Mariana Fernández García

In the position of Manager, Social and Environmental Safeguards on the Sustainable Development (SD) Program and Innovation Department, Mariana supports the revision of social and environmental safeguard requirements across all Verra programs, particularly those related to customary and land rights. She supports the team in developing tools and guidance to report on safeguards and SD impacts in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, Mariana assists with developing CCBS and SD VISta Program updates and with the capacity building of Verra staff, project proponents, VVBs, and other stakeholders regarding social and environmental safeguards.

Mariana has over 10 years of experience working with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) rights, stakeholder engagement, due diligence, and risk assessment in environmental projects.

She was part of the stakeholder engagement team at the Nature Conservancy for their REDD+ projects before moving to the Tenure Facility, a Norwegian and Swedish governments organization. At the Tenure Facility, Mariana worked with due diligence and risk assessment in AFOLU portfolios to ensure compliance and protection of IPLC rights and land rights. In her last position at South Pole, she focused mainly on creating a quality assurance framework, including safeguards and monitoring and evaluation (technical, social, and environmental) for the carbon projects in their portfolio, including both Sustainable technologies and Nature Based Solutions.

Mariana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and International Relations, a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Development and a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Sciences. She currently lives in Stockholm, Sweden. Mariana speaks Spanish, French, English, German, and Swedish.