Biography
Rachel Kyte is the fourteenth dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
Kyte is a member of the U.N. Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Action and an advisor to the U.K. government for the U.N. climate negotiations. Kyte is co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), chair of FONERWA (the Rwanda Green Fund), and chair of the ESG committee of the Private Infrastructure Development Group. She advises not-for-profits, governments, and the private sector in climate, energy, and finance for sustainable development.
In March 2023, Kyte joined the G20 Expert Group on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks at the invitation of the Government of India that is hosting the 2023 G20 Summit. In March 2022, the U.N. Secretary-General named Kyte to co-chair the workstream on energy for the U.N. Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance. In addition, among her many official roles are serving on the International Advisory Panel of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and as co-chair of the Council on Climate of the Export–Import Bank of the United States.
A 2002 graduate of Fletcher’s Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP) and a professor of practice at the school since 2012, 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 globe and at all stages of their careers. Fletcher’s alumni occupy positions of consequence in the public and private sectors in 120+ countries around the world.
Prior to joining Fletcher, Kyte served as the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and as 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 2015 Paris Agreement. She was also vice president at the International Finance Corporation responsible for ESG risk and business advisory services.
In her U.N. role and as CEO of SEforALL, a public-private platform created by the U.N. and the World Bank, Kyte led efforts to promote and finance clean, reliable and affordable energy as part of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. She also served as co-chair of U.N. Energy to facilitate collaboration across U.N. agencies on energy policies and issues.
In the 2020 United Kingdom New Year Honours, Kyte was appointed as CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) for her services to sustainable energy and combating climate change.
A British citizen, Kyte earned her undergraduate degree in history and politics from the University of London. She is a regular contributor on global media. Kyte has received numerous awards for leadership in climate and sustainable development including the Lifetime Achievement Award from edie and was named by Time magazine as one of the fifteen women who were leading climate action.
Rachel Kyte in the Media
Universities made SDGs a priority, now they must speed up progress
Times Higher Education
1-Jun-23
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The UAE’s China-Nixon Moment Has Arrived
Foreign Policy
2-May-23
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How to win friends and influence people
Business Green
20-Apr-23
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Green shoots, but World Bank meeting leaves a mountain to climb on climate finance
Reuters
19-Apr-23
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Can this former CEO fix the World Bank and solve the world’s climate finance and debt crises as the institution’s next president?
The Conversation
30-Mar-23
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From hysteria to transparency: Are we on the verge of credible carbon markets?
Edie.net
22-Mar-23
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Summer Masterclass with Dean Kyte
This course offers a rare opportunity to work closely with Fletcher School Dean Rachel Kyte, leading expert in climate diplomacy, and the economics and finance of climate action. Dean Kyte's advisory roles have included former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, as well as climate envoy of the World Bank and advisor to governments, the UN, development banks and private funds. Join Dean Kyte this summer for an exceptional collaborative learning experience.