Scholars
Lauren Gifford
University of Arizona + The Earth Commission
Based in
United States
North America
Lauren Gifford is a critical geographer exploring the intersections of global climate change policy, conservation, markets and justice. Her work asks how, and by whom, climate and conservation policies are enacted, and she has particular expertise in carbon markets and offsets, climate finance, and climate tech.
Dr. Gifford is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at University of Arizona’s School of Geography, Development and Environment, researching earth system governance, transformations, and safe and just climate adaptation with Dr. Diana Liverman and the Earth Commission.

Country(ies) of Specialty
United States PeruFocus areas of expertise
Climate policy and politics Net Zero Climate Justice Scientific assessmentsPublications
Articles
Gifford, A, with Luers, A, et al.2022. “Make greenhouse-gas accounting reliable — build interoperable systems.” Nature.
Gifford, A, with Rammelt, C, et al. 2022. “Impacts of Meeting Minimum Access on Critical Earth Systems amidst the Great Inequality.” Under review Nature Sustainability.
Gifford, A, with Gupta, J, et al. 2022. “Conceptualizing Earth system justice.” Under review Nature Sustainability.
Gifford, A, with Gupta J, Liverman, D, et al. 2021. “Reconciling safe planetary targets and planetary justice: Why should social scientists engage with planetary targets?” Earth System Governance.
Gifford, A. 2021. “The AAG’s emissions problem: Achieving carbon neutrality in a post-offset world.” Professional Geographer.
Special issue editors Gifford, A, with Knudson, C. 2020. “Climate finance justice: International perspectives on climate policy, social justice, and capital.” Climatic Change 161, 243–249.
Gifford, A. 2020. “You can’t value what you can’t measure:’ A critical look at forest carbon accounting.” Climatic Change.
Gifford, A, with Whitcraft, A, Becker-Reshef, I, et al. 2019. “No Pixel Left behind: Toward Integrating Earth Observations for Agriculture into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Framework.” Remote Sensing of Environment.