Susan Biniaz

Susan Biniaz is a Lecturer and Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. She currently serves as a deputy to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, leading U.S. climate negotiations. Previously, she spent 28 years at the U.S. State Department as Deputy Legal Adviser, specializing in climate law, treaty practice, and international environmental agreements.

Her expertise spans legal frameworks for climate diplomacy, outer space law, maritime law, and transnational challenges like Somali piracy. She has advised on Middle East, European, and Western Hemisphere policies, blending legal analysis with geopolitical strategy.

Teaching focuses on international agreement negotiations through ENV 761a, using climate change as a case study. She operationalizes complex legal principles into actionable policy frameworks across multilateral platforms.

• Current Role: Climate Negotiations Lead
• Key Experience: U.S. State Department (1989-2017)
• Practice Areas: Environmental Law, Diplomatic Negotiations, Treaty Implementation