David Ciplet

David Ciplet is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Associate Chair of Community Engagement at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research examines power dynamics in global environmental governance, focusing on climate justice, sustainable energy, and equitable transitions to low-carbon economies. He holds a Ph.D. from Brown University (2015).

Key research areas include: 1) Achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 (clean energy access), 2) Fossil fuel divestment campaigns and human rights advocacy, and 3) Just transitions addressing inequality and climate change. He co-directs the CU Boulder Just Transition Collaborative, partnering with Boulder County to advance equitable renewable energy transitions.

His work combines participatory methods with transnational advocacy studies, emphasizing marginalized communities' leadership. He co-produces the The Brink podcast series on environmental inequities with KGNU radio. He advises graduate students with climate justice experience and undergraduate honors projects focusing on environmental justice.

Major collaborations include: Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab, AdaptationWatch, and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). His scholarship critiques neoliberal environmental governance while proposing transformative climate justice frameworks.