The Varda Group was established in 2003 by Kelly Rigg and Rémi Parmentier. We now have operations in the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK and we work with an extensive network of freelance collaborators. We’ve campaigned to protect the deep sea, sharks and tuna, the climate, health from smoking and on many other issues.
Welcome to The Varda Group
The Varda Group provides strategic advice and campaign expertise and coordination services across a wide range of international environmental and social issues. The Varda Group consists of Varda BV (The Netherlands), Varda Desarrollo Sostenible SL (Spain), and Varda Ltd (UK). In addition, The Varda Foundation (Stichting Varda) is a not-for-profit organisation that has the capacity to carry out charitable projects. The Varda Group was established in 2003 by Rémi Parmentier, Kelly Rigg, and Elaine Lawrence who have been leading campaigns for over 30 years on oceans, climate, disarmament, human health and many other issues. Our specialties include:
- Campaign coordination and leadership
- Political campaigning and advocacy
- Strategic planning
- Project design and management
- Campaign and organizational evaluation
- Meeting facilitation
- Communications strategy design
- Event organization
- Campaign training
Varda staff are fluent in English, French and Spanish (and to a lesser extent Dutch and Portuguese).
2020
February 2020
- Drafting submission Responsibly Addressing the Ocean in the Context of Climate Ambition, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Because the Ocean Initiative to the Ocean Dialogue at the 52nd Session of the UN Framework Convention’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA)
- Invited speaker at WWF workshop “Blue Road to Glasgow, COP 26, and Beyond”
- Participant in UK Minister Zac Goldsmith‘s Marine RoundTable
January 2020
- Advice and support to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on the socioeconomic aspects of the global energy transition, including attending the 10th annual IRENA Assembly
2019
December 2019
- Participation in COP25 on behalf of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Because the Ocean Initiative, and in cooperation with the Thyssen Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Foundation.
November 2019
- Conference in Madrid, COP25, the BlueCOP, hosted by the Spanish Network for Sustainable Development (REDS)
- Blue is the New Green, op-ed published by Virgin Unite on the eve of the COP25
October 2019
- Participation and presentation at the Our Ocean conference in Oslo
- Facilitation of the Ocean & Climate Nexus conference in Paris, on behalf of the Tara Ocean Foundation
- Drafting, design and publishing the Ocean for Climate report, on behalf of the Because the Ocean initiative
- Participation in the WTO Public Forum, on behalf of the Friends of Ocean Action
