Fafali R. Ziga-Abortta

Biography

Fafali Roy Ziga-Abortta is currently undertaking his phd research on the role of policy networks and institutional vulnerabilities in flood disaster risk management. His work at the chair of forest and environmental policy broadly entails sustainability research and environmental policy analysis and specifically how actors interact amongst themselves and with governance arrangements, while integrating both quantitative (e.g. social network analysis) and qualitative (e.g. interviews, document analysis) approaches.

Prior to his current position, he had worked as a Research Assistant at the Oeko Institute, Freiburg. Amongst other tasks, he worked directly on the BIO-MACHT interdisciplinary project with a focus on “Power Aspects in Global Value Chains”. He co-authored the final report on Due Diligence, Certification, and Legality Verification of Timber from DR Congo. He has also undertaken extensive research on Timber Legality Verification in the context of the EU FLEGT VPAs with a special focus on Ghana.

Research Interests
I am an interdisciplinary researcher with a passion for developing innovative tools and participatory approaches to analyse vulnerability to natural hazards, social adaptation strategies and policy interventions in flood disaster risk management. My interest also includes policy dynamics between national forest governance in timber producing tropical countries and timber trade/legality regulation in the European union.

Specific research focus:
 Forest and global Environmental governance regimes
 Due diligence, legal timber verification, and accountability in global supply chains
 Resilience and vulnerability to natural hazards
 Flood risk management and disaster risk reduction