Three Cairns Scholars
Natalia Espinosa Caballero, Colombia
Goal: Create legal and social strategies for establishing low-emission agricultural and clean energy practices
Natalia Espinosa Caballero was born and raised in the Cordoba region of northern Colombia, where one in four workers is employed in the agricultural sector. While farming and livestock production are vital to Cordoba’s economy, they are also taking a toll on the environment, Espinosa says.
“My upbringing influenced my particular interest in this issue,” she notes.
For the past five years, Espinosa has been practicing environmental law at Colombia’s leading law firm, supporting energy companies with legal strategies as they transition to more sustainable sources and processes. Since 2021, she also has served as an advisor to the Colombian startup WËIA, a Farm Now-Pay Later Supply Chain FinTech.
“Coming from Colombia's livestock center, I witnessed the significance of sustainable practices in the face of climate challenges,” Espinosa says. Her decision to apply to YSE, where she is now enrolled in the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) degree program, was “motivated by a profound desire to contribute effectively to food, agriculture, and energy systems.”
Espinosa plans to use her training to advance both legal and social strategies for establishing low-emission agricultural and clean energy practices in Colombia. Specifically, she hopes to work in the private sector as a chief sustainability officer, designing high-impact, high-returns sustainability strategies.
“My aim is to foster an interdisciplinary understanding that harmonizes legal principles with the scientific intricacies underpinning effective environmental management,” she says. “I place immense trust and faith in the educational excellence offered by YSE and its global leadership in comprehending and addressing the formidable environmental challenges facing our planet.”
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