Katherine Richardson

Prof. Katherine Richardson is a Professor of biological oceanography at the University of Copenhagen, leader of the Sustainability Science Centre and a principle investigator in the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate. Her research focuses on the importance of biological processes in the ocean for the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere and how ocean biology, including diversity, contributes to ocean function in the Earth System. Dr. Richardson was the Chairman of the Danish Commission on Climate Change Policy that reported in 2010 and presented a roadmap for how Denmark can become independent of fossil fuels by 2050.

She is currently a member of the Danish Climate Council and was a member of the 15-person Independent Group of Scientists appointed by Ban Ki Moon to draft the 2019 UN Global Sustainable Development Report. She is or has been a member or Chair of numerous national and international committees and organizations relating to science policy and/or sustainability. She is currently co-chair of the Northern European Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

Prof. Richardson contributed with classes for Module 1 of the MOOC “The Earth System as a Global Common”.