About us
About us
What we do?
Environmental Markets Fairness Foundation focuses on promoting fair and transparent environmental markets, fostering traceability and effectiveness to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and other global environmental challenges. Our work centers on environmental communication and education, raising awareness and driving climate action in accordance with Articles 11 and 12 of the Paris Agreement, aimed at increasing public knowledge about climate change.
The Foundation is dedicated to facilitating access to climate finance tools that support sustainable, low-emission projects and implements Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to restore ecosystems and conserve biodiversity. Additionally, it promotes the development of environmental markets through high-quality carbon and biodiversity credits, positioning them as key economic instruments for environmental protection.
EMFF designs strategies to minimize environmental footprints and support the remediation of environmental liabilities, collaborating on the repair of caused damages. Furthermore, it supports the development of jurisdictional projects to strengthen the role of local actors in achieving climate goals. Finally, the Foundation drives an internationalization strategy that enhances its global positioning in the fight against climate change, collaborating with strategic international networks and alliances.
Foster and consolidate access to environmental markets, generating high-quality carbon and biodiversity credits while promoting fair pricing schemes that ensure adequate compensation for communities protecting environmental integrity. Encourage the development of projects that incentivize biodiversity conservation, integrating into carbon initiatives and other compensation mechanisms to create significant added value and broader environmental benefits.
Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) advocate for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of natural ecosystems as key strategies to combat climate change. This focus integrates biodiversity and ecosystem services into projects and programs, promoting resilient solutions that benefit both the environment and communities.
Facilitate access to financing mechanisms for conservation and climate change mitigation projects. Analyze and identify financial instruments to channel resources towards low-emission and climate-resilient initiatives, favoring the transition to cleaner economies.
Jurisdictional projects integrate climate action at the subnational level, collaborating with local and regional governments to implement policies and programs aligned with national and international objectives. These programs offer a comprehensive and efficient solution addressing key pillars, such as local governance, which provides the necessary institutional backing and scalability, allowing public and private projects to coexist while promoting inclusion and engagement of local stakeholders.
Strengthening environmental awareness and education through accessible and understandable dissemination of information about climate change, in line with Articles 11 and 12 of the Paris Agreement, is fundamental. By facilitating access to and understanding of this information, communities and key actors are empowered, promoting fair and effective climate action.
Focuses on designing comprehensive environmental solution strategies by measuring, managing, and reducing the environmental footprint of organizations and projects. This inclusive strategy addresses the needs of various sectors from a local ownership perspective, generating sustainable practices that minimize negative environmental impacts, favoring efficient resource management and a transition to sustainability.
Focus on addressing the need to repair environmental damage accumulated from past activities, seeking to design tailored solutions for each issue through advisory processes and the development of impact mitigation proposals to recover degraded areas for sustainable use and future conservation.
Promote active engagement in international networks and alliances dedicated to combating climate change. The strategy aims to position the organization within global arenas, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, resources, and technologies while supporting organizations in adopting ambitious environmental commitments and promoting sustainable practices through frameworks such as the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), fostering collaboration on climate solutions at a global scale.
About us
Meet our team
Patricio Lombardi
Executive Director/CEO
Patricio Lombardi, driven by his deep commitment to environmental integrity, has led the Environmental Markets Fairness Foundation since its inception. Based in Switzerland with ties to Latin America and West Africa, the NGO was established through a strategic partnership between national and local governments, civil society organizations, and regions with the planet’s richest biodiversity,aimed at promoting equity in environmental markets.
Currently, Lombardi has been invited as speaker at prestigious international institutions such as TED Talks by the European Union, IUCN, Pompeu Fabra University, BOCCONI University, the Ethereum Foundation, COP28 of the UNFCCC, and the Milan Stock Exchange. He has been featured in interviews with outlets such as Deutsche Welle, CNN, Agencia EFE, The Stanford University Journal, and The Lancet, where he has gained recognition for his leadership in carbon markets.
In 2020, Lombardi became the first-ever Minister of Climate Change in the Americas. During COP26 in Glasgow, he signed a historic agreement to protect Argentina’s portion of the Atlantic Forest, one of the five most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. He also led Argentina to become the first subnational government to sign a jurisdictional REDD+ agreement in the voluntary carbon market.
Lombardi’s professional career aligns with his passion; he has been actively involved in environmental and community projects for over 30 years. He is the founder of multiple NGOs, including Revolución 21, recognized as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
Early in his career, Lombardi served as Deputy Secretary of State for Latin America and the Caribbean in Florida under Governor Jeb Bush and worked in the private sector in Washington, D.C., before joining the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Joaquín Tempesta
Board Director
Argentine business entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in finance, investment banking, and business strategy, working across sectors such as energy, mining, and finance. He holds a BBA from UCA in Argentina and an MBA from Bocconi University in Milan, and is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland, where he continues to drive business and social initiatives aimed at Latam financial and economic development.
Mayra Berezowski
Executive Coordinator
Mayra Berezowski has successfully bridged the worlds of foreign trade, global policy, and environmental initiatives. With a solid academic background and a master’s degree in International Trade Relations, her career has focused on forging strategic partnerships that enhance global environmental impact. As current Executive Coordinator at the Environmental Markets Fairness Foundation, Mayra leads initiatives that connect key stakeholders in the pursuit of environmental solutions through transparent and ethical projects.
Her experience spans both non-governmental organizations and public sector management, with a notable role at the Ministry of Climate Change in Misiones, where she drove forward public policies centered on climate adaptation and mitigation. Mayra combines her extensive knowledge of international relations with a practical approach, integrating multiple perspectives to address global challenges from a holistic viewpoint.
Victoria Jilek
Technical Team
Victoria Jilek is a professional with a background in Philosophy, and over 15 years of experience in institutional communications. Throughout her career, she has advised governments on developing communication strategies in key areas such education, culture, science and technology. Her passion for writing has led her to develop and edit texts for institutional books, focusing on biodiversity, culture, and natural environments, with an emphasis on promoting and preserving these critical resources.
Deeply connected to nature and committed to environmental causes, Victoria blends her vocation with a clear purpose: raising awareness of the vital role nature plays in maintaining planetary balance and supporting human life. Her work reflects a personal conviction that education and communication are essential tools for addressing global environmental challenges.
Juan Emilio Bragado
External Consultant
With over 30 years of dedication to sustainable forest management, Juan Emilio Bragado has forged a strong bond with vital ecosystems. Educated at the Faculty of Forestry Sciences at the National University of Misiones, combined with his global engagements at institutions like Yale University and the United Nations, reflect his constant pursuit of innovative solutions to the environmental crisis.
His vision encompasses not only tropical forests but also the intricate relationship between nature and urban areas, where he has pioneered the implementation of technological tools like i-Tree software in Argentina. Throughout his career, he has led impactful ecological restoration efforts, managed complex environmental challenges, and built international alliances in the name of conservation.
One of his most notable contributions is the creation of the emblematic Tomo Reserve, a natural sanctuary where the first Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) was identified, solidifying its presence within the diverse fauna of the Atlantic Forest.
Justo Bensusan
External Consultant
Justo Bensusan is an economist with a solid background in the energy sector and a distinguished track record in sustainable finance. He holds a degree in Economics and has pursued postgraduate studies in Renewable Energy, Investment, and Finance at IEB. His professional experience includes serving as a financial analyst at Integra Capital, where he played a key role in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), primarily within the energy sector.
Currently, he serves as the Director of ACUDE, leading projects that seek to highlight the value of natural resources and biodiversity by integrating innovative solutions into their management and environmental preservation. Additionally, he evaluates environmental projects for the financial market, aiming to promote integrity and fairness in this field.
Nahuel Schenone
External Consultant
Nahuel Schenone has built a career defined by his deep commitment to ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.Holding a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires and a PhD in Sustainable Production, his academic background serves as the bedrock of a career committed to environmental research and action. His expertise in water chemistry, further developed through postdoctoral work and research on environmental microchemistry at the University of Graz in Austria, places him at the cutting edge of natural resource management.
Schenone has directed high-impact projects in ecosystem restoration and water resource management, notably his work with ACUMAR’s Water Management Plan and his leadership in native forest restoration initiatives. Internationally, his collaboration with the United Development Programme on promoting sustainable biodiversity use underscores his ability to create global solutions from a local perspective.
As an accomplished scholar, Schenone has made noteworthy contributions to scientific literature. His role in the publication 50 Years World Heritage Convention: Shared Responsibility – Conflict & Reconciliation (2022) was key in analyzing areas of conflict and strategies for ecosystem conservation. This work reflects his holistic approach and his ability to bridge science and practice in the quest for sustainable solutions to contemporary environmental challenges.