David Gibbs | World Resources Institute
Donate
Ways to Give
Join us
Contact an Expert
Explore WRI Perspectives
Back
Filter Your Site Experience by Topic
Applying the filters below will filter all articles, data, insights and projects by the topic area you select.
All Topics
Remove filter
Climate
filter site by Climate
Cities
filter site by Cities
Energy
filter site by Energy
Food
filter site by Food
Forests
filter site by Forests
Freshwater
filter site by Freshwater
Ocean
filter site by Ocean
Business
filter site by Business
Economics
filter site by Economics
Finance
filter site by Finance
Equity & Governance
filter site by Equity & Governance
Search WRI.org
Not sure where to find something? Search all of the site's content.
Ways to Give
Join us
Contact an Expert
Explore WRI Perspectives
David Gibbs
Research Associate
Contact
David
David is a Research Associate in Global Forest Watch (GFW) and Land & Carbon Lab (LCL). Although he works on a variety of research projects, his primary focus is on geospatially monitoring forest carbon storage, emissions, and sequestration across a range of spatial scales. He has created global models of forest carbon emissions and sequestration at 30-m resolution and worked with cities around the world to develop methods for incorporating forests and trees into their greenhouse gas inventories. His current projects include designing methods for agricultural companies to estimate land-use change emissions from their supply chains in their greenhouse gas inventories, and an improved Earth observation-based approach for monitoring greenhouse gas fluxes from all land. David has also contributed to the Forest Declaration Assessment annual progress report—which tracks global progress in stopping deforestation—since 2018.
Previously, David was a research fellow at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., where he worked on national and sub-national climate change adaptation, ecology, and water resource management projects. Prior to that, he was an environmental scientist at the environmental consulting firm Tetra Tech in Atlanta, GA, where he assisted various levels of government with watershed management. In both positions, he used spatial and non-spatial analyses and statistics in partnership with and to support non-profits, several levels of government, other EPA offices, and private businesses.
David received his Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University and his Master’s degree in Ecology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing on the ecology of coral reefs in Fiji. In the year between college and graduate school, he was a research assistant for a coral reef ecology and conservation project in the Comoros Islands.
His favorite activities include learning to play the accordion, fencing (foil), collecting money from countries that don’t exist anymore, and writing short stories.
Contact Information
Email:
[email protected]
Languages Spoken
Program(s)
Forests
Insights
Forests
Protecting Naturally Regrowing Forests Is a Crucial — and Overlooked — Climate Solution
Insights
June 24, 2025
Forests
Indigenous Forests Are Some of the Amazon’s Last Carbon Sinks
Insights
January 6, 2023
Cities
5 Reasons Cities Should Include Trees in Climate Action
Insights
July 28, 2022
Forests
Climate Benefits of Iconic Protected Forests Are Under Threat
Insights
October 27, 2021
Forests
Forests Absorb Twice As Much Carbon As They Emit Each Year
Insights
January 21, 2021
Forests
Progress Must Speed Up to Protect and Restore Forests by 2030
Insights
November 19, 2020
Forests
Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought
Insights
September 23, 2020
Climate
Forests in the IPCC Special Report on Land Use: 7 Things to Know
Insights
August 8, 2019
Forests
By the Numbers: The Value of Tropical Forests in the Climate Change Equation
Insights
October 4, 2018
Research
Forests
Geospatial Methods for Corporate GHG Accounting of Deforestation and Land Occupation
Research
December 5, 2025
Forests
Statistical Land Use Change Emissions From Deforestation and Land Occupation for Crops
Research
December 5, 2025
Forests
Deforestation and Restoration Targets Tracker (Beta)
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Forests Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Spatial Database of Planted Trees (SDPT Version 2.0)
Research
March 6, 2024
Forests
Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Supplemental Guidance for Forests and Trees
Research
July 28, 2022
Forests
Global Forest Review Forest Carbon Stocks Indicator
Research
April 26, 2022
Source :
Forests
World Heritage forests: Carbon sinks under pressure
Research
October 26, 2021
External Publications
"Protect young secondary forests for optimum carbon removal"
By Robinson Nathaniel, Drever C. Ronnie, Gibbs David A., Lister Kristine, Esquivel-Muelbert Adriane, Heinrich Viola, Ciais Philippe, Silva-Junior Celso H. L., Liu Zhihua, Pugh Thomas A. M., Saatchi Sassan, Xu Yidi, Cook-Patton Susan C.
"Nature Climate Change"
(2025):
DOI:
10.1038/s41558-025-02355-5
"ContDataQC: An R package and Shiny app for quality control of continuous water quality sensor data"
By Pennino Michael J., Stamp Jen, Leppo Erik W., Gibbs David A., Bierwagen Britta G.
"SoftwareX"
30
(2025): 102124
DOI:
10.1016/j.softx.2025.102124
"Mind the gap: reconciling tropical forest carbon flux estimates from earth observation and national reporting requires transparency"
By Heinrich Viola, House Jo, Gibbs David A., Harris Nancy, Herold Martin, Grassi Giacomo, Cantinho Roberta, Rosan Thais M., Zimbres Barbara, Shimbo Julia Z., Melo Joana, Hales Tristram, Sitch Stephen, Aragão Luiz E. O. C.
"Carbon Balance and Management"
18
(2023): 22
DOI:
10.1186/s13021-023-00240-2
"Past decade above-ground biomass change comparisons from four multi-temporal global maps"
By Araza Arnan, Herold Martin, Bruin Sytze, Ciais Philippe, Gibbs David A., Harris Nancy, Santoro Maurizio, Wigneron Jean-Pierre, Yang Hui, Málaga Natalia, Nesha Karimon, Rodriguez-Veiga Pedro, Brovkina Olga, Brown Hugh C.A., Chanev Milen, Dimitrov Zlatomir, Filchev Lachezar, Fridman Jonas, García Mariano, Gikov Alexander, Govaere Leen, Dimitrov Petar, Moradi Fardin, Muelbert Adriane Esquivel, Novotný Jan, Pugh Thomas A.M., Schelhaas Mart-Jan, Schepaschenko Dmitry, Stereńczak Krzysztof, Hein Lars
"International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation"
118
(2023): 103274
DOI:
10.1016/j.jag.2023.103274
"Response of chlorophyll a to total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations in lotic ecosystems: a systematic review"
By Bennett Micah G., Lee Sylvia S., Schofield Kate A., Ridley Caroline E., Washington Benjamin J., Gibbs David A.
"Environmental Evidence"
10
(2021): 23
DOI:
10.1186/s13750-021-00238-8
"Detecting vulnerability of humid tropical forests to multiple stressors"
By Saatchi Sassan, Longo Marcos, Xu Liang, Yang Yan, Abe Hitofumi, André Michel, Aukema Juliann E., Carvalhais Nuno, Cadillo-Quiroz Hinsby, Cerbu Gillian Ann, Chernela Janet M., Covey Kristofer, Sánchez-Clavijo Lina María, Cubillos Isai V., Davies Stuart J., De Sy Veronique, De Vleeschouwer Francois, Duque Alvaro, Sybille Durieux Alice Marie, De Avila Fernandes Kátia, Fernandez Luis E., Gammino Victoria, Garrity Dennis P., Gibbs David A., Gibbon Lucy, Gowae Gae Yansom, Hansen Matthew, Lee Harris Nancy, Healey Sean P., Hilton Robert G., Johnson Christine May, Kankeu Richard Sufo, Laporte-Goetz Nadine Therese, Lee Hyongki, Lovejoy Thomas, Lowman Margaret, Lumbuenamo Raymond, Malhi Yadvinder, Albert Martinez Jean-Michel M., Nobre Carlos, Pellegrini Adam, Radachowsky Jeremy, Román Francisco, Russell Diane, Sheil Douglas, Smith Thomas B., Spencer Robert G.M., Stolle Fred, Tata Hesti Lestari, Torres Dennis Del Castillo, Tshimanga Raphael Muamba, Vargas Rodrigo, Venter Michelle, West Joshua, Widayati Atiek, Wilson Sylvia N., Brumby Steven, Elmore Aurora C.
"One Earth"
(2021): 988-1003
DOI:
10.1016/j.oneear.2021.06.002
"Incorporating adaptation and resilience into an integrated watershed and coral reef management plan"
By Gibbs David A., West Jordan M., Bradley Patricia
"PLOS ONE"
16
(2021): e0253343
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0253343
"Phosphorus Inventory for the Conterminous United States (2002–2012)"
By Sabo Robert D., Clark Christopher M., Gibbs David A., Metson Geneviève S., Todd M. Jason, LeDuc Stephen D., Greiner Diana, Fry Meridith M., Polinsky Robyn, Yang Qichun, Tian Hanqin, Compton Jana E.
"Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences"
126
(2021): e2020JG005684
DOI:
10.1029/2020JG005684
"Variation in aboveground biomass in forests and woodlands in Tanzania along gradients in environmental conditions and human use"
By Requena Suarez Daniela, Rozendaal Danaë M A, De Sy Veronique, Gibbs David A, Harris Nancy L, Sexton Joseph O, Feng Min, Channan Saurabh, Zahabu Eliakimu, Silayo Dos Santos, Pekkarinen Anssi, Martius Christopher, Herold Martin
"Environmental Research Letters"
16
(2021): 044014
DOI:
10.1088/1748-9326/abe960
"Global maps of twenty-first century forest carbon fluxes"
By Harris Nancy L., Gibbs David A., Baccini Alessandro, Birdsey Richard A., Bruin Sytze, Farina Mary, Fatoyinbo Lola, Hansen Matthew C., Herold Martin, Houghton Richard A., Potapov Peter V., Suarez Daniela Requena, Roman-Cuesta Rosa M., Saatchi Sassan S., Slay Christy M., Turubanova Svetlana A., Tyukavina Alexandra
"Nature Climate Change"
11
(2021): 234-240
DOI:
10.1038/s41558-020-00976-6
"Mapping carbon accumulation potential from global natural forest regrowth"
By Cook-Patton Susan C., Leavitt Sara M., Gibbs David, Harris Nancy L., Lister Kristine, Anderson-Teixeira Kristina J., Briggs Russell D., Chazdon Robin L., Crowther Thomas W., Ellis Peter W., Griscom Heather P., Herrmann Valentine, Holl Karen D., Houghton Richard A., Larrosa Cecilia, Lomax Guy, Lucas Richard, Madsen Palle, Malhi Yadvinder, Paquette Alain, Parker John D., Paul Keryn, Routh Devin, Roxburgh Stephen, Saatchi Sassan, Hoogen Johan, Walker Wayne S., Wheeler Charlotte E., Wood Stephen A., Xu Liang, Griscom Bronson W.
"Nature"
585
(2020): 545-550
DOI:
10.1038/s41586-020-2686-x
"Resilience assessment of Puerto Rico’s coral reefs to inform reef management"
By Gibbs David A., West Jordan M.
"PLOS ONE"
14
(2019): e0224360
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0224360
"How environmental futures can inform decision making: A review"
By Gibbs David A., Flotemersch Joe
"Futures"
108
(2019): 37-52
DOI:
10.1016/j.futures.2019.02.023
Projects
Global Forest Watch
Offering the latest data, technology and tools that empower people everywhere to better manage and protect forest landscapes.
Launch Platform
Launch Platform
Visit Project
Part of
Forests
Land & Carbon Lab
Convened by World Resources Institute and the Bezos Earth Fund to develop breakthroughs in geospatial monitoring that power solutions for sustainable landscapes worldwide.
Launch Platform
Launch Platform
Visit Project
Part of
Forests