Pauline Nantogo

Executive Director
TGB/ECOTRUST

Pauline Nantongo Kalunda is the Executive Director of ECOTRUST, a leading Ugandan NGO specializing in conservation financing.

Her role in spearheading stakeholder engagement using rights-based and pro-poor approaches has won her several awards including as one of Uganda’s leading women in conservation.

Among her several achievements, Pauline has successfully established a commercially viable REDD++ scheme - Trees for Global Benefit (TGB) that links smallholders to the voluntary carbon market. TGB won the 2013 SEED Award for its innovation and entrepreneurship, its promising efforts to promote economic growth, social development and environmental protection in Uganda, and the potential of its partnership to inspire others.

TGB has been used as a model for forest conservation in Uganda including as a model for Communal Land Associations, Ecosystem Adaptation for Climate Change, pro-poor and rights-based approaches for REDD to mention but a few.

Pauline has authored a number of publications including the Regional Forestry Payment for Environmental Services Guidelines for FAO. These guidelines are intended to enhance capacities of key stakeholders in Sub Saharan Africa through the provision of clear strategies on effectively implementing PES mechanisms by countries in SSA.

Pauline has worked with international institutions such as ICRAF, IUCN, IIED spearheading a number of initiatives to develop model cutting edge mechanisms for delivery of conservation financing to support green growth initiatives in Uganda, based mainly on the concept of Payment for Environmental Services. She has also participated in several climate negotiations, partnering with international NGOs such as IUCN, WCS, IFAD to lobby donors & private sector to invest in climate financing for rural development.

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