Dora Almassy is a sustainability professional with over 15 years of experience in international research, capacity-building and technical assistance projects. Most recently, she worked as an urban nature-based solutions (NbS) expert with various organisations, including UNESCO, the UNEP-Copenhagen Climate Centre, ICLEI Europe, the Asia-Europe Foundation and the British Academy. Between 2017 and 2021, she served as the research lead for the Horizon 2020 Nature-based Urban Innovation (Naturvation) project at Central European University, studying the characteristics and benefits of NbS in cities. Additionally, she also conducted policy assessments on SDG implementation through projects of the Asia-Europe Environment Forum, UNRISD, the IISD, and her doctoral research. Earlier in her career, she worked as a project manager and environmental financing expert at the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences and Policy, a postgraduate degree in Management from Sciences Po (Paris, France) and a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Miskolc (Hungary). Her research interests include urban NbS, urban landscape governance, climate adaptation in cities, environmental policy assessment, and environmental financing.

 

Education 

PhD                            Environmental Sciences and Policy

                                   Central European University, Budapest, Hungary (2012-2020)

Postgrad.

Diploma (PgDip):     Management Sciences Po Paris

                                   Collège des Ingénieurs and École des Mines, France (2007-2008)

MSc                           Economics, Finance and Accounting Specialisation

                                   University of Miskolc, Faculty of Economics, Hungary (2002-2007)

BSc                            Economics, Finance and Accounting Specialisation

                                   University of Miskolc, Faculty of Economics, Hungary (2002-2007)

 

Research Interests: Nature-based Solutions (NbS), Climate change adaptation in urban areas, Urban landscape governance, Environmental policy and project assessment, and Environmental financing

 

Work Experience

 
2017-2025      Urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS) expert and consultant:
2024-2025       Policy consultant for the ALBATROSS project, UNESCO: Cross-country analysis of NbS integration in the policies of selected African countries
2024                 Advisor, UNEP-Copenhagen Climate Centre: Financial and regulatory entry points for the integration of NbS in cities
2024-2025       Senior Advisor, Naturscapes Horizon Europe project: NbS Assessment in urban and peri-urban areas
2022-2023       Expert, ICLEI Europe/Covenant of Mayors Policy Learning Facility: Supporting European cities to implement nature-based climate adaptation                                      measures
2022                 Expert, ICLEI Europe/Network Nature: Research on high-quality NbS criteria
2022                 Technical expert, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency: Evaluation of benefits of urban NbS initiatives
2022-2023       Coordinator of the global extension of the Urban Nature Atlas, commissioned by the Asia-Europe Foundation and the British Academy
2017–2021     Research Lead at Central European University: Nature-based Urban Innovation (Naturvation) EU Horizon 2020 project and the development of the                              Urban Nature Atlas

 

2013-2022      Researcher on SDG Implementation (project-based positions):
2014-2022      Asia-Europe Environment Forum: Led research and capacity-building projects on SDGs, climate change, and circular economy policies in Asian                                 and European countries
2017-2018      United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): Contributed to assessments of UN SDG implementation in the Western                                       Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries
2013-2015      International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Contributed to research on Millennium Development Goal implementation and planning                            for the SDGs;
2014-2015      UN Environment Programme (UNEP): Lead author of Chapter 4 (Outlooks, Emerging Issues, and Megatrends) of the Global Environment Outlook-6                           (Europe); Researcher for the EEA Assessment of Assessments database.

 

2009-2014     Project Manager/Officer and Environmental Financing Expert, Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Hungary:

• Project manager for the Green Infrastructure Network (INTERREG IVC) project
• Project officer for the Regions for Sustainable Change (INTERREG IVC) project
• Expert on projects of the Environmental Financing Topic Area

 

Publications

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Almassy, D., & Prata Dias, G. (Forthcoming, 2026). Financing urban nature-based solutions: Addressing climate change in cities—investment structures and co-benefits. In R. Brears (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Nature-Based Solutions (Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Futures). Palgrave Macmillan.

Sarabi, S., Han, Q., de Vries, B., Romme, A. G. L., & Almassy, D. (2022). The nature-based solutions case-based system: A hybrid expert system. Journal of Environmental Management, 324, 116413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116413

Almassy, D. and Pinter L. (2018) Environmental governance indicators and indices in support of policy-making in Bell, S. and Morse, S. eds. (2018) Routledge Handbook of Sustainability Indicators. Routledge.

Pinter, L., Kok M., Almassy, D. (2015) Measuring Progress in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Kanie, N. and Biermann, F. eds. 2017. Governing through Goals. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Almassy, D. (2014). Transparency and accountability in the post-2015 development agenda. Media Asia, 41(4), 308–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/01296612.2014.11726903

 

Selected reports and studies

United Nations Environment Programme Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC). 2024. Business Models for Financing Nature-based Solutions in Urban Climate Action. Copenhagen, Denmark. (Lead author) URL

Bulkeley H, Almassy D, Fransen A, Maia S, and Toxopeus H. (2023). Enhancing Nature Provision in the Netherlands. The Hague: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. URL

Almassy, D., Sayman, R.U. and Pulawska G. (2022) Overview of Climate Change Mitigation Efforts in ASEM Partner Countries. With an Outlook on Circular Economy Transition. Asia-Europe Foundation. Singapore. URL

Almassy, D. (2022) Realising the Potential of Nature-Based Solutions for a Transformative Societal Change. The British Academy, London. URL

Almassy, D. and Pulawska, G. (2019) Implementation experience in ASEM member countries with the SDG 12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production. Asia-Europe Foundation: Singapore. URL

Almassy, D., Pinter, L., Rocha, S., Naumann, S., Davis, M., Abhold, K., Bulkeley, H. (2018) Urban Nature Atlas: A Database of Nature-Based Solutions Across 100 European Cities. URL

Özkaynak, B., Pintér, L., Almássy, D., Loewe, C., Mzavanadze, N., Rodriguez-Labajos, B., van den Bosch, M., Dahl, A., Floerke, M., Gaponenko, N., Kock, R., Kusch, S., Kirilenko, A., & Vihervaara, P. (2016). Chapter 4: Outlooks and Emerging Issues. In UNEP/UNECE, GEO-6: Assessment for the Pan-European Region. Nairobi, Kenya: UNEP.

Almassy D. et al. (2015) Who will pay for the Sustainable Development Goals? Asia-Europe Foundation. Singapore. URL

Pinter, L., Almassy, D., Czunyi, S and Offerdahl, K. (2015) Global Goals and the Environment: Progress and Prospects. The International Institute for Sustainable Development. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. URL

Almassy, D. (2014) Handbook for ASEAN Member States Government Officials on Climate Change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Hanns Seidel Foundation. Hanoi, Viet Nam. URL

 

International Training

EC-JRC Training on Composite Indicators and Multicriteria Decision Analysis (2014)

US Department of State International Visitors Leadership Program - Women Climate Leaders professional exchange program (2012)

University of Oslo International Summer School, Seminar on Sustainable Development and Energy Planning (2007)

 

Scholarships and Awards

Scholarship of the Central European University for doctoral studies in Environmental Sciences and Policy (2012–2015)

Scholarship of the US Department of State for the International Visitors Leadership Program (2012)

Scholarship of the Hungarian Scholarship Committee, University of Oslo International Summer School (2007)

Scholarship of the French Government for the 2007/2008 academic year

Pro Scientia Gold Medal of the Republic of Hungary, for outstanding undergraduate scientific research achievements (2007)

Scholarship of the Republic of Hungary for academic excellence (2005-2007)

General Electric Foundation Scholar-Leaders Program (2005-2007)