Paul C. West

Paul West is an ecologist developing science-based solutions for sustaining a healthy planet for people and nature. He is a research fellow at the University of Minnesota and a senior scientist at Project Drawdown. His research identifies and assesses the effectiveness of solutions for conserving biodiversity and improving global food security while decreasing the negative effects of agriculture on water, climate, and biodiversity, and is published in leading science journals—including Nature, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—as well as appeared in National Geographic, museum exhibits, and major media outlets.

Paul’s impact goes well beyond academia. He works with a global network of leading scientists, development banks, non-profit organizations, businesses, tribal nations, and national governments. These collaborations have provided the foundation for targeting $100M+ annually toward on-the-ground actions around the world to protect biodiversity, develop climate-resilient farming systems, preserve cultural heritage, and improve livelihoods.

Prior to Project Drawdown and the University of Minnesota, Paul worked for The Nature Conservancy from 1993 to 2010, where he led both land and freshwater projects. His accomplishments include leading strategic planning for biodiversity conservation across the western Great Lakes region and launching a global initiative to conserve large rivers in agricultural landscapes in the US, Brazil, China, and Zimbabwe.

He earned his PhD in limnology and marine science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he developed new methods for quantifying and mapping the tradeoffs of food production, climate, biodiversity, and water. The Web of Science has recognized him as one of the most highly cited researchers over the past decade.