Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Hoffmeister’s research will focus on how the Unites States’ stance on global climate-related loss and damage, or climate change impacts not averted by mitigation or adaptation, has evolved and shaped relevant international environmental policy decisions over the past two years. She will explore her hypothesis using a mixed approach of text analysis and interviews, comparing mentions of loss and damage in each draft decision published preceding and during the last two UN climate conferences (COP20, COP21). Her research will be especially salient in the aftermath of this year’s UN climate conference, as interest in loss and damage is likely to be at an all-time high.