Phoebe Elizabeth Barnard (born June 10, 1961) is an American global change scientist and professor of conservation biology and environmental futures at the University of Washington.^[1] Barnard has written more than 180 publications on the vulnerability of biodiversity and ecosystems to climate and land use change.^[2] She is a member of several global initiatives including the Club of Rome's Planetary Emergency Partnership,^[3] one of five core co-authors of the 2020 paper World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency,^[4] lead author of the action-focused 2021 World Scientists' Warnings into Action: Local to Global,^[5] and second of 11 co-authors of the 2023 World Scientists' Warning: the Behavioural Crisis Driving Ecological Overshoot,^[6] a provocative collaboration of scientists, educators and global marketing strategists.

Impatient with warnings, Barnard has focused on bold global actions. In 2021, she co-founded and led the Stable Planet Alliance, a global coalition of organizations working to reduce ecological overshoot.^[7] In 2022, she and John D. Liu started the Global Restoration Collaborative, a global coalition of organizations working to restore ecosystems, climate and biodiversity while upskilling youth and women leaders.^[8]

Barnard and John Bowey^[9] are co-producing a global documentary series exploring climate and ecosystem restoration solutions, called Back to Our Future: Climate Restoration and Survival.^[10]

Education

In 1983, Barnard graduated in biology from Acadia University. She earned MSc and PhD degrees in environmental sciences from University of the Witwatersrand (1990) and Uppsala University (1994).^[11]

Career

Barnard founded and led the Government of Namibia’s first national biodiversity program.^[1] She led a collaborative study of biological diversity of Namibia.^[12] She also led the development and publication of Namibia's first national biodiversity strategy and action plan for the years 2001–2010.^[13]

Barnard was on the board and executive committee shaping the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which evaluated the status and trends of Earth’s ecosystems and their capacity to support human health, well-being and economic activities.^[14]

From 2005 to 2016, she worked as a principal and then lead scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute on climate change bioadaptation and biodiversity futures.^[15]

During this time, she co-led an international research team on species’ vulnerability to past, present and future climates.^[16] She also coordinated the development of a biodiversity early warning system and policy applications for South Africa.^[17]

In 2016, Barnard was a participant in a leadership expedition to Antarctica with the global STEM women’s leadership program Homeward Bound.^[18] She is a member of its Busara Circle^[19] of 11 distinguished elder women mentors for the program.

Moving back to the United States in 2017, Barnard ran the Pacific Biodiversity Institute^[20] and served as chief science and policy officer for the Conservation Biology Institute.^[21]

Research

Barnard has written and edited over 180 peer-reviewed scientific and policy publications, including books, reports, chapters and papers on biodiversity, global change, early warning systems, climate resilience, and ornithology.^[2]

She is one of five core co-authors of the 2020 paper World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency, co-signed by more than 14,850 scientists from 158 countries.^[22] She's also lead author of the 2021 paper World Scientists’ Warnings into Action: Local to Global in Science Progress (for COP26), co-signed so far by 3000+ scientists from 110+ countries.^[23]

Filmmaking

Barnard and John Bowey have co-produced short- and long-format documentaries since 2018, including My Otherland and Back to Our Future: Climate Restoration and Survival.^[24][10]

Awards and recognition

Barnard received a Society for Conservation Biology Distinguished Service Award in 2002.^[25] She was also recognized by the University of Washington in 2017 with an affiliate full professorship in conservation biology and environmental futures.^[26] In 2019 she received Esther Forbes Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement from Bancroft School.^[27]

References