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 brings over 20 years of expertise in sustainable development, having worked in more than 15 Latin American countries to formulate public policies, participate in international negotiations, and execute climate, conservation and restoration projects. Previously, she held a number of senior positions, including 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 Programme for Conservation of Private Lands at the Center for Environmental Law and Natural Resources. She is a lawyer with a specialization in local development. Ms. Meza Murillo has a notable history supporting UNCCD’s work, especially around the Desertification and Drought Day 2021 hosted by Costa Rica, rallying up global ambition to restore degraded lands.