Panelist at the Welcome Celebration at the Georgia Aquarium
Dr. Jairo Garcia is an expert in urban sustainability and climate change. Dr. Garcia is the CEO of Urban Climate Nexus, the North America Curator for United Nations Habitat, a Sustainable Development Goals Educator Fellow, and long-term collaborator and lecturer at Johns Hopkins University and The Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Garcia is the former Director of Climate Policies with the City of Atlanta and the lead author of Atlanta’s Climate Action Plan. In 2017, the EPA awarded Dr. Garcia with the Individual Climate Leadership Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, both in addressing climate change and engaging their organization, peers, and partners. In 2021, the Climate Reality Project awarded Dr. Garcia with the Green Ring Award for this demonstrated an exceptional commitment to climate communications and climate action activism. His areas of research are in urban climate vulnerabilities with a focus on policies, urban heat, food security, and public health. Dr. Garcia is an Electronic Engineer and former IEEE member. In 2008, IEEE awarded Dr. Garcia with a Certification of Appreciation for Notable Services Towards the Advancement of the Engineering Education Profession.