Denise Fairchild

Dr. Denise Fairchild has spent her career leading campaigns and building alliances in environmental/climate justice and community development work, and is currently President Emeritus of Emerald Cities Collaborative, a national nonprofit of community, labor and business working at the intersection of environment, economy and equity.Denise is a 2021 Climate Breakthrough awardee, the largest global award for an individual in the climate field. She is using her grant to deepen her energy democracy work, finding cultural and business solutions to Scope 3 emissions, which typically represent the majority of a company’s GhG emissions. but are ignored by many carbon reduction policies. She is leveraging her relationships within the energy democracy and frontline communities, as well as government, environmental, and business communities to be a driving force in making cultural shifts as a cornerstone to carbon reduction and climate and economic justice.Denise holds a doctorate in urban planning, with expertise in community, economic, and real estate development working with and in low-income communities of color.