Dr. Clare Richardson-Barlow

Profile

I am an interdisciplinary social scientist whose research and teaching explores just transitions, energy policy, political economy, and energy governance. I have over 10 years' experience researching and working as a political economist with a focus on energy transitions and climate compatible development in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.  Most recently I was awarded a British Academy grant for exploring just energy transitions in the Asia-Pacific, with a focus on distributed energy systems in ASEAN. I also co-chair the University of Leeds’ Just Transitions Taskforce, which aims to embed justice across the university’s climate plan.

Prior to joining the University of Leeds I worked for many years at internationally focused policy research organisations in Washington, D.C., including the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) and the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). As Assistant Director for Trade, Economic & Energy Affairs at NBR, I oversaw a global network of authors & contributors and managed contracts and projects focused on bridging the gap between energy consumption and economic development. I currently serve as a Non-Resident Fellow for NBR where I provide expertise related to energy policy, energy transitions, and the political economy of decarbonisation. I am also a RESI Affiliate for the Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative at the Overseas Development Institute. 

I have contributed to four book publications and multiple policy briefs, reports and articles written on energy and trade topics. I regularly work with international research organisations to provide expertise at the intersection of climate, development, and energy policy. In this capacity I frequently engage with government and media on cross-sector issues related to global energy transitions and has been featured in The Economist, The Wallstreet Journal, and The Diplomat, among other publications. 

Responsibilities

• Lecturer, East Asian Studies
• Committee Member, Climate Plan Research Partnership Committee
• Co-Investigator, Business Models for Decarbonisation, CO2RE UK Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub

Research interests

My research interests bring together just transitions, industrial decarbonisation, and climate compatible development, with a geographical focus on the Asia-Pacific, UK, and North America.

Current & Past Research Projects

• Co-investigator at CO2RE, the UK Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub, where I research business models for carbon removal. This includes examining innovative business models for energy transitions and the value chains and value pools most relevant to development of the UK’s greenhouse gas removal (Current)
• Primary Investigator, British Academy funded grant “Just Energy Transitions in the Asia-Pacific”, examining distributed energy systems and energy justice in Southeast Asia and among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states (2021-2022)
• Research Fellow, Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS), Steel industry decarbonisation (2021-2022)
• Research Fellow, Yorkshire Circular (Economy) Living Lab, University of Leeds (2020-2021)

Qualifications

• PhD in sustainability research and East Asian studies from the University of Leeds
• MA in International Development and Public Policy from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China
• BA in Politics and Chinese from Pacific University in Oregon, USA
• PCertificate, Development Project Management, Middlebury Institute of International Studies
• Professional Certificate, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy in Baku, Azerbaijan

Professional memberships

• UK Higher Education Academy (UKHEA)
• The Association of Southeast Asian Studies (ASEAS UK)
• Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative, ODI (UK)

Student education

I teach East Asian Studies on regional political economy topics and supervise undergraduate final year projects in East Asian Studies and am an Academic Personal Tutor in the School of Languages, Cultures & Societies.

Research groups and institutes

• Asia Pacific Studies
• Chinese
• East Asian Studies
• Environmental Humanities Research Group