Dona van Eeden

Dona is a researcher, writer and coordinator interested in the practical links between international climate policy and local-level climate adaptation. As the Programme Coordinator for the Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative (GAMI), she supports an international network of researchers by managing governance, communication, and knowledge-sharing processes required to maintain a global research collaborative.

Her background is multidisciplinary, with professional experience ranging from research on biodiversity and urban resilience to corporate sustainability reporting. Most recently, she worked as a Research Analyst for the World Benchmarking Alliance, where she analysed the environmental performance of global companies to inform international accountability mechanisms. Her previous experience includes conducting case studies on landscape-scale conservation projects, performing community-level social research, and working as a journalist to disseminate agricultural knowledge to diverse audiences in South Africa. 

She holds an MSc in Urban Management and Development from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and an MPhil in Climate Change and Development from the African Climate Development Initiative (ACDI), University of Cape Town. She also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development and a BSc in Biodiversity and Ecology at Stellenbosch University.