Lila Buckley

United States

MSc Environmental Change and Management, 2010
Linacre College
Funding: Hoffmann

As a Senior Researcher on China at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) for the past 10 years, Lila has focused on Chinese development and environment policies, as well as China-Africa aid, trade and investments, including lesson learning on Chinese trilateral aid projects. Prior to her work in China, she gained a BA in Sociology, Anthropology and Chinese from Middlebury College, Vermont, graduating in 2004.

Lila has published a range of studies on environmental and development issues, largely focusing on China's global engagement. These include Chinese overseas aid, trade and investments, improving development outcomes for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, trilateral cooperation between Europe-China-Africa, Chinese civil society, agriculture and sustainable food systems, as well as disruptive change technologies. She has work and field research experience in China, SouthEast Asia, UK, US, and sub-Saharan Africa. See links to publications at www.iied.org/people/lila-buckley.

“I love the connections I made with other scholars through my participation in the Weidenfeld-Hoffman scholarship and leadership programme—They are incredible people and I feel deeply honoured to be associated with them and watch their careers unfold over the past ten years. I regularly draw inspiration and strength from these friendships, as well as from the skills and confidence I gained from the public policy seminar and leadership training in my current work leading IIED’s China in the World programme.”