Member Details
Dr Ruth Adler
Non-Resident Fellow
Dr Ruth Adler is a former senior career officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Ruth served as Australian Ambassador to Ireland (2013-2016) and Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam (2006-2009), with earlier postings as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy, Mexico City (1998-2000) and Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy, Manila (1991-1994). Between 2009 and 2011, Ruth was Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Environment Branch. In this role, she advised ministers on climate and environment issues, sustainable development and the future of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). She was Australia’s lead negotiator for the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. She is also an independent consultant and director of the Centre for Political Studies (CPDS) Asia-Pacific Pty Ltd.
Ruth holds a PhD in Latin American politics and history from La Trobe University, a Graduate Certificate of Law (International Law) from the Australian National University, a Graduate Diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Spanish and Latin American Studies from the University of New South Wales. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and is fluent in Spanish. Ruth recently completed a PhD on the legitimacy of the Green Climate Fund with the Faculty of Law at the University of Tasmania. The title of her thesis was: ‘The Green Climate Fund: A Case Study in the Legitimacy of Global Climate Finance Governance’. Her research interests include international climate law and climate finance.