Richard is an innovator and champion of evidence-based environmental action. He has worked as an adviser on climate change issues for many government, business and international organisations.

After studying Agricultural Science (Edinburgh University) Richard worked in Chiapas, Mexico as an advisor to farmers’ organisations. He went on to take an MSc in Technology Management, then doctoral research on the economics of contemporary Mayan farmers. Following his PhD (Stirling University), in 1994, he obtained research funding to develop systems for delivering payments for ecosystem services to communities and smallholder farmers (Plan Vivo System). While researching he obtained commercial investment to put theory into practice leading to projects in Mexico, India, Uganda and Mozambique.

With commercial interest growing in this area Richard founded the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management (ECCM), and built a team of experts on carbon accounting, providing consulting and advisory services. While at ECCM Richard was appointed to the UK Roster of Experts on Climate Change and was Lead Author on two IPCC reports. In 2007 his work on the IPCC was recognised as a contribution to the Nobel Peace Prize. Richard also advised on numerous standards, protocols and methodologies for accounting for greenhouse gas emissions, including the WBCSD-WRI GHG Protocol, European standards for biofuels and PAS 2060.

He is currently on the expert evaluation team of Norway’s international climate and forests initiative.