Zinta Zommers

Vice-Chair, Working Group II

IPCC

Zinta Zommers is the lead for climate science at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, where she works to reduce the impacts of climate shocks on vulnerable communities. She has a unique policy and practitioner perspective, gained from two decades of experience conducting research and implementing disaster risk reduction and humanitarian programs in Africa and Asia. She is a specialist in climate risk, impacts and adaptation, working on climate finance and anticipatory action. Zinta has held a variety of roles with the UN, including as part of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Change Team in New York, with UNEP Chief Scientist’s Office in Nairobi, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in Bonn and the Food and Agriculture Organization in Sierra Leone. She has actively contributed to the IPCC, as a lead author, review editor, and scientific steering committee member, working closely with all IPCC Working Groups. Zinta has authored and edited two books on climate change adaptation and early warning systems, over 20 peer reviews academic journal articles and numerous book chapters and articles in the media. Academic accolades include a Rhodes Scholarship and Commonwealth Scholarship at the University of Oxford, and a Visiting Fellowship at University of Pennsylvania.