Cristina García Fernández

Associate Professor of Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), where she has served as the Coordinator of the Master in the European Union and the Mediterranean since 2014. Her academic trajectory combines senior institutional leadership with advanced research in global environmental challenges.

Visiting Appointments:
Harvard University (since March 2025 – Present): Twice Visiting Research Fellow within the Department of Government and the Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard (RCC). Her current work at Harvard focuses on the political economy of the energy transition.

Research Specialization:
Her multidisciplinary research agenda addresses the socio-economic dimensions of the climate crisis, with particular emphasis on:

Climate Policy: Mitigation and adaptation strategies at national and urban scales.

Global Security: Climate-induced migration and its implications for international stability.

Urban Innovation: Smart cities and the transition toward sustainable energy systems.

Energy transitions in Europe and the US.

Selected Publications:
She is the author of the influential monograph Impactos Sociales del Cambio Climático (Social Impacts of Climate Change), published by La Catarata (2023), which examines the human and social vulnerabilities resulting from climate change impacts and environmental shifts. She has published more than 70 articles and book chapters.

International Research & Professional Experience
Since 2015, she has established a robust international research profile through sustained collaborations with premier institutions:

Harvard University & Harvard Radcliffe Institute: Active contributor to high-level academic forums, notably serving as a featured speaker at the Seminar on Energy Transition at the Radcliffe Institute.

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA):

UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation: Researcher for projects dedicated to climate change mitigation strategies across Los Angeles County.

UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability: Led research initiatives focused on the impact of global warming on the most vulnerable communities in California.

NewCastle University: collaborations in climate change related projects.

She is also collaborating in National projects in the UCM and Harvard University.

Public Policy & Advisory Roles
Her expertise has directly informed public policy, notably through her role as a senior advisor for the development of Climate Change Adaptation Plans for the State of California and Southern California.