Esther Choi is Research Lead for Nature-Based Solutions and the Private Climate Sector at World Resources Institute. She leads research and engagement initiatives focused on scaling private-sector contributions to climate and nature action by aligning incentives, mobilizing capital and knowledge, and strengthening the enabling environments in which innovative solutions can emerge and scale.

Her current work centers on three intersecting areas: identifying ecosystem enablers for early-stage climate startups - particularly in emerging and developing economies; guiding companies and investors on nature-positive strategies; and advancing de-risking, blended finance, and institutional approaches that catalyze private investment for climate and nature action. Esther is also a Lead Author for the Finance Chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Seventh Assessment Report.

From February to July 2026, Esther serves as a Visiting Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), where her research and teaching focuses on sustainable finance, climate startup ecosystems, and the institutional conditions that enable climate innovation to scale.

With over a decade of experience spanning climate finance, sustainable development, and international governance, Esther has held research and policy roles at Stanford University's Sustainable Finance Initiative, the Green Climate Fund, the World Bank, and the Global Green Growth Institute. Her work has involved close collaboration with governments, investors, and multilateral institutions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America to design policies, financing mechanisms, and partnerships that support climate-aligned growth.

Esther holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.