The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has appointed Dorah Modise as executive director, effective from February 24, 2025, following the retirement of Dr Crispian Olver, who President Cyril Ramaphosa subsequently appointed as deputy chairperson of the Commission from January 1.

Modise has more than 26 years of experience in environmental sustainability; international diplomacy; local, regional and national government; industry associations; and academia.

She served in several senior management roles at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) and was instrumental in drafting the adaptation component of the White Paper on Climate Change and establishing the National Green Fund.

While in the employ of the DFFE, Modise was part of the negotiating team and leader of the technical delegation for the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development at the Rio Plus 20 Summit in 2012, the PCC said in a statement.

Further, Modise also previously served as deputy director general at the Gauteng provincial department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and as executive director for city sustainability at the City of Tshwane, before her involvement in the private sector as CE of the Green Building Council of South Africa.

She is the current regional director for Africa for the cities' collaboration forum C40 Network.

She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science, a master’s degree in Environmental Development and Policy from the University of Sussex, and a post-graduate Diploma in Environmental Diplomacy from the University of Geneva.

“The PCC is delighted to have recruited a professional of impeccable record to take the helm of this organisation at this critical time and early steps in the implementation of the Climate Change Act, as recently assented by President Ramaphosa,” said Olver.

“With her time-tested multidisciplinary experience, we are confident that she will lead the PCC in mobilising and harnessing social dialogue and consensus, cooperation and action towards the achievement of South Africa’s just transition and the appropriate country responses and efforts for impactful climate action,” he added.