Svetlana Zhekova has 25 years of experience in climate and environmental policy at national, EU, and multilateral levels. From 2004 to 2014, she served as Bulgaria’s Environmental Attaché to the EU, leading national negotiations on the EU Climate and Energy Packages and promoting EU climate ambition. She was also a long-standing participant in global climate negotiations as deputy head of the Bulgarian delegation to UNFCCC COPs.
In 2014, as Minister of Environment and Water, she led Bulgaria’s engagement in shaping the EU position for the Paris Agreement, contributing to a unified European stance. She later became Deputy Director General of Operational Programme Environment, overseeing programming and grant contracting under EU Funds. She contributed to the National Action Plan on Climate Change 2013-2020 and co-authored the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2030 within a World Bank–led team.
Internationally, Svetlana served as EU High Level Adviser in Moldova, where she also led a UNDP team developing the 2030 National Adaptation Program. She then worked with the Austrian Environment Agency on green transition agendas across the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans. Elected Vice-President of the UNFCCC Bureau at COP 28, she co-chaired the Eastern European Group until COP 29, focusing on climate diplomacy and strengthened regional cooperation. She currently leads a team supporting Serbia’s EU accession negotiations in environment and climate and contributes to the World Bank’s Country Climate and Development Report for Bulgaria.