Dealing with climate change uncertainties and making the case to adapt

Jan Brooke

Jan Brooke is the Chair of PIANC’s Permanent Task Group on Climate Change and was a contributing author to both the Working Group 178 guidance on climate change adaptation and the Technical Note dealing with climate change uncertainties.  She is also the UK’s representative on PIANC’s Environmental Commission. 

In her ‘day job’, Jan works as an independent advisor on environmental and climate change adaptation to the various UK and European seaports. 

Brian Joyner

Brian Joyner is Moffatt & Nichol’s lead coastal and stormwater engineer in Virginia, USA. His 24-year career has focused on determining coastal and stormwater flood hazards at local and regional scales and designing projects to mitigate or withstand those hazards. His experience includes numerical modelling of stormwater hydrology/hydraulics, storm surge, waves, sediment transport, dune erosion and the effects of coastal and hydraulic structures.

Brian participated in developing the US Army Corps of Engineers’ post-Hurricane Sandy North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study (NACCS) and has led Moffatt & Nichol’s involvement in Joint Land Use Studies focused on flooding and sea-level rise affecting transportation in Virginia.  He is currently a PIANC USA representative on PIANC’s Permanent Task Group on Climate Change (PTGCC).

Gerardo Bessone

Gerardo Bessone is a Civil Engineer specialized in Hydraulics. He has over 20 years of experience in waterways and ports, having worked for EIH Consultant in Argentina, and for dredging companies such as Boskalis and Jan de Nul. Currently he’s in charge of the Dredging and Aids to Navigation department of the Port of Bahia Blanca in Argentina. A PIANC member since 2012, Gerardo is PIANC Argentina’s delegate to EnviCom since 2018, and since 2021 a member of the PTGCC.

Ingrid Lambert

Ingrid Lambert works as a Green Ports Consultant at Royal HaskoningDHV, based in the Netherlands. With 4.5 years’ experience in a range of international port-planning and feasibility studies and academic background in coastal engineering and management, she focuses on interdisciplinary sustainability and climate change aspects, from energy efficiency improvements and environmental management in ports, to climate resiliency of port infrastructure and operations, as well as Green Port policy development and guidance. Her climate risk and adaptation knowledge is supported by her role as Young Professional representative for PIANC’s Permanent Task Group on Climate Change.

Rhona Macdonald

Rhona Macdonald is the Policy and IMO Liaison Officer at the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) based in London. As part of this role, Rhona regularly attends the IMO committee meetings, including the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), and is focused on the regulatory and capacity building agenda of the IMO covering working areas relevant to ports, including maritime emissions, digital transformation and safety and security. As part of a dual role, Rhona is also the Sustainability Adviser at the British Ports Association, responsible for environmental policy matters.

Antonis Michail

James Trimmer

James Trimmer is the Director of Planning and Development for the Port of London Authority and is responsible for the initiation and implementation of the PLA’s approach to strategic marine and terrestrial planning, infrastructure development and transport issues throughout the tidal River Thames and its riparian hinterland.  A Chartered Town Planner and Chartered Surveyor, he is Authority’s lead for the development and facilitation of inland freight and passenger transport and is also corporately responsible for the Authority’s statutory consenting of river works and dredging under the Port of London Act 1968 (as amended).  In his previous role at the PLA he was responsible for the development of the approach and subsequent implementation of the PLA’s approach to climate change adaptation and its commitment to be Net Zero by 2040.

Aidan Kerr

Aidan joined Swiss Re's Public Sector Solutions team in August 2021 with a remit to lead on Swiss Re's engagement with Government, the public sector and industry bodies in the UK and Ireland.

Previous professional experience

Aidan has over 20 years' experience in banking, consulting, Government, and insurance.

Before joining Swiss Re, Aidan was Director of Operations at Flood Re, the insurer-led and Government-backed reinsurer designed to enable the availability of affordable home insurance for people at risk of flooding in the UK. Aidan led the negotiations with Government for the creation of Flood Re, then as part of the Flood Re leadership team led its design, build and operation of the scheme which has, to date, helped over 300,000 homes access affordable flood cover.

Prior to Flood Re, Aidan was the Head of Investment and Funding at the Environment Agency, responsible for ensuring that a £2bn budget for flood risk management was invested optimally for the benefit of the 1 in 6 homes at risk of flooding across England.

Educational background

Aidan is a Chartered Management Account and has a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, during which he published research work on organometallic chemistry. He has also contributed to publications on effective team-working, organisational effectiveness, and executive coaching.