John Carstensen

What do you do at Mott MacDonald?

I’m an international expert in climate resilience with more than 30 years of experience in the design and delivery of environmental programming and climate resilience policy. 

I use my experience and expertise to set strategic direction, and to support policy development addressing underlying environmental issues on projects in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. 

Tell us about your career journey

I have an unusual background for those who engage with climate change – I'm a lawyer by training. In the late 1970s, only very few had explored the legal aspects of environment legislation, but I was fascinated by it.

I specialised in environmental legislation in a role at a Danish environment protection agency. There I gained experience in areas including energy, waste and chemicals, giving me a broad grounding in environmental issues at a time long before people started talking about climate change.

This experience led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the United Nations. I joined two weeks after the signing of one of the most significant international agreements in the field of environment - the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer. I deliberately reached past a purely legal mindset to understand the science behind the problem and the technology options.

I worked alongside government ministers and some of the world's most imminent technology specialists to tackle the issue. However, a chat with the UN Environment Programme’s chief scientist raised a greater challenge – he told me climate change was going to be a much bigger issue. So, I got a very early appreciation for the crisis ahead – and I wanted to be part of the solution.

How do you contribute to Mott MacDonald making a difference to people and planet?

When I got an opportunity to join Mott MacDonald I grabbed it with both hands! My role here is incredibly interesting. It’s about international development and giving our company an even higher recognition and position in the climate change space.

I work with colleagues across the business to help them grasp opportunities by including a climate change offering as part of their arsenal. I believe we all have a role in tackling this challenge. Although our clients may need a climate change expert to guide them, each and every one of us has a task to help address climate change issues, whatever our role.

Do you have a mantra you live by?

Take the opportunities that come your way. You can always change course if the opportunity wasn’t what you hoped for. You cannot rewind the tape to take opportunities you previously passed on.   

And be kind to the people you meet on your way up. You will meet them again on the way down!

Describe your role on a landmark project

The challenge I take greatest pride in having been part of was the global efforts to protect the ozone layer. Not only did it turn out to be one of the most successful global environmental collaborations, it also provides so many lessons that could be used when addressing climate change.

I believe I helped making it a success by always seeking to listen to different points of view and worked hard to bridge opposing positions. That also required a high level of pragmatism to find compromises that worked for the vast majority, accepting that change often needs to be incremental. This was recognised by the global community when I was awarded the UNEP Global Ozone Award.

Today, when the Ozone Layer is on the mend, I can look at my granddaughters and know I helped them to have a safer future protected from excess UV radiation.