Professor James D. Ford was conferred to the Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences in spring 2026. He is Priestley Chair in Climate Adaptation at the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds, where his research advances understanding of climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability at global to local scales.
Professor James FordFAcSS
James spent his early career in Canada where he pioneered concepts and methodologies for bringing together science and Indigenous knowledge to examine how climate change is experienced and responded to among the Arctic’s Inuit population. Moving to the University of Leeds in 2017, he received a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant in 2024 to develop a new sub-field of research, that of ethnoclimatology, that is weaving together Indigenous knowledge and science in climate risk modelling.
Alongside his Arctic focused work, James launched and currently Co-Chairs the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON), partnering with governments, UN-bodies, and communities across the Global South and North to examine the interaction between climate change, food systems, and health. James is a longstanding advocate of the importance of the systematic monitoring, assessment, and evaluation of actions to adapt to climate change, and was a key driver in establishing global and regional frameworks for adaptation tracking to inform policy and practice.
With >300 peer-reviewed publications, James’ research bridges social and environmental sciences to inform policy and practice internationally. In 2021, he was ranked 49th on the Reuters Hot List of the top 1,000 leading climate scientists globally. For over a decade James has served as Editor-in-Chief of Regional Environmental Change and he has contributed to major international assessments, including as a Lead Author on assessments of the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and as a member of the Multidisciplinary Expert Scientific Advisory Group for the United Nations Environment Programme’s flagship GEO-7 Assessment. Across advisory roles, assessment leadership, and sustained collaboration with community partners, his work demonstrates the central importance of the social sciences in understanding and responding to climate risk.
Why do social sciences matter?
My work is grounded in the belief that the social sciences matter because climate change is not just an environmental problem — it is a societal one. The social sciences help us understand how climate risks are experienced in people’s lives, how vulnerability is produced and shaped, and how communities respond and adapt. They give us the tools to bring together diverse knowledge systems, design fair and effective adaptation strategies, and ensure that climate policy is rooted in evidence, equity, and lived experiences. Ultimately, the social sciences are essential for translating climate research into meaningful action that improves lives.
What do you enjoy the most about your work?
What I enjoy most about my work is the collaborative nature of the research I do. I love working with communities, policymakers, and scientists from diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds to co-create knowledge. Seeing research grounded in lived experiences translate into practical strategies that improve lives is deeply rewarding. I enjoy bringing together people with different ways of knowing — science, Indigenous knowledge, and local expertise — and witnessing how new ideas, approaches, and partnerships emerge from this exchange. Working with students and early career researchers is also really important to me, and I have had the privilege of mentoring the next generation of scholars committed to advancing impactful climate change research that is grounded in the social sciences.
What is most urgent issue social scientists must tackle today?
I think the most urgent issue social scientists must tackle today is understanding and addressing the social dimensions of global crises, particularly climate change. While environmental systems are critical, it is the human, social, and institutional factors that determine who is vulnerable, why, how risks are perceived, and what adaptations are possible and effective. Social scientists have a vital role in examining inequality, power, and resilience, and in co-producing knowledge that ensures responses are just, effective, and informed by lived experience.
What does being a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences mean to you?
To me, being a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences means joining a community that recognises the importance of understanding society and its challenges. It is both a privilege and a responsibility — a recognition of the value of social science in shaping policy, guiding action, and improving lives. The Fellowship connects me with colleagues across disciplines who are committed to having impact and provides a platform to amplify the role of social sciences in addressing pressing issues like climate change.