Ian Higham

Dr Ian Higham is a postdoctoral Research Officer in Environmental Politics at GRI. He conducts research on multiple projects in global environmental politics with a focus on integrating human rights and climate policy.

Background

Prior to joining GRI, Ian worked as Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at Stockholm University and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm, Sweden. He remains affiliated with the Transformative Partnerships 2030 research project based at the Institute for Futures Studies, studying multi-stakeholder partnerships’ ability to generate synergies in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. His previous work mostly concerned the global governance of business and human rights, and his doctoral dissertation studied early adoption at national level of policies for implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Ian holds a PhD in Political Science from Stockholm University, an MSc in Global Politics from the London School of Economics, and a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University. He has also worked in the private sector as an environmental, social, and governance research analyst and as a sustainability and public affairs consultant.

Research interests

• Human rights and environmental policy integration
• Great power politics and global environmental governance
• Global political economy and climate
• Climate and business & human rights