![Paul Vermaak](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/10437?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Paul Vermaak
Teams and roles for Paul Vermaak
Overview
Paul has a dual engineering and natural science background. His career has spanned 25+ years, working on site, all over Africa, the United Kingdom and south-east Asia. He’s undertaken in-field specialist studies, permitting programmes and audits for various large- and mega-scale projects, working in various sectors, including Mining & Minerals (extractives), Oil & Gas, heavy industry (power, chemicals mostly), forestry and agriculture. He’s also led teams developing decarbonisation Standards for Sustainable (green) Financial institutions (Net-zero, Paris aligned & 1.5-degree criteria, used to tackle the hard to abate sectors).
He is currently leaning into sharing that knowledge through learning platforms and publishing, to help bridge the gap between early career engineers and the ever essential environmental specialists they encounter.
Good engineering, demands that:- sustainability isn’t a constraint, rather that it’s a design opportunity.
Teaching
My teaching spans a broad range of Earth, Environmental and Geoscience disciplines at undergraduate level. I support students from their very first steps as a Foundation Year Personal Tutor, and teach across multiple areas of the geosciences, including sedimentology, economic and exploration geology, and geodynamics. I also contribute to modules in the School of Geography and Planning and the School of Engineering.
This range takes students from the processes that shape Earth's surface and the deep-Earth forces that drive it, through to the formation, extraction, processing and recycling of mineral and energy resources. Fieldwork remains central to how I teach: it is the ultimate laboratory, where concepts and theory are tested and understood as part of the whole Earth system. Working across such varied subjects and settings allows me to help students draw connections between disciplines and build a well-rounded understanding of how the Earth works.
I'm a Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat., SACNASP), with degrees in Geology & Physics, and a background in Mechanical Engineering.
Core teaching:
- Geology (environmental, structural, economic & exploration),
- Geography (environmental) and
- Natural systems
Biography
I teach Earth Sciences and Geoscience courses at Cardiff University, from Foundation Year to final year.
Independent ESG, environmental and climate advisory (2019-present)
I founded and run an advisory practice providing environmental, ESG and climate guidance to the mining, built environment and agricultural sectors.
Sustainable finance (2022-2024)
As Head of Standards, I led the development of credible 1.5°C-aligned green finance criteria for hard-to-abate sectors, including cement, steel, hydrogen and critical raw materials, for the financial and sovereign (government) sectors.
Engineering and construction (2015-2019)
I worked as a senior project manager and lenders' technical and environmental advisor on major civil engineering and infrastructure investments.
Multinational environmental consultancies (2008-2015)
I led environmental permitting and impact assessments for mining projects across Africa and Southeast Asia. I also managed stakeholder engagement on numerous large-scale and multi-national infrastructure projects.
Specialist earth science consulting (2002-2008)
I began as a geologist and pedologist, working on soils, groundwater, geophysics and contaminated land across several firms and rising to head of department.
Education
B.Sc.(Hons) (Geology) and B.Sc. (Physics and Geology), B.Ing. (Mechanical, *incomplete), Johannesburg, Rand Afrikaans University