Dian Spear

Dr Dian Spear writes for Daily Maverick’s Our Burning Planet section and is based in Muizenberg. She was born, raised and schooled in Zimbabwe, and she studied wildlife conservation at Rhodes University, the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University. She has been a natural and social scientist, climate change consultant, research programme manager and copy and substantive editor of scientific papers. She has conducted research on antelope translocations in the game industry, introductions of alien species and their impacts in South African national parks and countries globally, and the adaptation of society to climate change. Dian has worked for the Global Invasive Species Programme, the Centre for Invasion Biology in Stellenbosch and the United Nations Environment Programme in Afghanistan, where she advised on the use of nature-based solutions to increase resilience to climate change. She has also managed an inter-disciplinary research programme on adaptation to climate change in semi-arid regions, which included engaging with and communicating research findings and recommendations to policymakers, practitioners and small-scale farming communities.