Hillary Masundire

Zimbabwe (currently residing in Botswana)

Managing Director, Sustainable Climate Solutions (Pvt) Ltd

Professor Hilary Masundire is a distinguished ecologist and a former professor at the University of Botswana, where he has served in the Department of Biological Sciences for over three decades. With a D.Phil. in Ecology from the University of Zimbabwe, his academic journey began with research on zooplankton and fisheries in Lake Kariba and evolved into a remarkable career dedicated to freshwater ecosystems, wetland management, climate change, and sustainable natural resource governance across Southern Africa and beyond.

For nearly 40 years, Professor Masundire has conducted cutting-edge research and high-level policy advisory work in ecological assessment, climate change adaptation, wetland conservation, environmental flows, waste management, and biodiversity. His extensive portfolio includes significant contributions to international assessments such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5), and the World Commission on Dams. He has provided technical support to governments on their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar Convention, and other multilateral agreements.

His research spans applied and academic fields, and he has supervised numerous postgraduate students on topics ranging from algal blooms and aquatic biodiversity to climate-resilient water management. Professor Masundire has led and participated in international development and consulting projects, including strategic environmental assessments, transboundary diagnostic analysis, wetland inventories, ecosystem restoration, and community-based conservation planning. He has been involved with key transboundary river basin initiatives in the Okavango, Limpopo, and Zambezi systems.

He has held leadership roles with the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, serving as Regional Chair for Africa, Global Chair and later as Senior Advisor to the Steering Committee. He also helped shape the Okavango Delta Management Plan using ecosystem-based approaches and has championed the integration of science into environmental decision-making.

Professor Masundire’s work is widely published and has made a lasting impact on policy, research, and capacity development throughout the African continent. His legacy lies in his ability to bridge ecological science, local knowledge, and policy frameworks to promote sustainable and equitable management of natural resources.

He is currently the Managing Director of Sustainable Climate Solutions (Pvt) (Ltd) that provides research, consulting, capacity building and advisory services on a wide range of environmental issues.