Andrea Meza Murillo is Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Prior to joining the Convention, she served as Minister of Energy and Environment for the Government of Costa Rica. She has over 20 years of experience in sustainable development, environmental public policies and projects, international diplomacy and negotiations. Her experience in senior positions in public and private sector, and in NGOs includes Director of Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica; Director of the Mesoamerican Office of the firm Studies, Projects and Planning (EPYPSA); and Director of the Program for Conservation of Private Lands at the NGO Environmental Law and Natural Resources Law Center (CEDARENA). She is a lawyer with a specialization in local development.