photo by Natalie Baillargeon
We bring the research to the people making the decisions.
Woodwell combines climate expertise with nonpartisan advocacy and outreach to impact climate policy on the local, national, and international levels. When our experts and their research are at the decision making table, alongside community partners and industry leaders, we generate durable, science-driven impacts.
CLIMATE POLICY
Since our founding in 1985, Woodwell Climate has been a trusted resource for scientific research as well as pragmatic, actionable solutions that drive national and international climate policy. Our founder, Dr. George Woodwell, as well as several of the Center’s leading scientists were instrumental contributors to the first U.S. congressional hearings on the threat of climate change in 1986, the creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In addition, two of our past presidents, John Holdren and Phil Duffy, have served as policy advisors in the White House.
Local Engagement
Our community based risk assessment work spans 80 communities across 14 countries, uniting global science with local impact. In the Mississippi River Delta, our Risk and Policy & Government Relations teams work hand-in-hand to translate climate data into actionable solutions. Partnering with the University of Memphis, our Risk team recently modeled extreme heat projections through 2050 for Eudora, Arkansas.
Leveraging this data, our Policy team is helping community leaders advocate for critical infrastructure, like additional cooling centers, to protect vulnerable populations and outdoor workers. By bridging scientific risk assessment with strategic government relations, we empower local leaders to proactively build climate-resilient communities.
photo by Eric Lee
National Policy
At Woodwell Climate, science is not just about learning, it is an engine for action. Our legacy of federal engagement began in 1986, when founder Dr. George Woodwell delivered historic testimony before Congress on the looming threat of climate change.
Today, that tradition continues. We focus on developing practical, scalable solutions grounded in rigorous research, ensuring decision-makers have the unbiased science and data necessary to drive real change. From Capitol Hill to presidential administrations—where Woodwell alumni have served as trusted advisors—we bridge the gap between research and policy, translating complex climate insights into lasting national impact.
photo by ©UNCCD Kiara-Worth
International Policy
Woodwell’s connects our scientific expertise with the urgent questions of global climate policy. Our scientists and policy staff engage at all levels – from local community and government work around the world, to regional conversation, global issue coalitions and at UN climate conferences – to turn our robust science into scalable solutions.
Woodwell expertise helps design robust roadmaps for ending deforestation, guides decisions on how much more greenhouse gas the world can emit before breaching the Paris Agreement’s temperature limits, co-creates science-based climate risk assessments and adaptation plans with communities and governments, advances work towards carbon-positive rangelands, strengthens global collaboration on wildfire prevention and response, and enhances the integrity of carbon markets.
photo by Mary Colvin / Erica Camille Photography
Climate Finance
To effectively combat climate change, investments in nature must be backed by credible science. At Woodwell Climate, we bridge science and finance to direct critical capital toward conserving standing tropical forests, agricultural and grazing lands, and empowering local communities.
Collaborating closely with on-the-ground partners—including the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we help design and strengthen jurisdictional frameworks.
By championing robust mechanisms like REDD+, Jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD+), and the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), we advance high-integrity climate finance and pioneer rigorous carbon accounting to ensure the validity, transparency, and real-world impact of global carbon markets.
Policy Briefs
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Case Studies
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