Obama Scholar Juan Monterrey-Gómez, MAIDP Class of 2019

Growing up in a rural village in Panama, Juan Monterrey-Gómez, 26, didn’t understand what climate change meant as a young child. At that time, he didn’t know that every day, millions are impacted by rising global temperatures and destructive weather events, especially in small and poverty-stricken countries. But he endured the impacts of climate change first hand: Power outages were frequent and drinkable water was limited.

As a Climate Change Analyst at the Ministry of Environment of Panama, Monterrey-Gómez has worked across a wide variety of climate issues, from monitoring the implementation of mitigation-related projects, to drafting strategic national documents, to working on negotiations for the Paris Agreement. 

After the Paris Agreement was adopted, Monterrey-Gómez was able to assist on a national sea-level rise assessment where his passion for adaptation, a response to climate change that seeks to reduce the vulnerability of social and biological systems to sudden change, began. 

“The United Nations, multilateral organizations and donors have historically overlooked adaptation needs and have instead focused on emissions reduction,” says Monterrey-Gómez. “In 2015-2016, for example, $410 billion was invested in climate change globally. Only 5% went to adaptation. If the global community is serious about dealing with climate change, adaptation must be at the center of all efforts.”

Upon the completion of the MA-IDP program, Monterrey-Gómez plans to work with disenfranchised communities to design innovative policy solutions to deal with sea-level rise including actions the government can take to help these communities.

“The broad base of knowledge I will acquire through the MAIDP program will provide me with the training necessary to devote my life working toward the promotion of policies and investments to assist the poorest and most vulnerable to adapt to sea-level rise.”