On April 5, 2024, James K. Boyce, co-winner of the 2024 Global Inequality Research Award (GiRA), gave a lecture at Sciences Po Paris. In his talk, he shared insights from his extensive research on the links between inequality and the environment, reflecting on the travels, encounters, and milestones that have shaped his intellectual journey.

The full lecture is now available as the first in the GiRA series here (pdf, 3,7 Mo).

Boyce expressed his gratitude for receiving the inaugural GiRA, stating:
“I am deeply honored to receive this inaugural Global Inequality Research Award […] with my friend Bina Agarwal, who has done so much to advance our understanding of the interactions between gender inequality and the environment.”

He closed the lecture by highlighting two of the most pressing challenges of our time:
“The first is to halt and, when possible, reverse the degradation of the environment, including destabilization of the planet’s climate. The second is to reduce the inequalities of wealth and power that threaten to tear societies apart. I believe that it is both possible and necessary to tackle these challenges together. These two historic tasks can and must go hand-in-hand.”

About the GiRA Lectures
The GiRA aims to recognize researchers from all disciplines who have made a significant contribution to the understanding of global inequalities. It is a joint initiative between the World Inequality Lab (WIL) and Sciences Po’s Center for Research on social InequalitieS (CRIS).
This inaugural lecture was organized as part of the Social-ecological transitions (SET) initiative supported the OFCE, CEE  and CSO, which aims to encourage collaboration between researchers working at the frontier of social and environmental issues, across disciplinary and institutional boundaries.
The GiRA Lecture Series aims to capture and disseminate the knowledge and insights of award recipients, providing a platform to engage with groundbreaking research on global inequalities.

Next GiRA lecture
Bina Agarwal, co-recipient of the 2024 GiRA, will receive her award and deliver a lecture on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the Paris School of Economics. Registration will open in January 2025.