Helen (宏宇) Ding, Phd. Email & Phone Number

The Hague, Zh, Nl

The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands

• Pioneered the development of an equitable and inclusive economic growth strategy at WRI and advocated the integration of gender and social equity into global system transformational agenda to address inequality issues among vulnerable and marginalized social groups.• Established and led a dedicated research team in The Hague focused on driving innovation in equitable economics, which aimed at advancing socioeconomic impact research and enhancing the infusion of equity into low-carbon growth models and financing mechanisms for nature and climate.• Provided thought leadership, steering research projects across WRI international offices and programs, with a primary focus on: a) strengthening the economic case for protecting and restoring natural capital and landscapes and accelerating nature-based climate mitigation and adaptation; b) developing sustainable finance strategies to scale up public and private investment in lined with the global nature and climate goals; c) ensuring equitable distributional impacts of policies and investments across different social groups, empowering the vulnerable and marginalized ones; and d) leveraging the global network of international organizations to accelerate international and national policy (e.g., trade policies, environmental harmful subsidies, etc.) reforms, which will create enabling environment for sustainable system transitions. • Recognized as a subject matter expert in the economics and finance of landscape restoration, offering critical technical advice to esteemed organizations.• Co-founded The Economics of Ecosystem Restoration (TEER) Initiative, aiming to create a global database for the estimation of costs and benefits of restoration projects worldwide.• Contributed to the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU)’s research on regenerative agriculture, shaping the FOLU China Action Agenda, and collaborated on journal articles promoting natural capital accounting metrics for greening business operations.

Paris, France

As a Practice leader at Deloitte, Helen provided leadership in developing business solutions to reduce natural capital risks and ensure the medium-/long-term business sustainability along companies' global value chains. In particular, she has led Deloitte’s contribution to the development of Natural Capital Protocol (NCP) for business under the leadership of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and served as a member of the NCP project coordination team.

Paris Area, France

Responsible for execution and management of economic studies in the field of public policies in France, Europe and beyond, on topics related to natural resource management and sustainable development. More specific topics include:- Socio-economic and business dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem services; - Environmental damage assessment (incl. climate change) and valuation of ecosystem services; - Cost and Benefit analysis of land use change impacts;- Green economy, Natural Capital and environmental accounting; - Employment and social impacts of environmental policies.

Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium

Main research responsibilities covered the economic aspects of the biodiversity conservation motives, and the analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental and policy measures on promoting ecosystem services.

Venice Area, Italy

Undergraduate course on "Globalization, Environment and Sustainable Development", VIU campus, Venice Italyhttp://www.univiu.org/undergraduate/globalization/globalizationenvironmentsustainabledevelopment/syllabus

Venice Area, Italy

Worked extensively on various EU projects focusing on the following topics: economic valuation (incl. both market and non-market valuation techniques) of biodiversity and ecosystem services, damage assessment of environmental impacts, and socio-economic analysis of impacts of biodiversity policy. Wrote research proposals, technical reports and peer-reviewed papers. Took part in project coordination and management.

Milan Area, Italy

Managed the project of “The Social Dimension of Biodiversity Policy” (commissioned by the European Commission DG ENV), coordinated a research team of four research institutes/consultancies in Europe to ensure the delivery of a final report, provided economic expertise in analyzing the biodiversity benefits for vulnerable groups in the EU and beyond. The results of this study have been presented in a side event during the 2010 CBD-COP10 meeting in Nagoya, Japan.

Padova Area, Italy

Economic valuation of climate change impacts on viticulture in Italy; Trade-off analysis between forest carbon sinks and other forest ecosystem services

Bath - Uk

Provided economic valuation expertise in the project of “Estimating the Overall Economic Benefits of Natura 2000 Network”, with specific contribution to the valuation of climate change regulation benefits of the EU Natura 2000 networks and wrote technical reports to the DG ENV at the European Commission for the present policy negotiations of financing the Natura 2000 network in the EU.

Bilbao, Spain

Provided economic expertise in Cost-Benefit Analysis of Potential Land Use Options in the Talamanca Biological Corridor, Costa Rica, to evaluate the economic trade-offs between different future land uses, including forest conservation, silvopastoral land, and agroforestry land. The research was financed by BBVA, Spain, in collaboration with CATIE in Costa Rica. The research findings would be used to help local authorities and stakeholders to improve the management of land uses in the biological corridor and to cope with future climate change impacts on the local ecosystems.

Venice Area, Italy

Collaborated on project of “Impacts of Climate Change and Biodiversity Effects” financed by the European Investment Bank University Research Sponsorship (EIBURS) programme, and led the research line on the Economic Valuation of Forest Ecosystems in Europe. Published peer-reviewed papers and wrote technical reports to the European Investment Bank. http://www.dse.unive.it/centri-e-partners/ceem/progetti-di-ricerca/clibio/home/

Washington D.C. Metro Area, Usa

Milan Area, Italy

Provided major contribution to the assessment of total loss of forest ecosystem services due to policy inaction, referring to the project “The Cost of Policy Inaction (COPI): The case of not meeting the 2010 biodiversity target”; provided minor contribution to the research project of “The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB): Review on the Economics of Biodiversity Loss – phase 1 (scoping) economic analysis and synthesis”. Both projects were important background studies commissioned by the EC to present in the 2008 CBD-COP 9 meeting in Bonn, Germany.

Venice, Italy

Worked as training assistant in the Sino-Italian Cooperation Program for Environmental Protection to organize training courses for the delegation of Chinese governmental officials and academics with respect to issues related to environment and sustainable development. Provided an internal report, systematically reviewing the major environmental problems and governance structure in the modern China.

Wagenigen, The Netherlands

Worked with the Group of Environmental Economics and Natural Resources to develope a bioeconomic model to design a decision support system for marine biodiversity conservation in Europe within the EU-MarBEF project, theme 3: The socio-economic importance of marine biodiversity.

Online Course Certificate, Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies And Skills

Online Course Ertificate, Social Psychology

Phd, Science And Management Of Climate Change

Dissertation titled "Economic Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being.

M.Sc., Environmental Science With Specialization In Environmental Economics And Natural Resources

Dissertation titled: Designing a Decision Support System for Marine Biodiversity Conservation in the Dutch North Sea - Bioeconomic.

B.A., Economics And Finance

Education record