Lauren Gifford

Education

Postdoc, University of Arizona + The Earth Commission

PhD in Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder

MA in Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College

BA in Communications, American University

I am a critical human-environment geographer exploring intersections of global climate policy, conservation, markets and justice. Theoretically, I draw on political ecology, science and technology studies, and critical development geography. My research examines the evolution of climate finance, and the incorporation of tech industry interests, venture capital, and new technologies, with a particular focus on carbon removal, markets and offsets.

I am Associate Director of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center at Colorado State University, and where I founded the Carbon Finance Bootcamp, and hold a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability where I teach graduate and MBA courses on greenhouse gas policy, carbon finance, and climate justice. I’m also Faculty Fellow with CSU’s School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES).

I've conducted mixed methods field research in the Peruvian Amazon, on Cuban organic farms, throughout Maine's forests, at the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change, and at countless civil society meetings around the world. I regularly consult with governments, NGOs, financial institutions, foundations and tech start-ups on climate and environmental policy.

Prior to joining CSU I was a postdoctoral researcher with the global Earth Commission, and taught courses at Northeastern University’s D'amore-McKim School of Business and Metropolitan State University of Denver.

After earning my Master’s degree I spent three years managing the Climate Justice Research Project at Dartmouth College. I began my career as a newspaper reporter for two of Maine’s (best!) weekly newspapers: The Mount Desert Islander and the Ellsworth American.

I am a long-time volunteer with the global Climate Justice Now! network, working to build capacity for marginalized populations within the UNFCCC. I advised the Fijian delegation negotiating the climate finance tract of the Paris Agreement at COP21.

From 2019-2021 I produced and hosted the art & environment podcast Carbon Social Club.