
Paula DiPerna
Author & Global Environmental & Philanthropic Policy Advisor
Paula DiPerna is an accomplished author and global environmental and philanthropic policy advisor. She currently serves as Special Advisor to CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and holds advisory roles with the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, Global Kids, and Jupiter Asset Management's Sustainability Advisory Council.
She chairs the US Board of Humanity Insured, a nonprofit addressing climate-related financial risks for vulnerable communities, and sits on the Board of The HistoryMakers, the largest archive of African-American leaders' oral histories. DiPerna's recent book, Pricing the Priceless (2023), explores valuing the planet to solve the climate crisis and was named a Financial Times “Best Summer Read.”
She is a frequent speaker at major institutions including MIT, the New York Economic Club, and The Rockefeller Foundation. Her novel The Discoveries of Mrs. Christopher Columbus has been published internationally. Her extensive career includes serving as President of the Chicago Climate Exchange, where she pioneered emissions trading and helped establish China's first carbon market. She also worked with Jacques-Yves Cousteau as Vice-President for International Affairs at the Cousteau Society.
DiPerna has advised global organizations such as the World Bank and founded initiatives linking environmental action with job creation. Based in New York City, she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and other influential groups.