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 a Senior Manager for the Climate Action Planning Africa Programme, within the Measurement and Planning Team. In this role, she works with 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. Prior to 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 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 Head of Communications and Press Secretary to C40 Chair London Mayor Sadiq Khan and is part of the Political Strategy and Leadership team. She works closely with the Communications and Events team and is based in London, UK.
Zermina is a key connection point between C40 and the London Mayor’s Office, where she leads on developing and executing the Chair’s communications strategy. She leads on opportunities to further the reach and influence of the C40 Chair, raising his profile as a climate leader locally, nationally, and globally, showcasing the positive impact of his work as Chair and as Mayor of London.
Prior to joining C40, Zermina led environment communications on the Economic Development, Housing, Land and Environment team at London’s City Hall. Here, amongst other things, she led the communications strategy for the expansion of the world’s first 24 hour Ultra Low Emission Zone, the Mayor’s presence at COP26 and the launch of the Mayor’s climate campaign.
Prior to City Hall, Zermina worked in the communications team at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Zermina holds an undergraduate degree in Law from City University London.
Zoe works on the Zero Emission Vehicles network and grant funded projects, working closely with the ZEV Programme Manager and the rest of the Transport and Urban Planning team. This involves managing webinars and workshops for the network, working with cities to identify priorities and challenges in terms of ZEVs, and developing grant-funded projects to assist cities on specific barriers.
Previously, Zoe managed communications and events for London-based refugee charity Breadwinners and ran a local non-profit sharing cheap, local vegetable boxes with the student community. She also holds a 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.