Biography

Niel Bowerman is currently studying for a doctorate at the University of Oxford.  His research is on emission targets for avoiding dangerous climate change.  He is also Director of External Relations for Giving What We Can, an organisation encouraging people to give 10% or more of their income to the most cost-effective charities.

During the 2008 presidential election Niel was a member of President Obama’s Energy and Environment Policy Team.  He was climate science adviser to the Office of the President of the Maldives from 2010 to 2011.  Niel has sat on the Executive Committee of the G8 Research Group: UK, and until 2010 was the Executive Director of Climatico, a network of academics and professionals providing independent analysis of climate change policy.  He has interned with the UK Department for International Development, the UK Atomic Energy Authority fusion department, the International Association for Human Values, and the World Bank.

In 2006, Niel founded the Climate Justice Project, a national NGO promoting Contraction and Convergence.  He was press officer for the UK Youth Climate Coalition, and attended the Copenhagen climate change talks as part of the UK Youth Delegation. Niel has attended the 2008 and 2009 G8 Summits, where he was invited to speak at a number of press conferences, and in 2007 he delivered a speech at the European Parliament.

Niel’s research and analysis has been reported in several national and international newspapers.  He was shorted-listed for UK Climate Week’s Most Inspiring Young Person award, and was presented with Oxford University’s inaugural Vice-chancellor’s Civic Award.  He was recently named a Young Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum.