Rachel Kyte

Rachel Kyte is the 14th dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Kyte is the first woman to lead the United States' oldest graduate-only school of international affairs, which attracts students from all corners of the world and at all stages of their careers. Prior to joining Fletcher, Kyte served as special representative of the UN secretary-general and chief executive officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). She previously was the World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement. She was also vice president at the International Finance Corporation responsible for ESG risk and business advisory services. In her UN role and as CEO of SEforAll, a public-private platform created by the UN and World Bank, Kyte led efforts to promote and finance clean, reliable and affordable energy as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She served as co-chair of UN Energy. In the 2020 UK New Year Honours, Rachel was appointed as CMG for her services to sustainable energy and combating climate change. Kyte is a member of the UN secretary-general’s high-level advisory group on climate action and an advisor to the UK presidency of the UN climate talks. Kyte is co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), and chair of the FONERWA, the Rwanda Green Fund. She serves on the boards of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the Climate Policy Institute and CDP. She advises investors, governments, and not-for-profits on climate, energy, and finance for sustainable development. A British citizen, Kyte earned degrees from University of London and The Fletcher School. She is a regular contributor on global media. Kyte has received numerous awards for leadership in climate and sustainable development and was named by Time magazine as one of the 15 women leading climate action.

Building a world where our energy systems are clean, affordable, and accessible to everyone. A world where more people demand this and are excited about the transformations it will bring, than are frightened to let go of dirty unaffordable power systems that don’t reach everyone.

Extreme heat kills. Together we can green our neighborhoods, transform roofs, provide jobs and lower temperatures. We can design cool into public buildings and low income housing and neighborhoods. How cool is that?

Participating in TED Countdown was uplifting and humbling. It was so good to be among so many people, some I knew and some I didn’t, each one transforming some aspect of response to the climate emergency. Together we were weaving a tapestry of solutions. Together we can go further, faster.

Collecting political diaries