David Lapp is a climate resilience and capacity development expert with over 40 years of professional practice – first in consulting engineering, scientific investigation and management consulting supporting marine navigation in Canadian and international ice-covered waters, followed by a career in a variety of roles with Engineers Canada for 23 years until his retirement in May 2020. His roles at Engineers Canada included international affairs, engineering qualifications and engineering practice guidelines focused on climate change, environment and sustainability.
As an expert for the Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) initiative, David collaborates with Erik Sparling as part of the Climate Risk Institute (CRI) team to support the Government of Suriname Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment to address climate change priorities of the National Development Plan and National Adaptation Plan (NAP). The initiative aims to improve data and information collection systems and integrate climate change considerations into economic development policies, plans, and programs. Through targeted awareness building and training, the team will provide technical assistance to help improve the capacity of the Government of Suriname to plan, design, and build climate resilient infrastructure.
Based in Ottawa, David is an Ontario-registered professional engineer. He is a Senior Advisor on climate resiliency capacity development and assessments for CRI. David is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineers and a Fellow of Engineers Canada. Between 2007 and 2015, David served as the Secretary for the World Federation of Engineering Organization’s Committee on Engineering and the Environment for Engineers Canada, focusing on climate change, environment and infrastructure issues at the international level. In 2018 he was given an Award for Engineering Excellence from Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) for his work on climate change and engineering and an Engineering Excellence Award from the PEO Ottawa Chapter in the same year.