Sri Lankan Elilini Hoole among delegates at COP28

Elilini researches development-oriented climate policies in support of vulnerable communities

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) was held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12. The focus was on Climate Justice, Climate Finance, Climate Adaptation, Loss and Damage, Climate Technology, etc. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, accompanied by three ministers and two opposition MPs, was joined by twenty young participants. This was the largest-ever Lankan delegation at a climate summit. His technical delegation consisted of 15 negotiators and ministry officials. It seemed a bash. A night at the hotel was US$300 and upwards.

Among the delegates was Elilini Hoole of Jesus College Cambridge who was sponsored by her Department through The Centre for Climate Repair. She made do with Air B&B accommodation, given that 97,000 delegates were registered for in-person presence (not counting the many who presented online).
James Perkins, Head of Research Excellence, British Council, expressed in November his delight in announcing a new partnership supporting an international early career research programme at the University of Cambridge on community-led climate resilience. Both awards went to women. 
One was to Elilini Hoole who, Perkins said, is looking at the intersectional experiences of women farm operators in Sri Lanka navigating the challenges of aridification and male-centric agricultural marketplaces. Elilini researches development-oriented climate policies in support of vulnerable communities and has advised on and designed developmental strategies for climate responses in vulnerable regions affected by conflict and climate disasters. 
Elilini’s wide-ranging experience includes a) Middle East and Eurasia Regional Proposal Development and Grants Coordinator at Save the Children International in Jordan, b) Refugee proposal development at Impact Initiatives in Geneva and C) Associate Director (Grants) at World Vision in Sri Lanka. She has also taught Grant Proposal Development at Baldaeus Theological College in Trincomalee.
As a programme development service consultant, Elilini’s focus is on cultivating high-impact and risk conscious projects to optimise green outcomes in complex settings. Her accurate and analytic insights come from 10+ years’ experience overseeing $338.4 million in programme development for 25 organizations in 20 developing countries. She has a high demonstrable success rate in her raising $70 million through institutional donor proposals, reflecting her deep understanding of donor procedures and the ability to bridge multi-partner priorities.
Elilini made 5 presentations at COP28 and had the daunting task of chairing an Expert Panel that included Princess Esmeralda of Belgium. All speakers stuck to their allotted time and did not need the chair’s intervention. The Panel was on Furthering Technology Transfer under the Paris Agreement to Drive Carbon Dioxide Removal and Effective Adaptation at the Climate Law and Governance Initiative. 

Elilini works under Shailaja Fennell, Professor of Economic Security and Resilience at the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge. After she handed in her doctoral thesis on Agriculture, and Economic and Social Justice Policy, she is employed there supervising research students.
She is moved to action by the sad lot of women in Sri Lanka. Her work ethic is driven by that empathy to create opportunities for women. She is an old-girl of Methodist College Colombo and is the daughter of her proud parents, Professor Dushyanthi Hoole and Professor 
Ratnajeevan Hoole.