Ms. Maureen Abel, M.Phil. Candidate (Cantab), M.A. (NSUK), B.A. (UNIPORT), is currently pursuing an M.Phil. in African Studies at the University of Cambridge. Her research explores the intersection of climate change, human rights, indigenous knowledge systems, and environmental justice. Her academic and advocacy work focuses on integrating indigenous and cultural knowledge into global environmental governance, sustainable development, and rights-based approaches to climate resilience.

She is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and a Prize Studentship Recipient at the Joint Centre for History and Economics (JCHE), Cambridge. Maureen also serves as Research, Engagement, and Programme (REP) Assistant for the Democratising Education for Global Sustainability and Justice Programme at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge. In parallel, she is a member of the YOUNGO Council under the UNFCCC, where she serves as the 2025 Contact Point for the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Working Group.