Sofia Kabbej is a researcher and independent consultant with expertise on the security and defense implications of climate change and climate intervention techniques. She advises public institutions, teaches at leading French and international institutions, and contributes to the public debate through conference appearances and media engagements. She is affiliated with the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), specializing on climate change governance and geopolitical/security implications, including of solar geoengineering. Sofia is also the co-founder of the Climate Security & Peace Project (CS2P) at the NGO CliMates, where she previously held senior roles on advocacy and tracking climate negotiations. She holds a PhD from The University of Queensland (Australia); her thesis examined the political factors influencing French engagement with climate change as a security issue. She also holds a master’s degree in international security policies from the European School of Political & Social Sciences (Université Catholique de Lille, France), and a bachelor’s degree in political science and communication from the Université de Montréal (Canada).
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Arowolo Ayomide Victor is a PhD Candidate in Meteorology and Climate Science at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), where his work explores atmospheric dynamics, climate extremes, and the societal dimensions of proposed climate intervention on the Western African climate system. He is a team member on solar geoengineering research, capacity building and engagement activities in this region through funded projects by The Degrees Initiative and Reflective, and has also worked on regional climate projects, such as assessing heat-health vulnerabilities in major African cities. His peer-reviewed publications cover ozone variability, aerosol–precipitation interactions, heatwave dynamics, high-resolution climate modelling, and climate intervention scenarios. Victor is also the founder and executive director of the EcoPath Environmental Sustainability Initiative, a youth-led African NGO championing climate education, air quality advocacy, and community engagement/resilience. He is committed to translating complex climate science into accessible insights and ensuring African priorities, values, and lived realities shape global conversations on climate futures. He also holds Master and Bachelor of Technology degrees in Meteorology and Climate Science from FUTA.
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Dr. Grace Mbungu is a Senior Fellow on Adaptation at the Africa-Europe Foundation and serves as an Adviser on Just Energy Transformation in Africa at Bread for the World. She is also a Climate and Energy Fellow at the Global Solutions Initiative, working at the intersection of energy policy, climate justice, and sustainable development. Previously, Dr. Mbungu was a Senior Fellow and Head of the Climate Change Program at the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI). Before that, she was a Fellow and Research Associate at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS)—now the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS)—in Potsdam, Germany. Her work has focused on the justice, politics, and governance of the global energy transition and climate action, the social dimensions of energy and climate action, and the potential of renewable energy development, and other innovative solutions to energy poverty and climate change, particularly in the Global South. With professional and academic experience across three continents, Dr. Mbungu brings a deeply contextual and global perspective to her work. She is committed to promoting inclusive, locally grounded, and internationally informed energy and climate solutions. Dr. Mbungu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Gender Studies and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, focused on human rights and international development from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, USA. She earned her Doctorate from the University of Stuttgart in Germany.