Chris Gordon

IESS Founding Director

Prof Chris Gordon is an Environmental Scientist with special interests in the biodiversity and functioning of coastal, wetland and freshwater systems, and many years of experience as a limnologist and aquatic resource management advisor. As an academician and a consultant, he has in-depth and extensive knowledge of ecosystem functioning and conservation in the various ecosystems he has worked on, such as the Volta River Basin, aquaculture, coastal wetland and large river and estuarine systems. Prof Gordon has played an active role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management initiatives, particularly in water, coastal wetland and catchment basin conservation issues. He has considerable experience working with international bodies such as the GEF, UNEP, FAO, UNDP, DFID (former ODA) DANIDA, IDRC, DGIS, as well as national and international NGOs. 

Over the past 30 years, Prof Gordon has provided guidance on various national policies, strategies and action plans that include:

  • National Environmental Action Plan (1988)
  • Water Policy (2007)
  • National Wetlands Conservation Strategy (1999) and Action Plan (2007-2016)
  • Buffer Zone Policy (2011)
  • National Environment Policy (2014)
  • National Climate Change Policy (2014)
  • Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015)
  • National Climate Change Master Plan (2015)
  • National Climate Change and Green Economy Learning Strategy (2017)
  • Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (2018)
  • Biodiversity Policy (on-going)
  • Environmental Management Policy of the Oil and Gas Industry (on-going)

In recognition of his vision and drive, he has been invited to serve on several Institutional, project review and think tank bodies in the role of an Invited Expert. These include the UNEP Foresight Expert Group, World Climate Science Programme, and the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the Ramsar Convention.