Robert McLeman
Areas of Expertise
- Climate Change and Sustainability
- Environmental Policy and Management
Biography
I specialize in research on the human dimensions of environmental change, with particular attention to the relationship between environment and human migration; community adaptation to climatic variability and change; and, fostering citizen participation in environmental science.
As a former Canadian foreign service officer, I worked at Canadian diplomatic missions in Belgrade, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Seattle and Vienna. In recent years I have advised UN agencies, the World Bank, and governments in Canada, the US, and Europe on issues related to climate change, migration, and security. I am currently a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s working group on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation.
I hold a PhD in Geography from the University of Guelph (2005), a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of Hong Kong (1995), and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Western Ontario (1989).
Research Projects
- Modelling drought impacts on population patterns on the North American Great Plains.
- Assessments of the impacts of climate change and drought on global migration patterns for the World Bank and the UN Convention on the Control of Desertification.
- Coordinating a conference on environmental migration to North America, funded by the US Department of State.
- Co-directing the popular citizen science projects RinkWatch and NatureWatch.
Languages
- English
- French