this combination when I was a Master's fellow, and later employed, at the Fridtjof Nansens Institute. As an intern at UNDP China (United Nations Development Programme China), I worked on the China National Human Development Report, on the topic of low-carbon development. That focus on environment and climate in China led me to China's international climate efforts, especially in UN climate negotiations. When WWF announced a position focusing on emission cuts and energy policy in China it felt like it was tailor made for me. Today, I work on China as well as on the climate negotiations in general.
What are your main duties?
My job is split in two. I lead a Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) financed project in China that deals with emission cuts. It is a collaboration with WWF China, although I am located in Norway. We work with cities and companies, and have seen many positive results. You get a lot out of small budgets by working in China and having extensive collaboration. It is very rewarding to see concrete results year after year. The other half of my work is on UN climate negotiations, here too focusing on emission cuts. In collaboration with amazing people at WWF from all over the world and other Norwegian organizations, I conduct political lobbying where we constantly try to raise ambitions in order to lower emissions. The goal is to prevent global warming above 1.5°C, and renewable energy is the solution! This work can be frustrating and tedious, but we feel that we are getting things done.
What are you working on just now?
This is mostly an office job, but with some travel and a lot of flexibility. We develop solutions and arguments, draft input to political processes, talk with politicians and decision-makers, coordinate with other organizations and try to get the media inter