Dr. Jikku Kurien is an environmental economist and senior governance professional with deep expertise in climate policy, forest governance, and sustainable development planning. He holds a PhD in Ecological Economics and brings extensive experience working across government, multilateral programmes, and research institutions on complex, multi-sectoral environmental challenges.

He has provided strategic leadership to several high-impact state and national initiatives, including serving as State Scientific Coordinator for Kerala’s State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC 2.0), and contributing to the Kerala Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Carbon Neutral Pathway 2050. His work spans climate adaptation and mitigation planning, ecosystem restoration, participatory forest management, livelihood integration, and institutional reform, particularly in ecologically sensitive landscapes of the Western Ghats.

Dr. Kurien has authored and contributed to peer-reviewed publications, edited volumes, and government reports on ecological economics, ecosystem services, commons governance, and climate–livelihood linkages. He combines strong policy insight with econometric, geospatial, and programme evaluation expertise to support evidence-based decision-making. As Director of ESG Allianz LLP, he leads the firm’s strategic vision to strengthen environmental governance through science-led analysis, integrated planning, and technology-enabled transparency for governments, development partners, and responsible enterprises.