Dr. Christian Braneon has a broad background in Earth science and civil engineering, with a further focus on climate and environmental justice. He recently joined Carbon Direct as Head of Climate Justice. Dr. Braneon co-leads the Environmental Justice and Climate Just Cities Network at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and serves as Co-Chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change. He previously served as Co-Director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s inaugural Environmental Justice Academy for community leaders. With NASA, as part of its partnership with Microsoft, he developed novel applications of satellite data that aim to enhance resilience to urban heat stress. His work on urban heat islands and environmental justice has been featured in broadcast and print media outlets such as CNN, CNBC, and Science. In 2020 he co-authored America's Zero-Carbon Action Plan (ZCAP), a comprehensive policy report by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) that presents a strategic plan to create a carbon-neutral economy for the United States by 2050. He received an AXA Award for Climate Science in 2021 for his contributions to the understanding of climate change and related adaptation strategies. He holds a B.S. in applied physics from Morehouse College as well as B.S., M.S., and PhD degrees in civil engineering from Georgia Tech.
