Denis Korchunov

I did my studies at Law School in Moscow and at the University of Toronto, where I got interested in energy-saving technologies and renewable energy sources. My main desire was to find a field of work that would be in demand in the global marketplace over the next few decades. This is how I ended up working at the UNDP Regional Hub in Jordan as a sustainable energy specialist.

My office in Amman works with 16 countries (Middle East, North Africa) and Palestine. My responsibilities include initiating new and working on ongoing projects in the field of alternative energy and the use of green technologies for the energy transition at the national level.

One of my most memorable experiences in the Middle East has been developing and supporting green energy access programs in countries in prolonged civil conflict, such as Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia. It is in these countries that my professional experience, combined with my volunteer work, has helped local people recover from a crisis.

At the moment, I continue to work as a sustainable energy specialist at the regional level. This work encompasses several areas. For example, at the global level, I am actively involved in reporting to the UN Secretary-General on practical solutions to the energy crisis that has begun in 2022. At the regional level, I am involved in developing partnerships, projects and events, such as COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the UAE. Finally, at the national level, I support the country offices in the region.

Given the heterogeneity of the region, within a week I may receive a request from Yemen to develop a low-carbon strategy until 2050, a request for assistance in designing a solar power plant in Djibouti, or repairing reservoirs and setting up drinking water supplies in Libya. Each country in the region has its own green energy goals and objectives, and my role is to help each of them, taking into account the economic and human dimensions.

Volunteering at the UN in the Arab region gives me the opportunity to develop new clean energy projects both for hydrocarbon-rich countries and for the most vulnerable populations affected by lingering climate crises and civil conflicts.

UN Volunteering is a great experience working with an international team of professionals and an opportunity to implement creative solutions. It helps change the way of thinking and look at many issues from different perspectives.