Out of hundreds of applicants globally, up to 20 International Climate Protection Fellows are selected, and Tieza was the only one to receive it from the whole Southeast Asian Region.
The award of International Climate Protection Fellowship is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety’s (BMU) International Climate Initiative (IKI), and the host institution (Think Tank) is the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
Recipients draw up their own research-based proposal in the field of climate protection or climate-related resource conservation during a one-year stay in Germany, which they then implement in collaboration with a host there. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation runs the programme in cooperation with the Federation of German Industry (BDI), the Centre for International Postgraduate Studies in Environmental Management (CIPSEM) at TU Dresden, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Renewables Academy AG (RENAC).
Programme objectives:
The global challenge posed by climate change can only be met by cross-border international collaborations. By enabling future decision-makers and multipliers to share knowledge, methods and techniques with specialist colleagues in Germany the programme promotes this objective, particularly by taking account of issues relating to practical applicability in the fellows’ own countries. In the spirit of Agenda 2030 and the related Sustainable Developments Goals, the programme seeks to contribute to the achievement of these goals by fostering prospective leaders with their undertakings and projects to combat climate change, to develop and implement adaptation strategies, to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity and to foster the sustainable use of the oceans and seas. Furthermore, it addresses sustainability topics relating to natural resources, resource-efficient consumption and urban development. The programme promotes the development of long-term contacts and collaboration with colleagues in Germany.
Tieza has moved around and lived in over fifteen different cities around the world. She has over a decade-long of experience working on her passion and advocacy for sustainability through social enterprises, startup innovation, sustainable and climate finance, impact investing, climate mitigation through energy and low-carbon economic transition, sustainable cities and landscape, and climate-resilient communities. She wears multiple hats serving as the Director for Sustainable Finance of WWF Philippines, City Girl-in-Chief of Sustain my City Movement, Founder and Convener of Unmask Movement, and remains an active alumna of the Global Shapers Manila Hub.