Amber Johnston-Billings is RESOLVE’s Head – Energy Transition and leads an initiative called Mission Critical, which supports society to progress the development of critical minerals in a responsible way. This includes advancing the needs and rights of nature, Indigenous people and communities and designing solutions to challenges.
Amber is a driven senior leader with a desire to protect the natural spaces we all depend on, while finding solutions to allow for modern development. With a strong technical background in government affairs, the mining sector, on-the-ground community development, strategy and risk management, Amber leads teams to achieve win-win outcomes.
Amber has worked on the ground in both developed and developing countries, negotiating agreements, delivering extensive community investment, resolving conflicts and mediating win-win outcomes with complex, multi-stakeholder groups. Some examples of this work include conducting community lead testing in Namibia and implementing a response plan, working with small-scale farmers to embed climate smart agricultural practices in West Africa, negotiating benefit agreements with Indigenous and Tribal Nations in British Columbia and Alaska, and negotiating solutions for environmental pollution in transboundary waterways between the American and Canadian Federal and State/Provincial governments.
Working with all levels of government, including Indigenous governments, Amber has delivered policy and regulatory thought leadership and advocated for responsible business practices. At the United Nations Environment Programme, she supported sub-national governments to develop greener economies. At Teck Resources, Amber substantially improved the governance structure for sustainability and participated in a number of commercial and strategic transactions, including leading the strategy and negotiation of the “net-benefits” for Canada, as part of an $11 billion dollar divestment. Amber also has deep climate expertise having supported a range of industries in mitigating and adapting to climate risks, and in setting and achieving ambitious net-zero targets.
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Macquarie University
Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, The University of Western Australia; Postgraduate Diploma, International Climate Policy and Carbon Accounting, North Metropolitan Technical and Further Education
Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Strategy Development, Policy Design, Community Development, Indigenous rights
I am motivated everyday by the opportunity to work for a mission driven organization that encourages reaching across the divide, and finding solutions to the worlds most pressing and fundamental challenges."
