I have just received an offer with the CDM Registration & Issuance Unit under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Unit is based in the UNFCCC's secretariat, Bonn, Germany, and is responsible for the registration of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and for the issuance of certified emission reduction (CERs) credits, under the CDM Executive Board that oversees the whole CDM system. I will be working on the issuance side as much of my past year's experience with my current company, EcoSecurities, a market leader in the CDM field, relates to CDM project monitoring & verification.

I am currently working for UNDP Bolivia, writing for the Human Development Report (HDR) 2008. I do research and analysis on the environmental and local socio-economic impacts of biofuels expansion, mining activities and development projects in Bolivia such as road and hydroelectric dams development.

The sound of MESPOM and the dynamic nature of the international degree provide a comfort to me. For the past few years, after pursuing in a number of graduate programmes from Australia and Pacific, I feel this programme holds a value to anyone seeking international exposure in broader environmental issues. My life experiences from growing up in a small island environment, where adaptability to externalities is a constant demand of life, has influenced my interest in environmental issues.

Perhaps some of you have recently heard about the dilemma facing elephant management in South Africa, particularly the burgeoning population in Kruger National Park, and the proposal to reinstate elephant culling as a measure to control populations. If you are interested in this debate, and want to learn more, I wanted to let you know that we recently completed a 'Scientific Assessment of South African Elephant Management' which was submitted to the Minister of Environmental Affairs & Tourism in December 2007.