Background
John Ashton was born in London on 7 November 1956, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, and at Cambridge University, where he read Natural Sciences specialising in theoretical physics.
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John Ashton
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John Ashton Commander of the Order of the British Empire was the Special Representative for Climate Change at the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2006 until June 2012, Director for Strategic Partnerships at LEAD International, and is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Third Generation Environmentalism.
Education
John Ashton was born in London on 7 November 1956, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, and at Cambridge University, where he read Natural Sciences specialising in theoretical physics. On graduation in 1977, he spent a year as a research astronomer at the new Cavendish Laboratory.
Career
John Ashton joined Her Majesty Diplomatic Service in 1978 and spent two years at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. In 1980, he was sent to Hong Kong as a Language Student. From 1981-1984, he was posted as Third Secretary later Second Secretary to the British Embassy in Beijing, where he served as science officer
He was China desk officer at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1984-1986.
As First Secretary, he was seconded to the United Kingdom Cabinet Office from 1986-1988. Ashton was then posted to the British Embassy in Rome until 1993, where he carried out the first ever study for the British Government of the Mafia and the dangers it posed to British interests.
From 1993-1997, John Ashton was seconded to the Hong Kong Government as Deputy Political Adviser to Governor Chris Patten, dealing with matters relating to Hong Kong"s transition to Chinese sovereignty. He was closely involved in all major dealings between the United Kingdom and China concerning Hong Kong.
During this period, his interest in the environment drew him towards the diplomacy of global climate change.
In 1998 he became Head of Environment, Science and Energy Department (ESED) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Which he then took the initiative in 2000 to restructure as Environment Policy Department (EPD) in 2000. John Ashton left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2002 to found E3G, an independent not-for-profit organisation that works in the public interest to accelerate the global transition to sustainable development.
In June 2006, Ashton rejoined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and was appointed Special Representative for Climate Change by Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett. Ashton was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to international climate change.
He also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Climate Institute, Washington District of Columbia, and of the United Kingdom Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.
Prior to the 2015 United Kingdom general election, he was one of several celebrities who endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of the Green Party"s Caroline Lucas. They have one son, John, b.
Membership
Ashton is a Member of the Green College Centre for Environmental Policy and Understanding.
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Born
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Nationality
United Kingdom -
Political Party
Green Party