Chris Spence (journalist)

Christopher Robert Spence
Chris Spence at Point Reyes National Seashore
Personal details
Born (1970-06-08) 8 June 1970
Bingley, United Kingdom
Nationality New Zealand
Profession Journalist, Writer

Chris Spence (born June 1970) is an award winning New Zealand journalist and former political advisor on environmental issues and foreign affairs. He currently has 20 years’ experience working internationally and in the United States on sustainable development, conservation, climate change, and health policy. In 2005, Chris published Global Warming: Personal Solutions for a Healthy Planet (ISBN 1403966982 ), which offers a description of the climate change problem and a practical guide to the solutions.

Biography

Spence was born and raised in the small town of Bingley in Yorkshire, England. His family moved to Wellington, New Zealand when he was 12. In New Zealand, Spence attended Wellington College and Victoria University of Wellington, graduating with BA and MA degrees in political science and history.[1][2] He is married with 3 kids.

Career

In the 1990s, Spence worked as a political researcher, speechwriter, journalist and lobbyist in New Zealand and he was also the lead singer in a popular rock band with his younger brother for a while. In 1997, Spence became the youngest ever Executive Director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, a public health advocacy/lobby group. While at the New Zealand Drug Foundation he earned the nickname, the 'ED'. Spence led intensive communications and public relations work, policy development and political lobbying, taking a public health perspective, on behalf of the drug and alcohol sector. This involved developing media campaigns, being a public spokesperson, and leading the development of research-based advocacy work. He also co-hosted a successful drug education conference and launched a popular website.[3]

In 1998, he left New Zealand to travel, and after spending time in New York, Spence's focus shifted to international diplomacy, particularly United Nations negotiations on climate change and other environmental law issues. He worked as a consultant and advisor for a range of international organizations, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Then in 2006, he took on the position of Special Advisor to IUCN-the World Conservation Union. Spence led the Earth Negotiations Bulletin team to United Nations climate change negotiations from 1999–2002, and again in 2005 (Montreal, Canada), 2006 (Nairobi, Kenya), 2007 (Bali, Indonesia) and 2008 (Poznań, Poland).

His current position is the Director of the Institute at the Golden Gate, a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, which he joined in June 2012. In 2014, his role was expanded to encompass the additional position of Vice President, Strategy and Innovation with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

Spence has also authored and co-authored several books. In September 2005, he authored the book Global Warming: Personal Solutions for a Healthy Planet.[4] The book drew from Spence's experiences with the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and took issue with some of the policies of the Bush Administration on climate change. Spence has also been published in the American British Business Magazine,[5] the New York Daily News,[6] and Discover magazine.[7]

References

  1. ↑ See Victoria University of Wellington Career View 2002 -
  2. ↑ Daily Press (November 8, 2005) Says who. Section: Editorial; Page A8.
  3. ↑ April 24 Events Calendar - NYSIA
  4. ↑ Canadian Journal of Sociology (September 22, 2005) Books received/livres recus. Volume 30; Issue 4; Page 553. (writing, "Spence, Chris, Global Warming: Personal Solutions for a Healthy Planet. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, 191 pp., cloth")
  5. ↑ Chris Spence Article in 2006 American British Business Magazine
  6. ↑ Shin, Paul H.B. (December 11, 2005) New York Daily News White House Icy Reception to Climate Threats not Stopping Some Cities. Warming to local solutions. Section: News; page 26.
  7. ↑ Glausiusz, Josie (February 1, 2006) Discover Global warming : Personal Solutions for a Healthy Planet. Volume 27; Issue 2; Page 70.


External links

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