Ricardo Pelai

Ricardo Pelai is a Researcher with Sightline Institute’s Climate and Energy program, where he focuses on accelerating Cascadia’s transition from fossil fuels to a future powered by abundant clean energy.

Prior to Sightline, Ricardo worked at the Canadian Climate Institute, where he coauthored reports on the costs of extreme heat, the benefits of heat pumps, and the impacts of wildfires on housing. He has also worked with the Council of Canadian Academies synthesizing evidence to inform public policy, interned with the United Nations, and conducted forest policy research at the University of British Columbia. He holds an MSc in Forestry and a BSc in Natural Resources Conservation, both from the University of British Columbia.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Ricardo enjoys playing volleyball, reading magical realism, and exploring Canada’s forests. Email him at ricardo@sightline.org, and follow him on X, Bluesky, or LinkedIn.