Lynn McNair reflects on her history with Salzburg Global and the partnerships needed to enable just energy transitions
C. Lynn McNair is the inaugural president of the Windward Fund, an independent 501(c)(3) organization in the USA. Lynn most recently served as the Chief Advancement Officer for Georgetown Day School, and immediately prior to that, as Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships for the Alliance for Excellent Education. Previously, Lynn served in leadership roles at the Internet Society, the Salzburg Global Seminar, the American Association of University Women, the National Governors Association, and The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Lynn holds an MA degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, a BA from Upsala College, and executive management credentials from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Audrey Plimpton, Salzburg Global Communications Manager: What does a just energy transition mean to you?
Lynn McNair, President, The Windward Fund: Just energy transitions, to me, means you're looking not just at those countries that have benefited greatly from oil and gas and the proliferation of fossil fuels. But how do you protect the marginalized communities and bring them along so that they don't suffer as a result of the transition? A just transition means you're bringing everyone along, especially those that are most impacted by the use of fossil fuels and the transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
AP: How will this dialogue influence your work on just energy transitions in the future?
LM: I was thinking about that last night. The table conversations on a variety of issues made me think: What could we do after this session? I like the idea of a series of sessions that bring policymakers, implementers, and practitioners together to figure out how you finance this work and really make it happen. It’s going to take time to make our vision reality, but Salzburg Global could be the incubator for such planning and opportunity. And that’s super exciting to me.
AP: Why did the Windward Fund partner with Salzburg Global to initiate the Policy Dialogue on Just Energy Transitions?
LM: Windward is all about energy, climate, and environmental issues. We look at a lot of issues related to climate change and environmental justice issues, biodiversity and water, and food and agriculture. So this [partnership] seemed natural… When I joined Windward, I asked myself: "How do I build relationships with organizations that would find support from Windward really beneficial and that could expand our message beyond the borders of the U.S. and really engage the global community about what's happening in the environment and what's happening in climate change?" This is one of the reasons why I thought it was really important to support this effort…
AP: You served as Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships from 2006 to 2012 here at Salzburg Global. How has your experience at Salzburg Global impacted your life, either personally or professionally?
LM: Salzburg Global will always have a place in my heart… It is an opportunity to listen to people from all walks of life, to get an opportunity to hear their points of view on a variety of issues. I lived and worked in a global setting in the past, but not like Salzburg. Salzburg Global is transformational. I remember thinking when I first came over: “What is the hoopla about? What is all the noise?” And then, after going through a session, as a staff person, and seeing the transformation that took place with the participants, made me realize there is magic here. It may take a few days to come about. But once that magic happens, the energy that takes place between the participants, the staff, and others that make up Salzburg Global really makes it a wonderful place to be.
…I'm always happy to come back to Salzburg. It's a sense of belonging and community that you don't find in many places. People are always welcoming, [and it is] always an opportunity to feel like you belong when you do come… For that, I'm really grateful and thankful that I've had the opportunity to support Salzburg [Global]. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and I'm now in a position to be able to do that. I'm super excited about what will come next.
C. Lynn McNair attended the “Policy Dialogue on Just Energy Transitions: Identifying Pathways to Prosperity Post Fossil Fuels” in September 2024.
The "Policy Dialogue on Just Energy Transitions: Identifying Pathways to Prosperity Post Fossil Fuels" was held from September 8 to 12, 2024 at Salzburg Global. It was co-hosted with Climate Strategies in partnership with the Stanley Center for Peace and Security and the Windward Fund.
