Graham Watkins
I work at the intersection of development economics, natural resource governance, and the green transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through Watkins Advisory, I provide research, advisory, and evaluation services to MDBs, DFIs, and national governments — turning climate commitments into institutional and economic reality.
Career
Most recently, I served as Chief of the Climate Change Division at the Inter-American Development Bank, where I led climate policy, finance, and governance across Latin America and the Caribbean. Over a decade at the IDB, the division’s climate finance flows tripled. Before the IDB, I led two major conservation institutions: the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galápagos and the Iwokrama International Center for Rain Forest Conservation and Development in Guyana.
Education
I hold a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Oxford University. My research draws on evolutionary economics, developmental state theory, and systems thinking to analyze how economies diversify, how technology reshapes institutions, and how governments can shape outcomes.
Writing & Research
I write a weekly newsletter on structural transformation and the green transition in LAC, published on Substack. I have published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles on biodiversity, climate policy, and sustainable infrastructure, and co-authored two books on conservation in the Galápagos and the Rupununi.
Approach
I work collaboratively and ground everything in evidence. My practice is built on the conviction that good policy depends on three things: clear analytical frameworks, honest assessment of what the evidence shows, and institutional designs that account for how change actually happens — not how it is supposed to happen in theory. I bring that approach to every engagement, whether a flagship knowledge product, a strategic advisory assignment, or an independent evaluation.
If you are working on climate strategy, institutional reform, or the green transition in LAC and would like to discuss a project, get in touch.
Get in Touch
To discuss a project or engagement, reach out directly:
Direct Contact Details
Email: graham@watkinsadvisory.org
Phone: +1 202-445-1448
Based in Washington, DC — available for remote and in-person engagements globally.
To subscribe to the weekly newsletter on structural transformation and the green transition in LAC, visit the Substack page directly.