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Location: Meeting Halls A&B, HQ1-3-430A&B
You can read the write up here and watch the event on YouTube here
Climate change has emerged as one of the most critical macroeconomic and financial challenges facing the IMF’s membership in the coming decades, putting these issues at the heart of the IMF’s work. Part of that work includes launching a new open online course and other training resources on climate change economics, all aimed at expanding member countries’ capacity to translate their climate targets into practical policy actions. In this session, participants will get a peek inside the Fund’s immersive climate change training through a blend of interactive multimedia, real-time feedback, and in-depth discussion with expert climate economists.
Opening remarks:
Gita Gopinath, IMF First Deputy Managing Director
Gita Gopinath is the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as of January 21, 2022. In that role she oversees the work of staff, represents the Fund at multilateral forums, maintains high-level contacts with member governments and Board members, the media, and other institutions, leads the Fund’s work on surveillance and related policies, and oversees research and flagship publications. Ms. Gopinath previously served as the Chief Economist of the Fund from 2019-22. Prior to joining the IMF, Ms. Gopinath was the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Economics at Harvard University’s economics department (2005-22) and before that she was an assistant professor of economics at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business (2001-05). Ms. Gopinath received her Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 2001, after earning a B.A. from Lady Shri Ram College and M.A. degrees from Delhi School of Economics and the University of Washington.
Speakers:
Chen Chen, Technical Assistance Advisor, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department
Chen Chen is a Technical Assistance Advisor in the Climate Unit at the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF. Her works focus on climate change adaptation and management of low carbon transition in developing countries. She has also been supporting the development of capacity development tools related to climate policies. Prior to joining the Fund, she was an economist at the World Resources Institute, and in academia where her areas of research include integrated assessment modelling, climate risk management, and green investments. She holds a PhD in public economics from the Catholic University of Milan.
Irene Yackovlev, Senior Economist, IMF Communications Department
Ms. Yackovlev is an experienced Senior Economist at the IMF. She is currently the head of the Communications Department matrix team that oversees strategy and policy communications. In recent years, her role in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department has been focused on advancing the IMF’s work on climate change, social spending, gender, and other emerging policy areas. She helped co-author the IMF’s new climate strategy and leads the technical team that wrote and is working to operationalize the Strategy for IMF Engagement on Social Spending. She also coordinates the IMF’s work on the G20 Compact with Africa, contributes to the development of policies for small developing states, and is a country reviewer for several emerging market and developing economies. She deep experience working on IMF-supported economic reform programs, including advising Ecuador during the pandemic and Portugal during the global financial crisis. Ms. Yackovlev received a B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University and was a PhD Candidate at MIT prior to joining the IMF. She is from Venezuela.
