Jill Blockhus

About Jill Blockhus

Dr. Jill Blockhus is a globally recognized climate and forest and community conservation expert, with 30 years of experience in natural resources management, climate change, community forestry, access and resource tenure rights, forest policy, and community development. She is responsible for working with multi-disciplinary teams to promote Natural Climate Solutions, including advancing policy engagement with international institutions and expanding the uptake around Natural Climate Solutions in forests and the land sector. Jill developed and manages TNC’s relationship with the Government of Norway, which funds REDD+ science, policy and large-scale jurisdictional approaches in Indonesia and Brazil. Within TNC, she works with the Forests and Climate Policy and country teams, promoting community engagement; developing social and environmental standards; and publishing papers on conservation and development. Before joining TNC, she was Coordinator of the Program on Forests (PROFOR) at the World Bank where she led a multi-country research strategy to reduce the vulnerability of forest-dependent peoples. She helped create the Forest Sector Support Program in Vietnam and managed several Global Environmental Facility biodiversity grants. Prior to the World Bank, she was a Program Officer at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), where she developed and managed forest conservation and development projects in Asia and advanced research on non-timber forest products at CIFOR (Center for International Forestry Research). She holds an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) in Bergen, Norway; an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Ph.D. in International Environmental Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Experience

1. Director of International Partnerships, Climate and Europe Teams

   The Nature Conservancy

   May 2015 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Responsible for working with multi-disciplinary teams to promote Natural Climate Solutions, including advancing policy engagement with international institutions and expanding the adoption of Natural Climate Solutions in the forests and the land sector. Manages Governor\'s Climate and Forests Task Force projects with teams in Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico. Developed and manages TNC’s relationship with the Government of Norway, which funds REDD+ science, policy and large-scale jurisdictional approaches in Indonesia and Brazil.Leads TNC\'s engagement with the New York Declaration on Forests, and the Poverty and Environment Partnership, resulting in co-authoring reports on: Improving Governance to Protect Forests, Empowering People and Communities, Strengthening Laws and Institutions and Making REDD Work for the Poor. Leads TNC staff and partners in planning and facilitating sessions for Community Dialogue Days at United Nations General Assemblies, IUCN World Conservation Congress, World Parks Congress, Annual Meetings for the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force and COP.

Education

• Luther College

  Bachelor's Degree, Development Economics and International Studies

  1984 — 1988

• Harvard Kennedy School

  MPA, Environmental Economics, Development Policy

  1996 — 1998

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), International Environmental Policy

  1998 — 2006

• Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)

  MBA, International Economics, Comparative Politics

  1988 — 1990

Skills

• Policy Analysis
• Capacity Building
• Gis
• Climate Change
• Sustainability
• Community Management
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Ngos
• Sustainable Development
• International Development
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Community Development
• Biodiversity
• Policy
• Public Policy
• Natural Resource Management
• Environmental Policy