Bridging Peace and Progress

While the sad reality of climate change has never been clearer, the magnitude of the problem constantly demands our attention. I am excited to be working with a climate finance solution organization that not only emphasizes on renewable energy but deeply prioritizes investments in fragile and conflict affected areas — this indeed is a pivotal leap in my journey towards driving meaningful sustainable development and investments during my time at Columbia SIPA. The graduate consulting project aims to enhance corporate engagement with P-RECs (Peace-Renewable Energy Certifications) and facilitate sustainable development in renewable energy projects in vulnerable areas thereby fostering long term stability and peace-building efforts.

While climate finance, particularly renewable energy credits, are new fields for me, the project allows me to leverage my transferable skills to contribute effectively to an environment where I am not just a consultant, but an active learner and participant in driving positive change. Moreover, I am driven to think of solutions to problems beyond the expected and defined project outcomes; the project has pushed me to look beyond facilitating energy credits in the market and examining existing decarbonization goals (related to renewable energy procurement) within an organization. It has opened new avenues for exploring clean finance in a more value-driven and inclusive manner, such as expanding strategic dialogue outside energy procurement teams and investigating alternative funding avenues to support the organization’s mission, consequently diversifying financial support for renewable energy projects.

During the project, I am applying my learnings from SIRI’s consulting workshops and utilizing design thinking frameworks as well as human centric and value-based management approaches, to enhance our problem-solving efforts. I am also leveraging research tools accessible to SIPA students to conduct sector specific research in fragile areas seeking access to renewable energy and advancement in sustainable development. As the project progresses, it demands several internal and client meetings coupled with brainstorming and feedback sessions to collaborate new findings and ensure the project team stays on the right track throughout the project journey. I am also able to incorporate insights from my other courses and those from SDG specific events into this project, which I find highly fulfilling.

But what makes this experience even more impactful and enjoyable for me is my team! Just a few weeks into this class and having been assigned the consulting project, I can confidently say that I am truly loving the collaborative spirit of our team and the excitement of working towards a common goal. Designing the work plan, thoroughly digging into the project scope, getting the foundations right, engaging with our client and laying out the team norms – everything so far just feels right, despite our diverse backgrounds. Of course, given the fast-paced nature of graduate school, there are days when scheduling meetings and coordinating within the team can be quite challenging. However, our shared respect for one another, openness and constant transparent communication helps us navigate those difficulties. Within the internal team, I have taken on the responsibilities of a project manager. The role is helping me connect multiple phases of the project and tie them to the larger agenda, coordinate timelines and meetings and facilitate internal team communications in order to meet deliverables.

As I move ahead, I look forward to the continued learning and growth that this experience will bring!