Riyong Kim is Head of Sustainability Transitions (STR) at the European Environment Agency, responsible for the flagship State and Outlook of Europe’s Environment Report (SOER) and knowledge on foresight, system transitions, just transitions and social justice, environmental economics and sustainable finance, and governance relating to sustainability transitions. 

Prior to joining EEA, Riyong led the programme on Decision Metrics and Finance at EIT Climate KIC, working on systems innovation to tackle short-termism and mainstream climate in financial markets in the EU. She has also worked in global environmental and climate policy with UN Environment and UNFCCC, UN FAO, CIFOR, World Bank PROFOR, and for the regional ENPI-FLEG program with IUCN. 

Riyong has an interdisciplinary background in environmental science (B.A, B.Sc., M.Sc.) and Ph.D. In Natural Resource Economics from University of Copenhagen, Denmark. She started her career leading international development efforts in Timor Leste and Aceh, Indonesia, with the Australian Labour Unions, and brings experience from the Brazilian Amazon, and Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as EU and CEE countries.