Dr. Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola possesses senior-level experience in supporting policy influencing projects through advocacy, advisory, evidence gathering and dissemination work across 10 African countries and Europe. Dr. Okunola's research focuses on understanding the responses of individuals, communities and cities to global climate change and their capacities for adaptation and transformation.
Dr. Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola holds a doctorate in urban planning from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, where he conducted extensive research and analysis on disaster risk reduction practices in Nigerian cities. Prior to joining UNU-EHS as a Visiting Scientist, he also served as a Visiting Scientist at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and worked as a Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Specialist at the Institute for Land and Community Resilience, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. With over 10 years of experience, Dr. Okunola has collaborated with various regional and national government entities in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries, focusing on areas such as social cohesion, climate change adaptation and mitigation. He has been awarded various scholarships and awards by the German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD), Alexander Von Humboldt and Mary Fran Myers and other global organizations. He has clocked over 5 hours of media appearances on BBC, Radio France Internationale, Newzroom Afrika, News Central and many local radio services.