Matthew Emslie-Smith

Experience

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  Greenforce

  Sept 2010 - Dec 2010

  Volunteer Research Assistant
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  Operation Wallacea

  Jul 2011 - Aug 2011

  Research Assistant
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  The James Hutton Institute

  Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  Summer Scholar
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  Plateau Perspectives

  Mar 2017 - Apr 2019

  Project Officer- Conservation & Environmental Management

  In this role, I supported community-based conservation and sustainable development initiatives in high mountain regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This included partnering with Lapis Guides to develop a series of digital field guides to encourage greater engagement in conservation as well as conducting field work, including in the Yagnob Valley and Pamir regions of Tajikistan to support the goals of the organisation.

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  University of Central Asia

  Apr 2017 - Apr 2019

  Research Fellow

  This position, based in the University of Central Asia’s Mountain Societies Research Institute focussed on delivering research outputs under the theme of ‘conservation and development’. In this role, my research focussed on the intersection between large scale infrastructure projects, with local level development needs related to access to natural resources, rights to those resources, and protected area governance and policy in Kyrgyzstan. Under this role, I also supported the organisation of the 2018 World Mountain Forum, hosted by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the University, serving as the Youth Forum moderator in doing so. Additionally, I was the regional focal point for the ICCA Consortium, an organization that advocates for the appropriate recognition and support for indigenous peoples’ territories, where I worked with local partners to strengthen the network and organizational capacity of the Consortium within Central Asia. Show less

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  IUCN

  May 2019 - Apr 2024

  In this role, I worked to deliver IUCN’s mandate as advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, with a focus on monitoring the state of conservation of natural World Heritage sites in certain regions, as well as contributing to relevant World Heritage policy, strategy, capacity building and communication activities. Responsibilities included the timely and high-quality production of IUCN State of Conservation (SOC) reports, and their presentation at annual Sessions of the World Heritage Committee; participation in the necessary bilateral meetings and consultations with relevant governmental departments, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, other advisory bodies, indigenous peoples representatives and NGOs; day-to-day research and monitoring on the state of conservation of natural and mixed World Heritage properties, including through comprehensive analyses of technical reports (e.g. ESIA, SEA); participating in and organising all relevant aspects of IUCN on-site inspections, including planning, preparation, review and finalisation of mission reports. As the thematic focal point of climate change, I formulated and communicated key policy positions on behalf of IUCN during working sessions of the UNESCO Open Ended Working Group on Climate Change and World Heritage, leading to the adoption of the Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage at the 2023 General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention and coordinated a project to develop guidance for site managers and other practitioners in climate action for World Heritage. As the organisational lead for the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, I also advanced the initiative towards its next update in 2025, including strategy, fundraising as well as operational and methodological improvements ahead of the upcoming assessment cycle. Show less This position supported the coordination of the second update of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, with a particular focus on the processes related to the preparation of the updated Conservation Outlook Assessments (247 as of 2018). This included literature review and compilation of relevant documents on all natural World Heritage sites; management of these documents in the IUCN World Heritage Programme ‘knowledge bank’ (electronic document repository); liaison with knowledge-holders, including contracting experts involved in the update of assessments (assessors and reviewers); management of a contacts database of World Heritage experts; support to internal quality assurance processes for Conservation Outlook Assessments; and producing and editing content in the IUCN World Heritage Outlook website as related to the 2020 update of assessments. Show less

  • World Heritage Monitoring Officer

    May 2021 - Apr 2024

  • Junior Professional

    May 2019 - May 2021