My work is a reminder that climate change is about people, not just parts per million.
My story does not begin in an idyllic forest, but in the dirty air of my city, Medellín. It was there that I realized that “climate change” is not an abstract, distant threat spoken about in reports. It’s a matter of public health, a risk to infrastructure, and a question of social equity that is baked into the air itself. I realized that at its very root, conservation work is about and for people.
This lesson informed my early career. As an Environmental Engineer developing GHG inventories and contributing to Medellín’s Climate Action Plan, I felt the disconnect between data on a spreadsheet and the city outside my window. The turning point came when I began designing and facilitating co-creation workshops. At a table with community leaders, transit workers, and local officials, I found my purpose at the crossroads of data and dialogue. It was there I learned that the best climate plan is co-created with the community it serves, and that a “solution” ignoring systemic inequality is not a solution at all. A just transition is not an add-on; it is the only way forward.
Today, my mission is to scale that principle. Whether it’s convening international working groups at C40 Cities or assessing policy frameworks, my role is to help build the strategies and coalitions necessary for a truly equitable, net-zero future. This space is an extension of that mission—a place to critically examine the systems we have and discuss those we need to build.
I am forging a career dedicated to serving the organizations on the front lines of this work—the NGOs, multilateral organizations, and third-sector leaders who are making systemic change happen. If your mission aligns with mine, let’s connect. Together we can create a future that is not just sustainable, but fundamentally just.
NATALIA ARCILA
Focused on the nexus of climate action, urban policy, and air quality
THE CHALLENGE
Observing the global climate debate, I saw a persistent challenge. The public conversation often gets stuck between hopelessness and overly simple techno-fixes, failing to connect the dots among policy, finance, technology, and a just outcome for people. As a practitioner, this is a source of professional frustration, as I see great work happening in silos while the nuanced, systemic conversation needed to unite these efforts struggles to enter the public sphere.
I created this site to contribute my voice to that essential conversation. It is my platform for exploring systemic thinking, reflecting on my own experiences bridging global policy with local realities, and sharing my perspective on the holistic methods needed to rewire our world.
Ultimately, this is a space to develop and share my ideas on what it takes to drive a just climate transition. My hope is that it becomes a place where interesting conversations can converge—a place where other professionals on the front lines, from policymakers to third-sector leaders, can find a thoughtful perspective and a catalyst for new ideas. Because it is through sharing our knowledge collaboratively that we have the power to change our future.
Si te interesa estar al tanto de mis próximos proyectos, recibir información valiosa sobre sostenibilidad y clima, y acceder a contenido exclusivo, ¡te invito a unirte a mi lista de correos!.
Ser parte de esta comunidad te permitirá recibir directamente en tu bandeja de entrada actualizaciones sobre nuevas iniciativas, recursos prácticos y herramientas que te ayudarán a implementar soluciones sostenibles
