In his work understanding how humans are both changing and being changed by the environment, Charles Taylor believes in the importance of being on the ground as well as zooming in from outer space. Taylor joined HKS this year as an assistant professor of public policy affiliated with the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Governance and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability. His work has allowed him to engage with farmers around the world, understanding their unique needs and environments. It has also pushed him to use new methods, such as remote sensing technology and satellite data, to understand problems more systemically. We asked Taylor about his research, his teaching, and why he chose HKS.
Q: How does your research and teaching connect to solutions to pressing problems in the world today?
I am an environmental economist focusing on climate change, agriculture, water, and ecosystem services. At a high level, I’d say that I’m interested in how humans affect the land, and the reverse feedback of how land-use decisions affect human welfare. Often, I try to find ways to use new scientific and satellite datasets to answer socioeconomic questions.
My research relates to several big policy questions. For example, what are the impacts of climate change on agriculture. How do we reduce damage from flooding? How do we sustainably manage groundwater? In the U.S. context, I’ve studied the impacts of environmental regulation like the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, farm bill policy, renewable energy permitting reform, and more.
Q: What research findings have been the most eye-opening or surprising for you?
I see a growing tension between environmental groups focused on climate change, and those more focused on conserving land. I think this needs to be addressed or it could hinder renewable energy expansion.
Climate change will have a large negative effect in aggregate, but its overall effects are complex. There will be some winners among the losers. Understanding this is important when formulating effective climate policy.
“I see a growing tension between environmental groups focused on climate change, and those more focused on conserving land. I think this needs to be addressed or it could hinder renewable energy expansion.”
Q: What do you want students to come away with from your teaching?
First, data and statistics: I want students to come away with an appreciation for the power of data to improve policy—as well as a healthy skepticism when people say, “the data tell us ...”. What questions can they ask to probe such claims? Can they tell when a chart is intentionally misleading? What quick back-of-the-envelope calculation can they make to assess whether a claim is valid? How do they communicate empirical findings in a clear and simple way for use in policy making?
Q: Why Harvard Kennedy School?
There are few places in the world with HKS's combination of policy reach, academic rigor, and network of world-changing students and alumni. And with the increasing urgency of our world’s environmental challenges, the launch of Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability makes it a very exciting place to be!
Q: What else would you like the Kennedy School community to know about you and your work?
I went to graduate school after co-founding a company that invested in land and environmental assets with a goal of developing sustainable land management business models. Through my work I spent countless hours with farmers, land managers, and scientists, gaining knowledge about real estate, agriculture, climate dynamics, natural resource management, and environmental regulation—both in the United States and internationally. I saw up close the trade-offs between economic development and environmental protection, as well as the complementarities.
Smart policy is needed to address large-scale societal challenges like climate change, water pollution, natural resource depletion, and ecosystem conservation. I hope my research and teaching can help in solving these problems.
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Banner image: A flooded farm on the Mississippi River by Ed Bock