MRLS Alumna Discusses Her Work with United Nations

Ambika Chawla

Ambika Chawla  graduated from the MRLS Program in December 2012 and currently works as the “Cities and Climate Change Specialist” for the United Nations in Vietnam. She recently told us about her current responsibilities.

"In terms of the scope of my work, I conduct research and writing to develop arguments for why Vietnam must introduce a comprehensive national urban and climate policy which encompasses strategies for both greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and climate change adaptation. 


I just completed writing the UN’s official policy paper on cities and climate change for Vietnam. In addition, I am co-author of the UN’s Green Growth City Development Strategy (GG-CDS) for Da Nang City (Vietnam’s fourth largest city). The GG-CDS aims for Da Nang City to become the first “ecological city” in Vietnam and in the Asia-Pacific Region. 

There are many ways in which the MRLS Program prepared me for this position. For one, I often have to give presentations about my work at UN Conferences and Seminars. The public speaking skills that I learned in the MRLS course have prepared me to take on these challenging public speaking assignments. 

I have to review the environmental enforcement and compliance policies of cities in Vietnam. In addition, I have to analyze Vietnam’s climate change policies, as well as international climate change policies. I have no doubt that the environmental law courses that I took in the MRLS course prepared me for this exciting and challenging position. 

I really love my work! My colleagues are from all parts of the world and I am constantly challenged and learning from my talented and dedicated co-workers. More importantly, I have no doubt that my work will contribute towards making this world a more socially just and environmentally sustainable place."

We are proud to count Ambika as one of our graduates and wish her continued success in her sustainability and climate change projects with the United Nations.