Climate change continues to accelerate at an alarming rate, intensifying threats to our economy, ecology, food system, and culture. Our politics are polarized, worsening cultural divides among the public and preventing existing climate solutions from scaling.
Matt Lappé has over 20 years of experience advancing climate solutions through work in research, advocacy, and philanthropy. He is the Executive Director of Conscience Bay Research, the philanthropic arm of Conscience Bay Company. Through grant making, research, strategic partnerships, and policy development, Conscience Bay Research focuses on climate solutions in the sectors of real estate, agriculture, and ecological systems.
Before his role at Conscience Bay, Matt served as Senior Climate Strategist for Boulder County, where he was responsible for securing funds and advancing initiatives to reduce the county’s greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050. In an earlier chapter, Matt was the Executive Director of Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE), a national nonprofit that built the country’s largest youth climate advocacy network. Matt received BS and MS degrees from Stanford University’s Earth Systems program, and his MBA from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Earlier in his career, Matt studied paleoclimate and environmental hydrology throughout Patagonia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and spent two years teaching high school science in rural Northern California. Matt lives in Boulder with his wife, two daughters, and a mini aussie named Willa.
Education
2014: MBA, Leeds School of Business,
University of Colorado Boulder
2003: MS, Earth Systems Program, Stanford University
2001: BS, Earth Systems Program, Stanford University
Memberships
Board Member: Western Resource Advocates
Board Member: Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation (PACT)
Board Member: Leeds MBA Alumni Board
Member: Water Table, The Water Foundation
Member: Colorado River Collaborative
Member: Funders for Regenerative Agriculture (FORA)
Please contact us to inquire about development opportunities.
Climate change affects crop yields, forage composition, soil health, water availability, and our overall national food security. By investing in research, advocacy, and community-driven initiatives, we aim to unlock solutions that promote climate-smart agriculture, enhance soil health, and equip farmers and ranchers with the tools to thrive in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
The Colorado River Basin provides water to 40 million people and a $5 billion agricultural industry. Climate models suggest that risks of prolonged droughts, shifting precipitation patterns, and increased temperatures may reduce the flow of the Colorado River by up to 30% by mid-century. In close partnership with Western States Ranches, Conscience Bay Research is investing in research, advocacy, and partnerships in order to advance the practices, policies, and incentives that will allow farmers, ranchers, tribes, and rural areas to adapt to these changes, use less water, and safeguard our cultures and economies for future generations.
The US Energy Information Administration reports that the residential and commercial building sectors account for about 40% of total U.S. energy consumption. By reimagining how we build and manage our buildings, we not only reduce the overall climate impact of the built environment, we build more resilience to extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and other climate-related challenges. In close partnership with the Conscience Bay Company real estate team, we support advocacy, research, and policy efforts that will accelerate the transition to climate-smart buildings in Colorado and nationally.
Meeting our global climate goals will require scaling CDR efforts exponentially, to reach 10 gigatons annually by 2050. These CDR solutions must include both nature-based and technological approaches, ranging from soil carbon sequestration to direct air capture. Additionally, innovation in measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) must advance rapidly in order to establish the right oversight and incentive structures for this expanding sector. Our work on CDR focuses on research partnerships with universities, and policy efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency.
