Lessons from Gulf Cooperation Council Countries’ Participation in the Clean Development Mechanism

Principal Fellow- Climate & Sustainability Mari is a policy-oriented social scientist who has been studying climate change, energy transitions and sustainable development policy in the…

Mari is a policy-oriented social scientist who has been studying climate change, energy transitions and sustainable development policy in the Gulf and globally for 17 years. At KAPSARC, she leads research projects on carbon markets and Paris Agreement Article 6, and on the Circular Carbon Economy Index.

She has worked for other leading energy, sustainable development and foreign policy research institutions, including the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (Earth Negotiations Bulletin), Georgetown University, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and the Emirates Diplomatic Academy.

Mari holds a master’s degree in political science and international politics from the University of Helsinki and a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern studies from Durham University.

In addition to a broad research publications portfolio, she has substantial experience in executive training, presentations, policy advisory, and reporting services for multilateral environmental negotiations.

Expertise

• Climate Change Policy and Governance
• Net-Zero Energy Transitions
• Circular Carbon Economy
• Sustainable Energy Policy
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement
• Verification and Reporting
• Carbon Markets
• Paris Agreement Article 6

Research Associate- Oil & Gas Zlata leads “The Future of Hydrocarbons in a Carbon-Managed World” project, aimed at estimating the consequences of international carbon regulation…

Zlata leads “The Future of Hydrocarbons in a Carbon-Managed World” project, aimed at estimating the consequences of international carbon regulation for hydrocarbon markets, with producers starting to offer carbon-neutral LNG and carbon-neutral oil cargos.

Previously, Zlata worked in the Energy Center of the Skolkovo Business School, where she researched natural gas and LNG markets and organized the international Energy Summer School for several hundred participants from all over the world.

Later, she joined the Business Strategy Department in NOVATEK, Russia’s leading independent gas producer, where her main focus was on strategic forecasting and international cooperation in LNG, hydrogen and CCUS.

Since 2020, Zlata has also been a member of the Future Energy Leaders Programme of the World Energy Council.

Expertise

• Carbon-Neutral Trade of Hydrocarbons
• LNG
• Carbon Markets
• Hydrogen
• Energy Policy
• Energy Transition in Conventional Economies