SDSN Andes Network Manager Elected to the General Assembly of the Charles Darwin Foundation
Dr. Jorge Gómez-Paredes, Network Manager of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s Andes Network (SDSN Andes), has been elected as a Governing Member of the General Assembly of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands (CDF), the foundation’s highest governing body. Dr. Gómez-Paredes’ appointment recognizes his leadership and dedication to sustainability and biodiversity conservation, both as an academic and as a project leader.
The CDF’s General Assembly brings together distinguished scientists and global leaders, as well as representatives from the Ecuadorian Government and members of the Galápagos community, to provide strategic direction and oversee the fulfillment of the foundation’s mission. Dr. Gómez-Paredes’ election to the General Assembly further strengthens the CDF’s scientific excellence and commitment to the long-term sustainability of the Galápagos Islands.
Dr. Gómez-Paredes & SDSN Andes
As Network Manager of SDSN Andes, Dr. Gómez-Paredes has actively contributed to the development and implementation of numerous regional initiatives and projects.
Among these efforts, he assembled a bi-national consortium of organizations from Colombia and Ecuador, including universities, NGOs, and national research institutes. In this role, he led the project Biodiversity Conservation in the Mira and Mataje Rivers Basins in the tropical Andes and Chocó biogeographical region, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. This project enabled the compilation of a large, open dataset on the region’s flora and fauna, later published in Nature. The project also contributed to the development of a binational conservation strategy framework for Colombia and Ecuador and led to the creation of an open-access knowledge platform dedicated to conservation-relevant data for the region (Wiki-Mira-Mataje).
In addition, Dr. Gómez-Paredes supported the identification of a newly discovered species and played a key role in naming one of the amphibian species, Pristimantis praemortuus, whose name — derived from the Latin term praemortuus (“before dying”) — highlights the urgency of addressing global biodiversity loss.
Dr. Gómez-Paredes’ academic work focuses on pathways for sustainability transitions and the identification of key leverage points for their implementation, including those related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). His research examines the structural dynamics that both enable and hinder progress toward these goals, such as the effects of international trade. He has contributed to advancing the concept and analysis of SDG-spillover effects and, through his leading role in SDSN Andes, has collaborated with SDSN Global and partner networks such as SDSN Germany to emphasize shared global responsibilities, call for stronger international cooperation, and promote greater policy coherence, including through contributions to the T20 policy process.
To learn more about the regional network’s initiatives and events, please refer to the SDSN Andes webpage.