Experts & Staff

Forbes Tompkins is a Research Analyst in the Climate and Energy Program. His work focuses on the analysis of climate change impacts throughout the United States and strategies of mitigation and resiliency at the local, state, and federal level. While at WRI he has also concentrated on industrial energy efficiency in the U.S. Midwest, helping analyze cost effective technologies and policies that can help energy-intensive manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining competitiveness and economic viability. Additionally, he also serves as WRI’s resident meteorologist.

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Prior to joining WRI, Forbes worked was a research assistant at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. While at IGSD he analyzed sea-level rise and resolved potential damage and adaptation costs attributed to future sea-level rise that could be avoided by the United States, China, and India through the reduction of greenhouse gas and short-lived climate pollutant emissions. Prior to working at IGSD he was an environment science and policy expert in a Congressional office where he provided guidance on energy and environmental issues. Before his time on Capitol Hill he was a research assistant at the Florida Institute of Technology, modeling the influence of land surfaces and atmospheric conditions on the development of tropical cyclones off the West African coast.

Forbes holds a B.S. in Meteorology from Florida State University, an M.S. in Meteorology from the Florida Institute of Technology, and an M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from John’s Hopkins University.