The Mission Board for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change is an integral part of the Mission's Governance structure.
Find out more about the Mission Board below or visit the Register of Commission Expert Groups and Other Similar Entities.
With two decades of experience in international and domestic executive policy making, Ms. Connie Hedegaard is today assuming several key positions in support of a low-carbon and green economy.
Connie Hedegaard has had climate action as a centrepiece of her political effort since she was appointed Minister of Environment to Denmark in 2004. Her political career she initiated in 1984 when she was elected to the Danish parliament as the youngest ever to exercise the mandate. In 1990 she decided to leave parliament and focus on a career in journalism, achieving 14 years in the print press, as TV anchor and as head of Danish Radio News (DR), respectively. Hence, she has a very elaborate engagement in issues concerning the interplay between media, the public and democracy.
Connie Hedegaard was the European Commissioner for Climate Action from 2010 to 2014, during which she led the negotiations towards the adoption of the EU 2030 Climate and Energy Framework. As EU Commissioner, she was also responsible for the 2050 Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy and represented the EU in the international climate negotiations.
Antonella Morgillo is currently a meteorological expert with extensive operational experience in impact-based forecasting, climatology and early warning systems. Since 2022, she has been serving as a board member of the European Commission’s Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. In this role, she contributes to provide strategic advice on initiatives to strengthen climate resilience across Europe.
Since 2025 she has been a member of the Board of the European Commission’s Advisory Strategic Group of Destination Earth Initiative. She is an expert of the European Earth Observation Programme Copernicus and within the Italian Civil Protection, she serves as technical support and coordination on behalf of Copernicus National Focal Point.
PhD HDr, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Wrocław University of Science and Technology in Poland.
Barbara Widera is an architect, designer, and researcher specialising in nature-based solutions, bioclimatic and biomimetic architecture. She authored the award-winning book “The Process of Developing Relations with Nature in Contemporary Architecture” recognised by the Polish Academy of Sciences. Barbara is co-founder of the Research Centre for Sustainable Built Environment and was a Director of the PLEA 2024 Conference “(Re)thinking Resilience.” With expertise in energy efficiency, she consults and coordinates R&I projects on sustainable building and innovative environmental technologies.
Since 2014, she has been an expert for the European Commission and European Parliament, contributing to policies on energy efficiency, sustainable development, and cultural heritage preservation. She co-rapportered the Horizon Europe–New European Bauhaus Nexus Report and co-authored the Pontifical Academy of Sciences’ statement on climate resilience. A member of the EU Mission Board for Adaptation to Climate Change since 2022. In the New European Bauhaus Preparatory Action, she served as Dimension Lead Expert for Beauty, advancing aesthetics in sustainable design. Her work bridges architecture, climate resilience, and innovation, shaping strategies for a sustainable future.
Dr. Corina Murafa is a university lecturer and director of research projects in climate, energy, and sustainability at the Faculty of Business Administration, Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE). In her academic role, she teaches and coordinates applied research projects focused on the just energy transition, energy poverty, and ESG transformation, bridging rigorous policy analysis with real-world implementation. Her work at ASE actively connects students and research teams with policymakers, civil society, and the private sector to address pressing energy and climate challenges.
Alongside her academic activity, Dr. Murafa is an independent public policy expert who has advised major international and national institutions, including the World Bank, European Commission, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Ashoka, Environmental Defense Fund, national governments, NGOs, and multinational companies. Since 2023, she has represented civil society organizations working on climate and energy at EU level as a member of the European Economic and Social Committee, following several years of similar engagement at national level.
She is a co-founder of the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory and holds a PhD, with advanced degrees and fellowships at UC Berkeley, Hertie School of Governance, New York University, and ASE.
Dr. Eleni Myrivili is the Global Chief Heat Officer for UNEP and the Atlantic Council’s Climate Resilience Center. She is also Senior Adaptation and Resilience Advisor to the Global Covenant of Mayors. Dr. Myrivili is on the Boards of the EU Mission Adaptation and the WEF’s Global Risks Report. She lives in Athens, Greece and in the past, she served as elected Deputy Mayor for Urban Nature, Urban Resilience and Climate Adaptation as well the city’s Chief Resilience Officer and Chief Heat Officer.
Dr. Myrivili's climate resilience expertise and advocacy has earned her international recognition being among Nature’s10 people who helped shape science in 2023, Earth.Org's 10 women leading the fight against Climate Change in 2023, and PlanetMark’s 10 inspirational female voices for 2024. She delivered a TED talk, and featured in media outlets like CNN, Al Jezeera, and NHK World, and the New York Times. In 2022 she was in Politico's 28 list of most influential Europeans. Formerly a University Professor, she holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Columbia University.
Georgios Boustras was born in Athens in May 1973. George is a Professor in Risk Assessment at European University Cyprus, Director of the Centre of Risk and Decision Sciences (CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology) and Visiting Researcher at the National Observatory of Athens. He is a Member of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. He is a Special Advisor in Civil Protection and Crisis Management to HE the President of the Republic of Cyprus. He is a Scientific Director of Civil Protection Programs, reporting to the office of the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic. He has been involved in a number of emblematic reforms and has collaborated with the World Bank, OECD, Expertise France and the European Commission.
Drs. H.Th.M. (Hein) Pieper is president of the Water Authority Rijn & IJssel in the Netherlands and a member of the EU Mission board Adaptation to Climate Change. In addition, he volunteers in numerous roles across a range of civil society organisations. Among other things, he was a member of the Dutch parliament and vice-chairman of the Union of Water Authorities. He was the founder of the Blue Deal, a collaborative programme between Dutch Water Authorities and two Dutch ministries to help (vulnerable) countries with water management in general and climate adaptation in particular.
His specialities include water management, climate adaptation strategies, and strategic thinking based on Rhineland thinking rather than the Anglo-Saxon shareholder model.
Environmental scientist and civil engineer with a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management. Climate change specialist, he carries out most of his work in the third sector as Director of the Low Carbon Economy Foundation and the NGO CRESOL, contributing to citizen participation processes and educational initiatives focused on adaptation and resilience planning. His work bridges science, policy, and community empowerment, ensuring that local knowledge informs climate action.
He is also an EU Climate Pact Ambassador since 2021 and has worked as an external adviser on climate-related planning for international organisations, including AECID – the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation – and UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, supporting programmes across Latin America.
He additionally serves as a guest lecturer in the Master’s Programme in International Peace, Conflict and Development Studies at Jaume I University (UJI) in Castellón, where he teaches the course on Environment and Sustainable Development.
Karim Selouane has over 23 years of experience, ranging from industry to academia, as well as supporting public and private players in strategies for managing the climate resilience and adaptation of territories, cities and infrastructures.
Since fall 2025, Karim is Deputy Director of European and International Affairs of Cerema (French public operator of adaptation). Previously, Karim was Head of AdaptAction, the climate change adaptation programme of the French Development Agency (AFD) 2024-2025, and Head of resilience and adaptation to climate change at Vinci Construction from 2015 to 2024, where he founded and became CEO of RESALLIENCE, an engineering office dedicated to adaptation.
In 2021, Karim helped set up the Climate Change Adaptation Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP's) Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), of which he was subsequently appointed co-chair. Later in 2024, Karim actively contributed to the organisation of the first Buildings and Climate Global Forum co-organised by France and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), leading panels and recommandations on climate change adaptation on finance and insurance mechanisms. From 2020 to 2025 he was a member of the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investments (CCRI).
In 2022, he was elected as a member of the Mission Board on Adaptation to Climate Change of the European Commission.
Karim is a doctor and engineer from the Ecole National des Mines de Paris and the Ecole Nationale des Sciences Geographiques.
Senior advisor of Africa Climate Energy Nexus, EU Mission Board for the adaptation to the climate change Horizon Europe, Senior advisor at MedOr, Scientific Board of FEEM ENI Enrico Mattei Foundation, Associate Professor of CIRPS, Senior Advisor of Link2007, Member of Italian National Council for development Cooperation, Scientific Committee of Next new economy
Academic and working experience
PhD Technology La Sapienza University, MBA Open University, Magna cum Laudae degree Engineering La Sapienza University. Authored several books, articles and interviews in Italian, English and French.
Director at the European Commission for Planet and Prosperity, Twice Ambassador of the European Union, Assistant Director General special advisor FAO, Chair of Investment Committees and Investment Funds for Development, EC PPP coordinator, Private sector Marketing and Finance Manager.
Shane Ward is Emeritus Professor of Biosystems Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland, and Member of the European Commission’s Mission Board on Adaptation to Climate Change.
He has held several senior positions in academia and industry, including: Head of Production Research at Bord na Móna (Irish Peat Board); Director of the Soil and Water Management Centre at Harper Adams University, UK; Member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) at University College Dublin; Head of the UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine.
With over 200 peer-reviewed research publications, he has led several international research projects, such as the Sino-EU H2020 AgroCycle ‘Agri-Food Circular Economy’ project, and served as Scientific Director of CONSUS, one of Europe’s largest university-industry collaborative research and innovation projects in the digital agriculture domain, with focus on optimising agri-food chain efficiency, leading to concomitant benefits for the environment, economies and the citizen.
He is a special consultant to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), with a focus on sustainable agri-food systems and ‘circularity.’ He is currently involved in the development of a roadmap for implementing sustainable circular agri-food systems in Serbia.
Ms. Siret Talve was appointed into Board of EU Climate Adaptation Mission in September 2022. She holds a DSc in Environmental Technology from the Aalto University (Helsinki University of Technology). Her academic work has focused on the life cycle impacts of products, industrial ecology and cleaner production. Currently she is involved in Sustainability Studies at Tallinn University. Ms. Talve was Member of the Expert Group "Support to Circular Economy Financing" compiled by DG Research & Innovation of European Commission from 2017 to 2020. Between 2019-2023, worked in public sector as Scientific Adviser in the Ministries of Rural Affairs and Economic Affairs and Communications
Svetlana Zhekova has 25 years of experience in climate and environmental policy at national, EU, and multilateral levels. From 2004 to 2014, she served as Bulgaria’s Environmental Attaché to the EU, leading national negotiations on the EU Climate and Energy Packages and promoting EU climate ambition. She was also a long-standing participant in global climate negotiations as deputy head of the Bulgarian delegation to UNFCCC COPs.
In 2014, as Minister of Environment and Water, she led Bulgaria’s engagement in shaping the EU position for the Paris Agreement, contributing to a unified European stance. She later became Deputy Director General of Operational Programme Environment, overseeing programming and grant contracting under EU Funds. She contributed to the National Action Plan on Climate Change 2013-2020 and co-authored the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2030 within a World Bank–led team..
Internationally, Svetlana served as EU High Level Adviser in Moldova, where she also led a UNDP team developing the 2030 National Adaptation Program. She then worked with the Austrian Environment Agency on green transition agendas across the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans. Elected Vice-President of the UNFCCC Bureau at COP 28, she co-chaired the Eastern European Group until COP 29, focusing on climate diplomacy and strengthened regional cooperation. She currently leads a team supporting Serbia’s EU accession negotiations in environment and climate and contributes to the World Bank’s Country Climate and Development Report for Bulgaria.
Prof. Taina Tukiainen is a Member of the Climate Adaptation Mission Board and has served as an expert and adviser to the European Union since 2015. She is Research Director at the University of Vaasa and holds professorial positions in Sustainable Leadership, Corporate Entrepreneurship, and Innovation at the University of Turku.
Previously, she was a Professor at Aalto University and a visiting research fellow at Stanford University, MIT, and Witten/Herdecke University. She has also worked as a Senior Scientist at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
Prof. Tukiainen has broad experience across industry, government, and academia. She has spent several years working at Nokia, in various ministries, and at multiple universities, contributing to major initiatives in sustainability, digitalisation, energy transition, and innovation.
She is passionate about advancing green and digital transformation, promoting sustainable energy solutions, and supporting innovation-driven development for a more climate-resilient future.
As a hobby, she is an organic farmer, sustainable forest owner/steward, and a sustainable tourism entrepreneur, reflecting her commitment to nature, local development, and responsible tourism.