Heather McGray

Heather McGray has led the adaptation work stream at World Resources Institute since 2007. Her research has emphasized national-level adaptation planning in developing countries, design of international adaptation finance programs, monitoring & evaluation, and options for the United Nations climate negotiations.

Major publications include Weathering the Storm: Options for Framing Adaptation and Development (2007). Heather recently led a WRI-wide strategy process that put in place the framework for a major new cross-Institute Vulnerability and Adaptation Initiative.

Heather’s previous work, within WRI’s Institutions and Governance Program, focused on the role of transparency, participation, and access to justice in addressing environmental problems, including research and civil society training in China’s Yunnan Province. Prior to joining WRI, Heather’s professional experience included research on environmental management in China; research and negotiations on ISO 14000 environmental standards; coordination of an urban education and development network; and management of educational exchange programs for the Yale-China Association.

Heather speaks Mandarin, and holds a Master’s of Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Oberlin College.

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