Sheila R. Foster

Sheila R. Foster is a Professor at Columbia University's Climate School and an affiliated faculty member at Columbia Law School, specializing in environmental and climate equity through community-driven solutions.

Her research centers on environmental and climate justice, urban policy, and land use, with pioneering work on the Co-City approach for reorienting cities toward collaborative, place-based solutions in marginalized communities. She emphasizes co-creation with frontline populations to ensure urban climate adaptation is both effective and equitable.

Notable awards include:

• IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Senior Scholarship Award (2018)
• Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL)
• Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF)
• Top 25 Thinkers in Local Government (LGIU, March 2025)

Professor Foster serves on critical policy bodies including the New York City Panel on Climate Change (since 2016) and the Environmental Justice Advisory Board, while co-editing the Journal of Climate Resilience & Climate Justice. Her community partnerships span Camden, NJ; Chester, PA; Harlem, NY; Baton Rouge, LA; and South Los Angeles, CA.

She co-directs LabGov, a research laboratory implementing the award-winning Co-City framework globally to foster just and self-sustaining urban communities.