In September 2024, Rachel Kyte was appointed as the UK Special Representative on Climate by the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Rachel is a Professor of Practice in Climate Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. In addition, she is co-chair of the Advisory Board of Quadrature Climate Foundation and serves as the Senior Independent Director of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), which focuses on developing and investing in infrastructure across emerging markets in Africa and Asia.
Before her government appointment, Rachel concentrated on mobilising private, philanthropic, and public capital for climate action. She advised General Atlantic’s BeyondNetZero fund and was a Senior Fellow at ClimateWorks. She was also the High-Level Champion on Finance for the UN Climate and Clean Air Coalition and served as a trustee for the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). Further, she was a board member of the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and co-chaired the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative.
Kyte has an extensive background in international organisations, having served as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and CEO of Sustainable Development for All (SEforALL). She was also the World Bank Group Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change. She advised the UN Secretary-General on climate action and the energy crisis resulting from the invasion of Ukraine. She was a member of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks under India’s presidency and advised Brazil on the connections between its G20 presidency and its role in hosting COP in 2030.
Throughout her career, Rachel has championed women’s leadership. She recently helped establish Climate Resilience for All, an NGO platform dedicated to addressing extreme heat, emphasising that empowering women enhances community resilience.
An accomplished speaker, lecturer, and writer, Rachel shares insights on climate, climate diplomacy, finance, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her leadership has been recognised on both sides of the Atlantic, and she was recognised as a Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2020 New Year’s Honours for her contributions to sustainable energy and climate action.