Leon Clarke

Leon Clarke is a Research Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland and a Research Scientist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI), a collaboration between the University of Maryland and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He serves as Research Director for the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS). His expertise spans integrated assessment modeling, climate change mitigation strategies, energy systems, and policy design. Clarke holds a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering.

Clarke’s research focuses on advancing low-emission development strategies in China, India, and Latin America, energy-water-land planning, and climate mitigation by U.S. cities and businesses. He has led multi-institutional studies on climate mitigation and serves as a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report and the National Climate Assessment. His work emphasizes quantitative methods to inform policy decisions, including frameworks for measuring political economy progress in climate action.

Key contributions include analyzing coal phaseout strategies, methane abatement solutions, and pathways for achieving net-zero emissions. Clarke has advised on U.S. emissions reduction targets and collaborated internationally to enhance climate ambition in national policies. His leadership at CGS and JGCRI underscores his role in bridging scientific research and actionable climate policy.