Edward R. Carr is the Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute’s U.S. Center (SEI-US). A distinguished social scientist whose career spans more than 25 years at the intersection of livelihoods, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development, he is the author of more than 100 academic and policy publications.
Carr’s expertise and influence extend to the highest levels of international policy. He has advised governments, donors, and multilateral organizations, serving as the first Climate Change Coordinator for USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, an advisor within USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and the Environment, the Panel Member for Climate Change Adaptation on STAP, and a participatory adaptation consultant for the World Bank. He has contributed to multiple landmark global assessments, most recently as Coordinating Lead Author of the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment, and previously as a Lead Author for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook 4, and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
Before joining SEI, Carr was Director of International Development, Community, and Environment at Clark University, where he led the design of innovative graduate programs, expanded enrollment, and served as a part of the university leadership team. He also founded and directed the Humanitarian Response and Development Lab (HURDL), which bridged academia, donors, and practitioners to generate actionable solutions. Through HURDL, he directed more than $2.5 million in projects and contributed to broader adaptation and development initiatives totaling approximately $120 million.
Carr holds Ph.D.s in Geography (University of Kentucky) and Anthropology (Syracuse University), a M.A. in Anthropology from Syracuse, and a B.A. with High Distinction from the University of Virginia.
