Yuping Qiu is a Programme Officer, C40 China Buildings Programme, supporting the development and implementation of ambitious citywide building energy efficiency initiatives. Prior to joining C40, Yuping worked as an Advisor at the Danish Energy Agency, part of the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, where she focused on collaboration with the Chinese government supporting UN sustainability goals. Based in the Department for Global Cooperation, Yuping was in charge of energy policy monitoring, report drafting and policy analysis. In addition, she brings experience from the Royal Danish Embassy in China, where she worked with consular affairs. Yuping holds a master’s degree in International Studies from Aarhus University, Denmark.
Zachary Tofias serves as the Director of the Food and Waste Programme at C40. His work supports C40 cities’ transition toward regenerative resource management and reducing emissions through more sustainable consumption. The Food and Waste Programme is helping cities accelerate a worldwide transition to more effective municipal solid waste management, and the implementation of comprehensive solutions that reduce carbon emissions and increase resiliency throughout the urban food system.
Zach has been with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group since 2007 in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative. Over the course of this time, he has been City Director in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, created and led the Climate Positive Development Programme, was the head of Urban Planning and Development, and recently was the Interim Director of Adaptation.
Since 2007, Zach has worked around the world with leading cities and the private sector on developing locally relevant solutions for replicable models of making cities more sustainable. Zach has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College.
Zarina serves as Head of Implementation in Africa, within the Regions & Mayoral Engagement Team, and leads in the region the C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme. In this role she works with seven C40 African cities to develop ambitious and robust long-term climate action plans that are compatible with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Prior to this, Zarina worked as a C40 City Adviser to Durban, where she supported the City to develop their Climate Action Plan. Before joining C40, Zarina worked at the National Business Initiative (NBI) South Africa as a project manager for climate change mitigation, where she managed work on the CDP climate change and water programmes in South Africa. She also worked with companies to build capacity and provide best practice guidance on greenhouse gas reporting. Previously, Zarina also worked as a Programme Officer for environmental, water and energy projects at the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), where she managed a low-carbon cities project, focusing on the City of Durban.
Zarina holds an MSc in Environmental Science and a BSc Honours in Environmental Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Zermina is the Director of Strategic Communications and Media. She is based in London, UK.
As part of her role, she oversees the strategic communications and media team. She also leads communications strategies for C40’s key milestones and events.
Zermina is a key connection point between C40 and the London Mayor’s Office. She leads on opportunities to further the reach and influence of the C40 Chair, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, raising his profile as a climate leader and showcasing the positive impact of his work as Chair.
Prior to joining C40, Zermina led communications teams in local and national government. She is fluent in four languages and holds an undergraduate degree in Law.
Zoe leads C40’s Zero Emission Vehicle Network, which supports 20+ cities to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and roll out charging infrastructure, whilst still creating cities that prioritise walking, cycling and public transport. She also works closely with colleagues to deliver C40’s Zero Emission Area programme and support cities to achieve their commitments under the Green and Healthy Streets Accelerator.
Before C40, Zoe has held roles in a variety of local non-profits, working on issues from healthy food provision, to refugee action, to domestic abuse support. She holds an MA in Conflict, Security and Development, specialising in sustainable development and environmental migration, and a BA in English, both from the University of Exeter, UK.
Zoë Chafe serves as Technical Lead for Air Quality at C40. In this role, Zoe provides technical guidance on air quality across C40 and leads C40’s air quality technical assistance program. Zoë has deep experience at the intersections of air quality, climate change, and human health. She served as Chapter Scientist for the Human Health chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report, and as a lead author of the Global Energy Assessment. As a consultant for the World Health Organization, she led a report on the air quality and health impacts of home heating with wood and coal. At the City of Oakland, California, she evaluated potential health and safety risks associated with the proposed handling of coal at a bulk commodities terminal. She also served on the research and communications staff of the Worldwatch Institute in Washington, DC.
Zoë holds a PhD (Energy and Resources) and MPH (Master of Public Health) from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the Young Scientists Summer Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and the Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability at Cornell University.
Zöe is based in London and leads the City-Business Engagement team, supporting C40 Cities to engage with businesses at a local, regional, and global level to support the implementation of their climate action plans. The City-Business Engagement team leads the City-Business Climate Alliance programme and supports efforts to develop public-private collaboration.
Before joining C40, Zöe managed a capacity-building programme for the UK Government, providing technical support to national and local governments across 16 middle-income countries, raising climate ambition and reducing emissions. Prior to this, she led climate for the Urban Systems team at Innovate UK, bringing innovative businesses together with cities. She also worked on research and innovation policy for UKRI USA at the British Embassy in Washington DC. Zöe holds a BSc in Physical Geography from King’s College London and also studied at the University of Chapel Hill in North Carolina.