Gaia Larsen

Senior Associate, Finance Center

Bio

Gaia Larsen is a Senior Associate in the WRI’s Sustainable Finance Center, where she leads its work on financial institutions and climate finance readiness. She is an attorney whose work focuses primarily on shifting investments toward protecting people and the environment. At WRI, her work has focused on several issue areas including environmental democracy, climate finance, and the extractive industries. Prior to joining WRI, Gaia was a fellow at the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University. Gaia holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. She is originally from Sweden.

Blog Posts

Are Multilateral Development Banks Supporting a Low-Carbon Future?
by Giulia Christianson, Allison Lee, Gaia Larsen and Ashley Green - May 26, 2017
WRI researchers analyzed energy supply investments from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation and Asian Development Bank. While only 3 percent of this financing is misaligned with the goal of limiting temperature rise to 2⁰C, about half fell into a “conditional” category; its alignment with a low-carbon future depends on how projects are designed.
Congress and Trump Gut Disclosure Rules for Fossil Fuel Foreign Payments
by Gaia Larsen and Peter Veit - February 22, 2017
Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required that oil, natural gas and mineral extraction companies report payments made to foreign governments. Congress and President Trump eliminated it last week.
INSIDER: 3 Takeaways from the Green Climate Fund Meeting
by Niranjali Manel Amerasinghe and Gaia Larsen - October 24, 2016
Last week, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) convened in Songdo for its penultimate meeting in 2016. As the biggest multilateral climate fund to date, the GCF has a vital role to play in delivering on the goals...
The World Bank Just Overhauled its Safeguards for the First Time in 30 Years
by Gaia Larsen - August 24, 2016
The World Bank's new Environmental and Social Framework, four years in the making, is designed to ensure that the approximately $30 billion the bank invests each year goes to projects that are safe for people and the environment. This framework is likely to have an impact on the policies of other development banks and governments around the globe.
INSIDER: How the GCF Could Support Implementation of the Paris Agreement
by Niranjali Manel Amerasinghe and Gaia Larsen - June 27, 2016
Insider blogs offer timely, specialized analysis for experts on key topics.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the largest dedicated international climate fund, is expected to channel billions of dollars to help developing countries combat climate change. It is one of...
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Releases New Environmental and Social Standards. How Do They Stack Up?
by Gaia Larsen and Sean Gilbert - March 04, 2016
The new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has committed to being "lean, clean and green." Will its new Environmental and Social Framework achieve that goal? Researchers Gaia Larsen and Sean Gilbert investigate.
Tres formas de ayudar a los países en desarrollo a obtener acceso directo a financiamiento climático
by Gaia Larsen, Indira Masullo and Moushumi Chaudhury - December 08, 2015
Read this post in English here.

¿Cómo pueden los países en desarrollo acceder a fondos internacionales para combatir y adaptarse al cambio climático? Ésta es una de las más importantes interrogantes que se plantea en las negociaciones...
3 Ways to Help Developing Countries Get Direct Access to Climate Finance
by Gaia Larsen, Indira Masullo and Moushumi Chaudhury - December 03, 2015
The Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund are unique in that they provide climate finance directly to national institutions in developing nations. Here’s how countries can meet the Funds’ requirements to help finance mitigation and adaptation activities.
INSIDER: 5 Takeaways from the Green Climate Fund Board Meeting in Zambia
by Niranjali Manel Amerasinghe, Gaia Larsen, Athena Ballesteros and Joe Thwaites - November 13, 2015
Last week, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board met for its last meeting before the upcoming climate talks in Paris. Countries created the GCF to be the main global fund for climate finance, and as such, it could play a vital role in delivering the goals of an agreement in Paris. If the GCF is to be a key player in the future climate regime, it needs to show that it can effectively spend money. Is it up to the task?
INSIDER: 4 Priority Issues for the Green Climate Fund Board Meeting in Zambia
by Niranjali Manel Amerasinghe, Gaia Larsen and Athena Ballesteros - November 02, 2015
This is the first time the Board is faced with approving proposals for specific activities. Are these proposals ambitious enough? Do they contribute to a paradigm shift in developing countries? Or do they fall short?

Publications

Financing the Energy Transition: Are World Bank, IFC, and ADB Energy Supply Investments Supporting a Low-Carbon Future?
Finance provided and catalyzed by multilateral development banks (MDBs) will help pay for implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement in many developing countries. Although MDBs already track and report on their climate finance, less is known about how...
by Giulia Christianson, Allison Lee, Gaia Larsen and Ashley Green - May 2017

publication
Topics: Finance
Future of the Funds: Exploring the Architecture of Multilateral Climate Finance
Multilateral climate funds play a key role in using public finance to help drive the economic and societal transformation necessary to address climate change. There is growing pressure for policymakers to make the architecture of funds more effective and coherent. This report examines seven key...
by Niranjali Manel Amerasinghe, Joe Thwaites, Gaia Larsen and Athena Ballesteros - March 2017

publication
Topics: Finance
“Direct Access” to Climate Finance: Lessons Learned by National Institutions
Developing countries need large amounts of finance to support ambitious climate actions. This paper highlights lessons for developing country institutions seeking access to funding from the multilateral climate funds.

by Indira Masullo, Gaia Larsen, Louise Brown and Lisa Dougherty-Choux - November 2015

publication
Topics: Climate Resilience, Finance
Striking the Balance
Ownership and Accountability in Social and Environmental Safeguards
Global growth has not come without costs: Pollution, natural resource depletion, climate change, and the disruption of ecosystem services are now felt around the world.

This report aims at helping investors in developing countries develop effective social and environmental safeguard...
by Gaia Larsen and Athena Ballesteros - April 2014

publication
Topics: Governance, Finance
Safeguarding Forests and People
A Framework for Designing a National System to Implement REDD+ Safeguards
During the design of REDD+, Parties recognized that REDD+ actions will likely not be sustainable unless they account for the role of local people and ecosystems. As a result, Parties defined seven “safeguards” to guide implementation of REDD+, among them transparency, participation, protection...
by Gaia Larsen and Florence Daviet - November 2012

publication
Topics: Forests
Map of SBSTA Submissions
REDD+ Safeguard Information System
In June 2011, the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA) requested input on a guidance document for its REDD+ "safeguard information system." 26 groups have submitted input to date; this Working Paper describes and summarizes those submissions....

by Gaia Larsen, Florence Daviet and Daniela Rey - February 2012

publication
Topics: Forests

Making Big Ideas Happen™

Donate to WRI

Other Sites

Menu

Topics

You are here

Gaia Larsen

Are Multilateral Development Banks Supporting a Low-Carbon Future?

Congress and Trump Gut Disclosure Rules for Fossil Fuel Foreign Payments

INSIDER: 3 Takeaways from the Green Climate Fund Meeting

The World Bank Just Overhauled its Safeguards for the First Time in 30 Years

INSIDER: How the GCF Could Support Implementation of the Paris Agreement

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Releases New Environmental and Social Standards. How Do They Stack Up?

Tres formas de ayudar a los países en desarrollo a obtener acceso directo a financiamiento climático

3 Ways to Help Developing Countries Get Direct Access to Climate Finance

INSIDER: 5 Takeaways from the Green Climate Fund Board Meeting in Zambia

INSIDER: 4 Priority Issues for the Green Climate Fund Board Meeting in Zambia

Financing the Energy Transition: Are World Bank, IFC, and ADB Energy Supply Investments Supporting a Low-Carbon Future?

Future of the Funds: Exploring the Architecture of Multilateral Climate Finance

“Direct Access” to Climate Finance: Lessons Learned by National Institutions

Striking the Balance

Ownership and Accountability in Social and Environmental Safeguards

Safeguarding Forests and People

A Framework for Designing a National System to Implement REDD+ Safeguards

Map of SBSTA Submissions

REDD+ Safeguard Information System

Stay Connected

Donate to WRI

Get Involved

Making Big Ideas Happen™

Donate to WRI

Other Sites

Menu

Topics

Search

You are here

Ownership and Accountability in Social and Environmental Safeguards

A Framework for Designing a National System to Implement REDD+ Safeguards

REDD+ Safeguard Information System

Stay Connected

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

Donate to WRI

Get Involved

Follow WRI