Ruben Elischer is an intern with The Hague Academy for Local Governance. Although a German national, he spent more than 13 years in Botswana and Zambia. Having completed his BSc in International Social and Public Policy at the University of Bristol, and his MA in Development Studies at the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, he is passionate about local governance issues. Notably, he has focused on the governance dynamics of climate change, specifically researching how climate change adaptation and mitigation can become more localized, inclusive and effective.