Menu
Menu
Menu
Dr Olivia Henke has a degree in geography and was awarded a PhD by the Environmental Policy Research Centre at Freie Universität Berlin for her work on the voluntary compensation market in Germany and the impact of voluntary climate protection projects on poverty.
Peter Renner is a political scientist who focuses on international politics. He has held executive posts in various non-governmental organisations for 20 years. He has worked for almost 30 years in technical aid and development cooperation, and has extensive international experience.
She has over 20 years of experience in the area of sustainable development, including as a consultant for sustainability management and in development education work. Since 2011, she has held the position of CEO for the non-profit ‘Klima-Kollekte – Kirchlicher Kompensationsfonds’ organisation, a carbon-offsetting fund operated by Christian churches in Germany and other European countries. Here, she initially set up the CO2 offsetting fund and then expanded it, e.g. with sister organisations in Austria and Switzerland.
Peter Renner’s responsibilities took him to Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa. He most recently held the position of Chair of a foundation for development cooperation that had 640 employees. He is very familiar with the current challenges in project work in the field of development cooperation and climate policy – especially nature-based solutions.
Dr Olivia Henke has a degree in geography and was awarded a PhD by the Environmental Policy Research Centre at Freie Universität Berlin for her work on the voluntary compensation market in Germany and the impact of voluntary climate protection projects on poverty.
She has over 20 years of experience in the area of sustainable development, including as a consultant for sustainability management and in development education work. Since 2011, she has held the position of CEO for the non-profit ‘Klima-Kollekte – Kirchlicher Kompensationsfonds’ organisation, a carbon-offsetting fund operated by Christian churches in Germany and other European countries. Here, she initially set up the CO2 offsetting fund and then expanded it, e.g. with sister organisations in Austria and Switzerland.
Peter Renner is a political scientist who focuses on international politics. He has held executive posts in various non-governmental organisations for 20 years. He has worked for almost 30 years in technical aid and development cooperation, and has extensive international experience.
Peter Renner’s responsibilities took him to Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa. He most recently held the position of Chair of a foundation for development cooperation that had 640 employees. He is very familiar with the current challenges in project work in the field of development cooperation and climate policy – especially nature-based solutions.
Sustained heat waves, flooding and storms: the consequences of climate change can be felt more and more clearly – in Europe too. Yet, especially in developing and emerging economies, people are already suffering considerably from these changes. In the interview, CEO Peter Renner and Chair Dr Olivia Henke explain why climate action is so topical globally, how every one of us can do something to help, and what will change in the future as a result of the transformation of the Development and Climate Alliance into a foundation.
Clara Aires studied International Studies at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU) in Brazil and moved to Germany in 2016 to undertake her Masters in Management in Non-profit Organisations at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. She has been active in civil society since starting her studies, for instance in network and project management. She joined the Foundation in January 2021, where she is responsible for supporter and event management.
Jan Beßling is a trained lawyer and journalist. During his degree and traineeship he worked for newspapers such as Der Tagesspiegel and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.), as well as the German Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Geneva. After his second state examination he switched to law firm marketing and, for 15 years, was responsible for the communications of several international corporate law firms in Germany. He has been the Foundation’s Director of Communications & Engagement (incl. fundraising) since February 2021.
Monika Finane ist seit März 2022 Leiterin Engagement & Fundraising der Stiftung. Nach ihrem Studium der Geschichte und Kunstgeschichte arbeitete sie im Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin, bevor sie in den privaten Sektor wechselte. Über viele Jahre hinweg war sie für Familienunternehmen in der Kundenentwicklung tätig – neben Deutschland mit mehrjährigen beruflichen Stationen in den USA und der Schweiz. Zuletzt betreute sie philanthropisches Engagement für den WWF Deutschland.
Elisabeth Fritsch studied market communication at the Werbe Akademie in Vienna. After her studies and internships in event management, she moved to Berlin to work as a project manager in an event agency. However, she wanted to transition into the field of sustainability, which led her to the Foundation Development and Climate Alliance. There, she has been responsible for event management as assistant to the board since February 2022.
Valeska Gelfert studied Communication, Business Administration and Sociology at the University of Bamberg. Alongside her degree she worked as a graphic designer in advertising. After completing her Masters, she moved to Berlin where she supported various start-ups in developing their communications strategy and online marketing. She has been responsible for the Foundation’s marketing and online channels since February 2021.
Dimitrios Karatassios has worked for the Foundation since March 2021 and is responsible for issues around sustainable development and climate action. He previously worked in the secretariat of the Alliance at the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and at the United Nations in Bonn. He studied for a Masters in International Relations and Development Policy (IRDP) at the University of Duisburg-Essen and spent time living abroad in Columbia and Ecuador.
Gesa Schöneberg is a trained architect and lawyer. She has been involved in international climate action work and urban sustainability transformations at the interface of science, politics, civil society and the economy for many years. Furthermore, she has worked for the United Nations University, the German Advisory Council on Global Change and the Technische Universität Berlin. Since March, she has led the Foundation’s Research and Consultancy department.
Photo sources: Frank Beer, private, BMZ, KfW
Foundation Development and Climate Alliance
Chausseestraße 22
D-10115 Berlin
Phone: +49 30 3465573-00
Email: