Development & Climate Days

Client:

Locations:

Global Ambition, Local Action. Climate Resilience For All.

Since 2015, I’ve been at the helm of event planning and operations for Development & Climate Days (D&C Days) - a bold, free-to-attend gathering that runs alongside the annual UN Climate Summit (COP).

Key Features: 

  • A high-energy, informal and interactive event running alongside the UN Climate Summit (COP).

  • Attracts 200-300 policymakers, scientists, and practitioners from around the world every year.

  • Breaks away from traditional conference formats with immersive and unconventional programming.

  • Plenary & parallel sessions featuring world-leading climate adaptation experts and community leaders.

  • “Out-of-the-box” workshops, from bespoke board games and cardboard theatre to mixed media storytelling.

  • Creative activations, including live cooking, VR experiences, flash mobs, music experiments, and artist murals.

  • Hosted across Europe and Africa, with online editions for global accessibility.

  • Networking & evening receptions, fostering deep cross-sector connections.

My work: 

  • Event Management: I manage and oversee all event planning and logistics including ticketing, venue selection, supplier coordination, hybrid elements, scheduling and technical run-of-shows - ensuring smooth running and a highly engaging experience. 

  • Program Development: Collaborating closely with clients, I support in shaping the conference's program structure and closely collaborate on coordination of the high-level opening and closing plenary sessions.  

  • Branding and Messaging: I work closely with the Communications team to ensure bold and clear messaging before, during and long after the event. 

  • Innovative Engagement Strategies: I work closely with event partners to co-create unique and engaging conference elements and activations. 

  • Client Collaboration and Project Management: Working with client teams and international partners, I ensure smooth coordination and keep all stakeholders aligned through expert project management.

  • Strategic Oversight and Detail Management: I become an integral part of the team each year to drive the success of each D&C Days event, ensuring they are dynamic and impactful year on year.

International Institute of Environment & Development & Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre

Paris, France
Marrakech, Morocco
Bonn, Germany
Madrid, Spain
Baku, Azerbaijan
Katowice, Poland
Online

Impact:

Over its 20-year history, Development & Climate Days (D&C Days) has emerged as a pivotal platform, uniting climate negotiators, grassroots representatives, researchers, and development practitioners in informal dialogues addressing the challenges of climate change and development. By fostering collaboration, storytelling, and innovation, D&C Days has influenced UNFCCC negotiations and spurred tangible actions.

“I've known Amy for many years and have worked with her closely on organising the Development and Climate Days. I can not reccomend her highly enough - her attention to detail, meticulous planning, creativity, good cheer and collegial disposition makes her an ideal candidate to plan and execute complex events on technical subjects. Amy is particularly good at staying cool in a crisis and calmly problem solving without causing a flutter- an invaluable trait in an event coordinator.”

- Aditya V. Bahadur, Director, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre

“Amy is exceedingly organized and detail oriented. She was always two steps ahead, anticipating what was needed, and ready to provide practical and thoughtful solutions that kept the D&C Days team happy and on track. Her experience with event organization is immediately evident. She is extremely responsible, responsive and perhaps the best multi-tasked I have ever worked with. Everything Amy did for the event was done efficiently and to the highest quality imaginable. Her judgement, ability to take initiative and collaborate was impressive. In addition, Amy's pleasant disposition, high-energy and good humor throughout the planning and execution of the event makes her a real asset to any team. I don't hesitate to recommend Amy most highly to anyone seeking a true professional who can ensure your event will be a success.”

- Carina Bachofen, Associate Director, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre

“I had the pleasure to work with Amy on the Development and Climate (D&C) Days. As one of the host partners I relied on Amy's logistical, organizational, and convening abilities. I am delighted to say D&C days was a huge success in terms of the number of participants, the quality of the discussions and the impact on efforts to build a more just and sustainable world. Amy's professionalism and skills provided all host partners - indeed all participants - with the platform to share ideas and build new collaborations. The event organization was seamless. Amy and her team planned all the logistics and location aspects well in advance. The attention to communications and marketing ensured significant participation from across the globe. The optics, atmospherics, and timing of the sessions enhanced the sharing of knowledge. I highly recommend Amy and her team and look forward to working them on the next D&C days.”

- Edward Cameron, Director of International Climate Initiative at World Resources Institute