ALEXANDER M. DE SHERBININ – Personal Web Page
Work: CIESIN, P.O. Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964
USA, Tel. +1-845-365-8988, Fax +1-845-365-8922
Email: adesherbinin -at- ciesin.columbia.edu
Alex de Sherbinin is a Senior Staff
Associate for Research at Columbia University's Center for International Earth
Science Information Network (CIESIN),
an environmental data and analysis center within The Earth Institute at Columbia
University specializing in the human aspects of global environmental change. He
serves as deputy manager of the NASA-funded Socioeconomic Data and Applications
Center (SEDAC), and also serves
as co-Coordinator of the Population-Environment Research Network (PERN), a
global network of 1,400 social and natural scientists researching
population-environment relationships that is sponsored by the International
Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP)
and the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change
(IHDP). He is also co-chair of the CODATA
Global Roads Data Development Working Group. He is a core member of the joint
Yale/Columbia team that developed the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) and the Environmental
Performance Index (EPI).
Mr. de Sherbinin is a geographer whose
research interests focus on the human aspects of environmental change at local,
national and global scales. He has written peer-reviewed articles, chapters,
and reports addressing population dynamics and the environment; urban
sustainability; climate change vulnerability; U.S. population policy;
consumption-environment linkages; environment and security; environmental
indicators; land-use and land-cover change; remote sensing applications for
environmental treaties; social science applications of remote sensing; and
community-based natural resource management.
Prior to joining CIESIN, Mr. de
Sherbinin served as a USAID-funded Population-Environment Fellow with the
Social Policy Program of IUCN-The World
Conservation Union (Gland, Switzerland), and a Population Geographer at the
Population Reference Bureau (PRB, Washington,
DC). From 1984-1986 he served as an agricultural extension agent with the U.S.
Peace Corps in Mauritania, West Africa.
Curriculum Vitae (as of July 2009)
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
Center for
International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN),
Senior Staff Associate for Research, October 1999-present.
IUCN-The World Conservation Union,
Acting
Head, Social Policy Group, March-November 1998.
Population-Environment Fellow, January 1996-July
1999.
Population Reference Bureau (PRB),
Population Geographer, International
Programs, October 1991‑December 1995.
Information
Specialist, June 1989-October 1991.
Department of Anthropology,
Teaching
Assistant, September 1987‑May 1989.
International Tree Project Clearinghouse, U.N.
Non-Governmental Liaison Service, NYC.
Intern,
May‑July 1987.
Peace Corps,
Agricultural
Extension Agent (Irrigated Rice), July
1984‑ September 1986.
EDUCATION
M.A. Geography, May 1989,
Included
coursework in economics, demography and anthropology. Thesis on the impact of
migrants’ remittances on economic development in the
B.A. Geography, 1984,
Awards: • Xerox grant (1983) to study
cultural diffusion in southern
• Mellon
grant (1983-84) to study climate and forestry in southwest
Additional
Training: Graduate courses in Econometrics (Spring 2005), Topics in Conservation Biology (Spring
2003), and Quantitative Analysis
(Spring 2001),
LANGUAGES
English: native
speaker
French: fluent
Spanish: conversant (
AFFILIATIONS
Co-Chair of the CODATA Global Roads Data Development Working Group (2008-2010)
Member: • World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of IUCN
• Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) of IUCN
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Expert Group Member, World Water Assessment Program (2008-2009)
Scientific Committee of the Programme on the Interactions between Population, Development, and Environment (PRIPODE) (2002-2007)
International Editorial Board of MEDIAS-France Network Newsletter (2004-2007)
Scientific Advisory Board of the ESPERE Climate Encyclopedia (2002-2005)
RESEARCH
AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Co-PI,
“Climate Change and Migration”, 2009, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief
Everywhere (CARE).
PI,
“Roads Data Development in Ethiopia”, 2009, Gates Foundation AGCommons
Initiaitve Quick Wins Project.
PI,
“Roads Data Development in East Africa”, 2008-09,US National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) SERVIR project.
Co-PI,
“Continued Operation of the Earth Observing System Data and information system
(EOSDIS) Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)”, 2008-13, US
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
PI, “Compilation
of Land Degradation Indicators for the Global Environmental Facility KM:Land
Project”, 2007-08, United Nations University International Network on Water,
Environment & Health (UNU-INWEH).
Co-PI, “2008 Environmental Performance Index”, 2007-08, Yale University.
PI, “IUSSP-IHDP Population-Environment Research Network”, 2002-present, multiple sources.
PI, “Urban Population, Poverty and Sustainable Development”, 2003-04, UN Population Fund (UNFPA):
PI,
“Remote Sensing Technologies for Ecosystem Management Treaties” (project with
IBAMA, PROBIDES, and US Fish and Wildlife Service), 2003-05, US Department of
State.
PI, “Project in Support of Ramsar Recommendation 6.3 on Community Involvement in Wetland Management,” multiple sources.
PUBLICATIONS
Books, Chapters, Edited Volumes and Peer-Reviewed Articles
Marcotullio, P., S. Baptista, and A. de Sherbinin. 2010 (forthcoming). “Urbanization, poverty reduction and ecosystem integrity”, In: De Clerk, F., J. Ingram, and C. Rumbaitis Del Rio (eds.), Integrating Ecology into Poverty Alleviation and International Development Efforts: A Practical Guide. New York: Springer.
de Sherbiniin, A., A. Rahman, A. Barbieri, J.C. Fotso, and Y. Zhu (eds.). 2009. Urban Population-Environment Dynamics in the Developing World: Case Studies and Lessons Learned. Paris: Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography (CICRED).
de Sherbinin, A. 2009. “Introduction”, In: de Sherbinin, A., A. Rahman, A. Barbieri, J.C. Fotso, and Y. Zhu (eds.), Urban Population-Environment Dynamics in the Developing World: Case Studies and Lessons Learned. Paris: CICRED.
Adamo, S.B., and A. de Sherbinin. 2009. The Impact of Climate Change on the Spatial Distribution of Populations and Migration. Chapter in: Proceedings of the Expert Group Meeting on Migration, New York: United Nations Population Division.
Vörösmarty, C.J., J. Syvitski, J. Day, A. de Sherbinin, L. Giosan and C. Paola. 2009. Battling to save the world’s river deltas. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. March/April 2009. DOI: 10.2968/065002005, available at http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/6mk3542733712252/fulltext.pdf
Redford, K., M. Levy, E. Sanderson, and A. de Sherbinin. 2008. “What is the role for conservation organizations in poverty alleviation in the world’s wild places?” Oryx Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 516-528.
de Sherbinin, A. 2008. “Is Poverty Highest Near Parks? An Assessment of Infant Mortality Rates Around Protected Areas in Developing Countries.” Oryx. Vol 42, No. 1, pp. 26-35.
de Sherbinin, A., D. Carr, S. Cassels, and L. Jiang. 2007. "Population and Environment." Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Vol. 32, Nov 2007, pp. 345-373.
de Sherbinin, A., L. VanWey, K. McSweeney, R. Aggarwal, A. Barbieri, S. Henry, L. Hunter, W. Twine, and R. Walker. 2007. “Household Demographics, Livelihoods and the Environment.” Global Environmental Change, Vol. 18, pp. 38-53.
de Sherbinin, A., A. Schiller, and A. Pulsipher. 2007. “The Vulnerability of Global Cities to Climate Hazards.” Environment and Urbanization, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 39-64. Pre-press version available at http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/documents/vulofglob_contactshtml.pdf
de Sherbinin, A., and G. Martine. 2007. Urban Population, Development and Environment Dynamics. CICRED Policy Paper No. 3. Paris: Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography (CICRED). Available at http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/pdf/Policypapers/PP3.pdf
Nelson, A., A. de Sherbinin, F. Pozzi. 2006. “Towards Development of a High Quality Public Domain Global Roads Database.” CODATA Science Journal, Vol. 5, November 2006, pp. 223-265.
Curran, S., and A. de Sherbinin. 2004. “Completing the Picture: The Challenges of Bringing ‘Consumption’ into the Population-Environment Equation.” Population and Environment, Vol. 26, No. 2.
de Sherbinin, A., D. Balk, K. Yaeger, M. Jaiteh, F.
Pozzi, and C. Giri. 2002. “Social Science Applications of Remote Sensing,” A
CIESIN Thematic Guide,
de Sherbinin, A. 2002. "Land-Use and Land-Cover
Change," A CIESIN Thematic Guide,
de Sherbinin, A., K. Kline, and A. Raustiala. 2002. "Remote Sensing Data: Valuable Support for Environmental Treaties," Environment, Vol. 44, No. 1, January/February 2002.
de
Sherbinin, A. and G. Claridge. 2000. “Involving Local Communities and
Indigenous People in Wetland Management: A Guide for Decision Makers,
Government Agencies, and NGOs,” in Guidelines
for Establishing and Strengthening Local Communities’ and Indigenous People’s
Participation in the Management of Ramsar and Other Wetlands.
de
Sherbinin, A. 2000. “Population, Development and Human Security: A Micro-level
Perspective,” Aviso: An Information Bulletin on Global Environmental Change
and Human Security, Issue No. 7.
de
Sherbinin, A. 1999. “Two Threats to
Global Security.” in The People and Their
Planet: Searching for Balance, Barbara Baudot and William Moomaw (eds.).
de
Sherbinin, A., and M. Freudenberger. 1998. “Migration to Protected Areas and
Buffer Zones: Can We Stem the Tide?”, PARKS,
Vol. 8, No. 1.
de
Sherbinin, A., and V. Dompka (eds.). 1998. Water
and Population Dynamics: Case Studies and Policy Implications,
Barton,
T., G. Borrini-Feyerabend, A. de
Sherbinin, and P. Warren. 1997. Our
People, Our Resources: Supporting Rural Communities in Participatory Action
Research on Population Dynamics and the Local Environment.
de
Sherbinin, A. 1996. “Human Security and
Fertility: The Case of
de
Sherbinin, A. 1995. “World Population
Growth and U.S. National Security,” Woodrow
Wilson Center’s Environment and Security Report, No. 1, April 1995.
Reports
Warner, K., C. Erhart, A. de Sherbinin, S.B. Adamo, T.Chai-Onn. 2009. In search of Shelter: Mapping the effects of climate change on human migration and displacement. Bonn, Germany: United Nations University, CARE, and CIESIN-Columbia University. Available at http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/binaries/global/news/2009/clim-migr-report-june09_final.pdf
Levy, M., A. de Sherbinin, V. Mara, A. Fischer,
M. Jaiteh, L. Razafindrazay. 2009. Environmental
Performance Index for Abu Dhabi Emirate. Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Global
Environmental Data Initiative.
Esty, D., M. Levy,
C. Kim, A. de Sherbinin, T.
Srebotnjak, and V. Mara. 2008. 2008
Environmental Performance Index.
Leary, N., J.
Adejuwon, J. W. Bailey, V. Barros, M. Caffera, S. Chinvanno, C. Conde, A., De
Comarmond, A. de Sherbinin, T.
Downing, H. Eakin, A. Nyong, M. Opondo, B. Osman, R. Payet, F. Pulhin, J.
ulhin, J. Ratnasiri, E. Sanjak, G. von Maltitz, M. Wehbe, Y. Yin, and G.
Ziervogel. 2006. For Whom the
Esty, D., M. Levy,
T. Srebotnjak, A. de Sherbinin, C.
Kim, and B. Anderson. 2006. Pilot 2006
Environmental Performance Index.
de
Sherbinin, A. 2005. Remote Sensing in
Support of Ecosystem Management Treaties and Transboundary Conservation.
Esty, D., M. Levy,
T. Srebotnjak, A. de Sherbinin.
2005. 2005 Environmental Sustainability
Index.
de
Sherbinin, A., R.S. Chen. 2005. Global
Spatial Data and Information: Development, Dissemination and Use. Report of
a Workshop held 21-23 September, 2004, at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,
de
Sherbinin, A. 2001. Remote Sensing and Environmental Treaties: Building More
Effective Linkages. Report of a workshop held at the Woodrow Wilson International
Center, Washington, DC, December 4-5, 2000.
Dabholkar,
U., A. de Sherbinin and V. Ponniah
(eds.). 1999. Report of the International
Workshop on Population-Poverty-Environment Linkages: Key Results and Policy Actions.
IUCN Headquarters, September 23-25, 1998.
de
Sherbinin, A. 1996. Water and Population
Dynamics: Local Approaches to a Global Challenge. Report on a collaborative
initiative and workshop at IUCN’s World Conservation Congress,
de Sherbinin, A. 1993. “Population and Consumption Issues for Environmentalists,” a literature search and bibliography prepared by the Population Reference Bureau for the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Global Stewardship Initiative.
Short Articles
de
Sherbinin, A. 2007. “The New ENTRI Conference of Party (COP) Decision Search
Tool” IISD MEA Bulletin, 20 December
2007. Available at http://www.iisd.ca/mea-l/guestarticle38a.htm
de
Sherbinin, A., R.S. Chen, M. Levy. 2007. “What Does Climate Change Mean for the
Hazards Community?” Natural Hazards
Observer, July 2007, pp. 11-13.
de
Sherbinin, A. 2006. Encyclopedia entries for “Consumption,” “Population
Dynamics,” and “Urbanization” in: Our
Earth's Changing Land: An Encyclopedia of Land-Use and Land-Cover Change,
Helmut Geist (ed.).
de
Sherbinin, A. 2004. “Population and Environment Change: Fitting the Data to the
Analysis,” IHDP Update, Issue 1. Available at http://www.ihdp.uni-bonn.de/html/publications/publications.html
de
Sherbinin, A. 2002. “Bytes of Note: Remote Sensing in Byte-sized Morsels,” Environment, Vol. 44, No. 1,
January/February 2002.
de
Sherbinin, A. 2000. “Bytes of Note: Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture,” Environment, Vol. 42, No. 2, March 2000.
Chavarría,
E., A. de Sherbinin and C. Valdés.
1999. “Wetland Conservation in
de
Sherbinin, A. 1999. “Geographic Information Systems for Conservation and
Development,” Population-Environment
Fellows Newsletter,
de
Sherbinin, A. 1998. “Water and Population Dynamics: The Urgent Need for
Action,” The Inter-American Parliamentary
Group on Population and Development Bulletin, Vol. 17, No. 1, January 1998.
de
Sherbinin, A. 1996. “A Decade of Population
and Environment at IUCN,” Population-Environment
Fellows News, Vol. 4, No. 3, December 1996.
More
than 20 articles in Population Today,
the Population Reference Bureau's demographic news monthly, 1989-1995.
WORKSHOPS
ORGANIZED
Organizer: Global
Roads Data Workshop, Palisades, NY, 1-3 October 2007.
Scientific Coordinator: PRIPODE
Workshop on Urban Population, Development and Environment Dynamics,
Nairobi, Kenya, 11-13 June 2007.
Organizer and trainer: Spatial
Analysis for Human Dimensions Research. Workshop co-organized with and held
at ZEF,
Organizer: Population, The Urban Poor, and Sustainable
Development. Workshop held at
Organizer: Global Spatial Data and Information:
Development, Dissemination and Use, Workshop held at the Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory and co-organized by CIESIN, FAO, UNEP, WHO and CGIAR.
Organizer: Remote Sensing and Environmental Treaties:
Building More Effective Linkages,
Co-organizer and rapporteur: Indigenous People’s and Local Communities’ Participation in Wetland
Management, Global Biodiversity
Forum-13, San José, Costa Rica, 7-9 May 1999.
Co-organizer and facilitator: Strategies for the Wise Use of Wetlands, Second International Conference on Wetlands and Development, Dakar,
Senegal, November 10-14, 1998.
Organizer and presenter: Population-Poverty-Environment
Linkages: An Overview, International
Workshop on Population-Poverty-Environment Linkages, co-organized by IUCN,
UNFPA and UNEP, Gland, Switzerland, September 23-25, 1998.
Co-organizer and chair: Participatory
Wetlands Management: Case Studies from Asia, International Workshop on Ramsar Site Management Involving Local
Communities,
Organizer: Water and Population Dynamics: Lessons Learned
from Local Case Studies, IUCN World
Conservation Congress,
Organizer and chair: Mapping
and Geographic Information Systems for Planning and Communication, IUCN World Conservation Congress,