Markus Repnik

Markus Repnik is Managing Director of the Global Mechanism, the operational arm of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). He is leading a growing team that is shaping operationalization of the Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) concept, in close collaboration with several international partners. SDG target 15.3 calls for a land degradation-neutral world by 2030. The Global Mechanism is focusing its work on three flagship initiatives: (i) spearheading the setting up of the LDN fund, an independent financing mechanism with the objective to channel substantial amounts of private sector resources to finance LDN projects; (ii) supporting 90+ countries in setting national LDN targets; and (iii) contributing to the Great Green Wall initiative. Mr. Repnik has 25+ years of international development experience, including 15 years with the World Bank Group. At the Bank Group, he served 10 years as a manager, including responsibilities for several African and European countries and climate change policy. He holds a Master of Economics and Social Sciences and completed several executive development programs, including at Harvard Business School and Cambridge University.