Kelly Levin

Senior Associate, Pillar Lead TRAC Policy

Bio

Kelly Levin is a senior associate with WRI’s global climate program. She focuses her work on supporting countries in the design and tracking of climate commitments, as well as planning for long-term transitions associated with decarbonization. Kelly closely follows the negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and analyzes related emissions reduction commitments. Kelly also plays a leading role in WRI on communicating climate science developments.

Kelly pursued her doctoral work at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where her research focused on adaptation policies to contend with climate impacts to biodiversity. During her PhD studies, she was also a writer for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Reporting Services, covering the UN climate change negotiations. Kelly has also worked as a climate policy/technical analyst at NESCAUM (Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management), where she devoted her time to developing a regional greenhouse gas registry in the Northeast and assisting states in the development of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Kelly holds a PhD and Master of Environmental Management from Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale College. She has been awarded the Google Climate Science Communication Fellowship and the Academic Council on the United Nations System Dissertation Award, and is a Switzer Fellow, Teresa Heinz Scholar, and Udall Scholar.

Blog Posts

According to New IPCC Report, the World Is on Track to Exceed its “Carbon Budget” in 12 Years
by Kelly Levin - October 07, 2018
Scientists have calculated the amount of carbon dioxide the world can emit while limiting warming to the internationally agreed upon goals of 1.5°C-2°C. This amount is our “carbon budget.” We're on track to exceed it in little more than a decade.
Half a Degree and a World Apart: The Difference in Climate Impacts Between 1.5˚C and 2˚C of Warming
by Kelly Levin - October 07, 2018
Countries around the world agreed to limit global temperature rise to 1.5˚C-2˚C. A new IPCC report finds that the half-degree difference matters—a lot.
8 Things You Need to Know About the IPCC 1.5˚C Report
by Kelly Levin - October 07, 2018
New research from the world's leading climate scientists finds that annual emissions will need to be roughly half what they are today by 2030 in order to limit temperature rise to 1.5˚C. Exceeding this level of warming will bring climate impacts so catastrophic the world will be unrecognizable.
This Month in Climate Science, August 2018: Runaway Warming, Marine Heat Waves and Foods Get Less Nutritious
by Kelly Levin and Dennis Tirpak - September 17, 2018
This month's discoveries inch us towards a more perfect understanding of the carbon cycle, and the various ways we are changing it.
Recent Scientific Advancements Show New Connections Between Climate Change and Hurricanes
by Kelly Levin - September 14, 2018
Scientists have known for years that global warming can exacerbate storms. But our understanding of the connection between hurricanes and climate change has evolved significantly in just the past year.
6 Ways to Remove Carbon Pollution from the Sky
by James Mulligan, Gretchen Ellison and Kelly Levin - September 10, 2018
To prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we'll need to not just reduce emissions, but actually remove some carbon dioxide from the sky.
INSIDER: 10 Reasons Why Accounting for NDCs Matters
by Cynthia Elliott and Kelly Levin - September 07, 2018
You could say the heart of the Paris Agreement on climate change are countries’ NDCs, their commitments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. If your heart was underperforming, your doctor might recommend an EKG to monitor it and look...
This Month in Climate Science: Extreme Weather, Glaciers Losing Mass and Ecosystems Less Effective at Storing Carbon
by Kelly Levin and Dennis Tirpak - August 07, 2018
Recent research is summarized, including information about ocean currents, the summer fires and heatwaves, and a conclusion that the carbon budget might be smaller than previously believed.
This Month in Climate Science: Faster Antarctic Melt, Slower-Moving Storms and Disappearing Artifacts
by Kelly Levin and Dennis Tirpak - July 19, 2018
Every month, climate scientists make new discoveries that advance our understanding of climate change's causes and impacts. Research published in June 2018 revealed record flooding in the United States, dying ancient trees, threatened corals and more.
INSIDER: What’s Changing As Countries Turn INDCs into NDCs? 5 Early Insights
by Mengpin Ge and Kelly Levin - April 18, 2018
As countries formalize their climate action plans, some are shifting to more stringent targets, increasing transparency, and reflecting recent developments in knowledge and technology. Some countries, however, have lowered their ambition or made tweaks that make their commitment less clear.

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Kelly Levin

According to New IPCC Report, the World Is on Track to Exceed its “Carbon Budget” in 12 Years

Half a Degree and a World Apart: The Difference in Climate Impacts Between 1.5˚C and 2˚C of Warming

8 Things You Need to Know About the IPCC 1.5˚C Report

This Month in Climate Science, August 2018: Runaway Warming, Marine Heat Waves and Foods Get Less Nutritious

Recent Scientific Advancements Show New Connections Between Climate Change and Hurricanes

6 Ways to Remove Carbon Pollution from the Sky

INSIDER: 10 Reasons Why Accounting for NDCs Matters

This Month in Climate Science: Extreme Weather, Glaciers Losing Mass and Ecosystems Less Effective at Storing Carbon

This Month in Climate Science: Faster Antarctic Melt, Slower-Moving Storms and Disappearing Artifacts

INSIDER: What’s Changing As Countries Turn INDCs into NDCs? 5 Early Insights

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