Richard Jones, who is a Met Office Science Fellow, and a visiting Professor at the University of Oxford has been working in climate science for thirty-two years, and has been a prominent author for the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) across its last four assessment reports. This includes the most recent sixth assessment, and also was part of the team who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He has been driving climate action for several decades through developing regional climate information and most recently has been a major force in delivering the IPCC’s novel online Interactive Atlas for regional climate. This has proved to be a valuable resource for national and regional climate adaptation policy and planning, as well as helping countries to build scientific capacity and resilience in national institutions across the world, enabling them to undertake their own climate change scenario analysis and assessments.

Richard is also being recognised for his passion for equality and inclusion in climate action and his works to support and inspire climate-smart decision making in vulnerable communities. Richard is an advocate for local scientists, decision-makers, communities and youth groups becoming involved in the fight against climate change, for example through his engagement with youth groups in Zambia, hydrological engineers in Central Asia, and city institutions in Southern Africa where he helped create a safe and open space for participants to question the science, generating awareness and appreciation of climate change, breaking down barriers across the groups. Across his Met Office, IPCC and Oxford University roles, Richard has supported and advocated many young scientists from across UK and international institutions, instilling confidence and passion in the next generation of world-leading climate scientists.

Professor Penny Endersby, the Met Office’s Chief Executive, said: "Richard’s contribution to climate science is long-lasting and widespread – his leadership is seen through many sustained IPCC contributions and he has helped to build climate resilience internationally - he is an inspiration to many, supporting climate action internationally.”

Richard said: “I am immensely proud to receive this honour, only made possible by the huge support I have received from my family and many colleagues and collaborators in the UK and worldwide. For this I would like to express my enormous gratitude. I appreciate deeply that my work with the IPCC to develop and communicate information on regional climate change has been recognised in this way. It is also a recognition of the many joint efforts I have coordinated, catalysed and engaged with to build awareness of and responses to climate change in regions across Africa, Asia and the Americas.”

Richard Jones portrait