George Municipality appoints an environmental officer

George Municipality welcomes Ms. Lauren Josias as the newly appointed Environmental Officer, beginning her tenure on 1 February 2024.

Coming from a robust background in the private sector, Lauren has been involved in project development for accessing funds from the Global Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility for climate change adaptation projects in least developed and developing countries, as well as small island developing states.

Her experience extends to the public sector, serving as an environmental officer for a local municipality in the Western Cape. In this capacity, she managed various responsibilities including the administration of the Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Extension Regulations, coastal management, pollution control and environmental planning.

Lauren holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management from Stellenbosch University and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree. Her research is focused on ecosystem service valuation under the total economic value framework. Complementing her academic achievements, she holds a BTech in Environment Management.

In her role at George Municipality, Lauren is committed to upholding the municipality’s environmental mandates and contributing to its strategic objective of achieving environmental sustainability. Her passion lies in mainstreaming climate adaptation and mitigation efforts into urban planning and agricultural development.

With pride, confidence, and a dedicated spirit of learning, Lauren looks forward to serving the communities of the City of George, Wilderness, and Uniondale.