Thijs Merton Email & Phone Number

Climate Focus is an international consulting firm advising private and public sector clients on climate change policy, international climate financing and carbon markets. As Carbon Markets Consultant, I focus on the development of carbon projects, conducting due diligence to ensure quality and compliance, contributing to policy dialogues on voluntary carbon markets, and structuring investments and programs that leverage carbon and climate finance.

Utrecht, Netherlands

The Dutch Spark is a network of Dutch organisations that joined forces to accelerate the transition to clean cooking. By acquiring and sharing knowledge, creating support, and demonstrating successful concepts in practice (proof-of-concept), the Dutch Spark wants to contribute to the accessibility of clean and efficient cooking solutions for all. Our vision is that by 2030 everyone has access to affordable clean cooking solutions, with the cleanest and most efficient technologies possible. As coordinator of the Dutch Spark, I maintain and expand the network, share best practices and opportunities, organize joint activities and events, represent the Dutch Spark in events, and create exposure to contribute to our shared vision of providing access to clean energy for all.

New Delhi, Delhi, India

FCF India is a social enterprise established to support and promote climate change interventions in developing nations under a business model approach based on the international carbon markets.We develop, manage and finance climate projects in developing countries. We dedicate ourselves to significantly contribute to GHG emissions reductions through various projects and programs that include reduced deforestation, clean energy, improved livelihood; also focusing on bringing nature based solutions through dedicated projects. We closely work with communities and also with corporates to bring sustainable development via collaborations and partnerships.I support FCF India in expanding its portfolio to various projects across the continent and use its expertise across a wide range of sustainability topics to accelerate sustainable development in agriculture, safe water supply, renewable energy, waste management, etc.

iceaddis (ice stands for Innovation, collaboration, Entrepreneurship) is Ethiopia’s first innovation hub and tech startup incubator established in 2011. Iceaddis is a co-creation space that accelerates high-potential startups, facilitates technological innovations, and works with a multi-partnership approach to activate youth to gain economic empowerment.As International Consultant, I support iceaddis in partnership development and project management, to amplify iceaddis's impact and contribute to its mission of creating a thriving startup ecosystem across the region. Some of the projects I've helped set up:https://waveaccelerator.et/https://f4f.et/https://www.iceaddis.com/wsip/

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Aqua for All is a not-for-profit organisation working towards facilitating access to clean water and good sanitation for all (SDG 6). ​​We strive to create an innovative, sustainable and inclusive water and sanitation economy worldwide. Innovations, scalable solutions and capital are instrumental to bridge the current service delivery and financial gaps in the water and sanitation economy. Aqua for All fills these gaps by supporting innovations and enabling business solutions to become viable. We realise this by mobilising public and private capital.As Programme Officer for the Aqua for All Ethiopia office, I work on developing and supporting Aqua for All's projects and partnerships, with a focus on PME, microfinance, entrepreneurship, and private sector development. I run an incubation programme with www.iceaddis.com, focusing on empowering Ethiopian entrepreneurs, and manage a project with www.3blenterprises.com, with the aim of transforming the Ethiopian water sector and developing a business case around safe water provision to rural communities.

The main goal of the Young Expert Programmes (YEP), consisting of YEP Water, YEP Agrofood, YEP Energy and YEP Tailor-made, is to offer young Dutch and local professionals the opportunity to take their first steps in an international environment. They are employed through Dutch organisations in a number of eligible countries. The programmes aim to rejuvenate the water, agrofood and renewable energy sectors and ensure the continued availability of expertise for these sectors.The YEP Programmes are carried out jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), the Food & Business Knowledge Platform and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.

The Hague Area, Netherlands

For VIA Water www.viawater.nl, I organized a week of trainings and workshops in March 2019 for 14 VIA Water program owners from Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Benin and Mozambique. The event is called VIA GO, for Growth and Opportunity, and aims to give the VIA Water program owners the tools they need to continue developing and expanding their project after their funding period has ended. The trainings and workshops provided in this week were tailor-made for the different projects, given by experts on marketing, business development, leadership, etc. As part of VIA GO, all 14 project owners pitched their projects at the 3rd VIA Water Café organized in the Netherlands, which took place at the Royal Tropical Institute on the 21st of March 2019, right before the World Water Day celebration, which took place in the same venue.

The Hague Area, Netherlands

For my Sustainable Development MSc thesis research I designed an Outcome Monitoring Framework for Aqua for All. Aqua for All is currently working on an ambitious project to, together with a large variety of NGOs and government- and private organizations, create a sustainable business case surrounding the provision of millions of water filters for the Ethiopian and Malawian population. Part of this is the production of a detailed, evidence-based M&E outcome framework, which is what my thesis is devoted to.

Utrecht

De Lesfabriek provides short-term substitute teachers for high schools and intermediate vocational education (Dutch: MBO). I have had contracts of up to 4 months in Leiden, Utrecht, Delft, and Rotterdam, teaching English, Dutch, and mathematics. De Lesfabriek is a young, vibrant organization that is growing fast and is providing a smart and very necessary answer in the ever-growing demand for teachers in the Dutch educational system.

Tutor in mathematics, physics, chemistry, economics, French and English

Certified Expert In Climate And Renewable Energy Finance

Sustainable Development, Environmental Sciences

International Bachelor In Communication & Media