Paul Behrens

Dr. Paul Behrens is an Associate Professor at Leiden University, specializing in environmental change, sustainability, and the areas of energy, food, and economic systems. He is the author of The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Futures from the Frontiers of Climate Science (Indigo Press, 2020), which explores humanity’s trajectory and potential futures through a balance of pessimism and hope on topics like the economy, energy, land, and food. He has also contributed to Food and Sustainability, an interdisciplinary textbook for Oxford University Press. His research has been published in leading scientific journals and media outlets such as Nature Sustainability, Nature Energy, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Behrens won Leiden University's Discoverer of the Year Award in 2018, the Stan’s Award for Best Outreach in 2021, and the International Champion title in the Frontiers Planet Prize in 2023. His work also includes projects like CIRCOMOD, SiTaSol, and the Water and Society Lab.