Oceans and Climate Expert Joins the Council Fire Team
Council Fire is excited to announce that the renowned Dr. Rod Fujita is joining the Council Fire team, bringing his extensive skills and tremendous experience to the benefit of our clients. Dr. Fujita’s accomplishments are legion. Internationally, Dr. Fujita has been integral in the successful TURF-reserve system and fishery reform in the Philippines and Belize, contributed to the passing of Japan’s most important fisher reform legislation in 70 years, and leveraged data-limited assessment and management methods in Belize, Mexico, Cuba, Chile, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
An early advocate of Marine Protected Areas, Rod has been involved in the establishment of over 10,000 square miles of MPAs including areas in California, Florida, and the Channel Islands. He has also been integral in policy development helping create and implement California's Marine Life Protection Act which resulted in the protection of 850 square miles of ocean habitat (15% of state territorial waters). He also participated in the creation and implementation of California’s Marine Life Management Act which mandates science-based fishery management planning and served on its Master Plan development committee, and he helped create and fund California’s Ocean Protection Council, an interagency coordinating & funding body.
Rod has also been instrumental in building capacity to protect the ocean and those whose lives depend on it. Over 35 years ago, he co-founded the Environmental Defense Fund’s Oceans program to apply science and economics to fishery improvement and has since worked in system mapping and analysis to understand complex system dynamics identifying high leverage interventions for system change. He has also mentored over 100 interns, students, and post-doctoral fellows during the course of his career.
A visionary pragmatist, Dr. Fujita brings both a deep understanding of the natural world, particularly its oceans and an understanding that human beliefs and behavior are the root causes of environmental problems - and that changes in beliefs and behavior are essential for solving them. He has spent much of his career studying the complexity of how ecosystems and communities interact in order to understand the impact each has on the other and to identify lasting solutions that heal the relationship between people and nature.
Rod has also contributed to the theory and practice of ocean conservation and the improvement of human welfare by publishing over 100 peer-reviewed articles and 2 books: the well-received Heal the Ocean: Solutions for Saving our Seas and the Nautilus Gold Medal Winner Making Shift Happen: Designing for Successful Environmental Behavior, which describes the science of behavior change as it relates to solving environmental problems and provides practical guidance for shifting actions and mindsets towards positive environmental outcomes.
Rod has been awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation, and the Lavern Weber Award for bring science to action in recognition of his accomplishments.
“Rod is an amazing addition to our deep bench of sustainability experts” says George Chmael II, CEO of Council Fire. “For nearly two decades we’ve been helping clients drive long-term success by redefining economic, environmental, and social profits. Rod’s approach to sustainability, acknowledging the human factor in environmental action is a perfect fit with our strategic, holistic approach to driving positive environmental, economic and social change.”
To read Rod’s bio, click HERE. To learn more about Council Fire’s sustainability services and start a conversation with our team, email us at info@councilfire.org or connect with us on our Contact Us webpage.