About Me
Carter Cheng is Vice President (Global Operations) at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP), a global non-profit and one of the world’s leading networks of emerging foreign policy leaders, spanning more than 20,000 professionals across nine global hubs: Washington, Brussels, New York, London, Tokyo, Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and its global virtual hub. As the official US host of the G7 and G20 Youth Summits, YPFP convenes emerging decision-makers from across sectors and regions; Carter leads the organisation’s global operations and strategic development, mobilising this international network into structured, cross-border policy engagement and strengthening pathways for next-generation participation in global governance.
A political scientist and international law researcher at the University of Cambridge, Carter works at the intersection of geopolitics, emerging technologies, planetary resilience, and strategic foresight. Her research focuses on the governance of dual-use technologies, particularly space-based Earth observation, GeoAI, and environmental intelligence infrastructures, and how these systems are reshaping global security, environmental governance, and conflict dynamics in an era of climate and technological disruption.
Alongside her research, Carter serves as Engagement Coordinator for the Cambridge Democratising Education for Global Sustainability and Justice programme, expanding access to Cambridge-funded education on sustainable development law and policy for 13,000+ current and future leaders across 170+ countries.
Carter is a World Economic Forum Future50 Leader, Europe and Eurasia Co-Lead of the WEF’s inaugural Intergenerational Foresight Handbook, and a Core Collaborator of the WEF Future26 initiative, contributing to global conversations on anticipatory governance and long-term policymaking. As European Focal Point of the UNCCD Youth Caucus, she advises the UNCCD Secretariat and various UN agencies on stakeholder engagement and sustainable land governance strategies.
Her broader experience spans the UK Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Youth of Spain, the United Nations ESCAP, the FAO, Harvard Business Review, Peking University, and the University of Hong Kong.
(Fun fact: I am a kitesurfer - every summer, you’ll probably find me flying a kite somewhere along the Moroccan coastlines before inevitably crashing into the sea.)
CV Highlights
Last updated March 2026
Recent Experiences
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP)
Vice President (Global Operations), 2025-present
Managing Director, London Branch, 2024-25
University of Cambridge
Engagement Coordinator, Democratising Education for Global Sustainability & Justice, 2025-present
World Economic Forum
Future26 Core Collaborator (Engagement), Global Foresight Network, 2026-present
Future 50 Leader & Intergenerational Foresight Handbook Europe & Eurasia Co-Lead, Global Foresight Network, 2025-26
Impact Officer, Global Shapers Community - London Hub II, 2023-24
Global Shapers, Global Shapers Community - London Hub II, 2022-24
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Regional Focal Point for Europe, UNCCD Youth Caucus, 2024-present
UK Cabinet Office
Policy Advisor, Policy Profession Unit, 2025
International Lawyers Project
Legal Fellow, 2024-25 & 2026
Ministry of Youth and Children, Government of Spain
Climate Negotiations Advisor, 2024
United Nations ESCAP
Research Lead (Agritech), 2017-22
Peking University
Yenching Fellow (Tech Law & Geopolitics), Yenching Academy, 2019-21
Education
University of Cambridge
PhD in Land Economy (Public International Law), 2025-28
Thesis: The International Law of Environmental Warfare: from Scorched Earth Tactics to the Weaponization of Climate and Space Technologies (Supervisor: Professor Emma Lees)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professional Education in New Space Economy, 100% (YPFP Fellowship), 2025
University of Cambridge
Master of Public Policy, Distinction (John Grantham Scholar; Jennings Prize), 2024-25
Peking University
Master of Law, 91.8% (Bai Xian Asian Future Leader Scholar; Chinese Government Scholarship), 2019-21
University of St Andrews
BA (Hons) International Relations, 2:1 (Dean’s List 2016/17), 2013-17
Selected Publications
Articles
Carter Cheng, “Courtroom on the clouds: how online courts are transforming China’s local court performance,” Peking University Law Journal, vol. 9, January 2022.
Policy Writing
Carter Cheng, Markus Kirchschlager, İrem Bilir & Vikram Jotwani, “Europe & Eurasia – Regional Provocation,” Intergenerational Foresight: An Approach for Long-Term Responsibility in Governance (World Economic Forum, March 2026).
Carter Cheng, Improving Organisational Learning through Knowledge and Information Management across the UK Civil Service (UK Cabinet Office, June 2025).
Carter Cheng, Policy Brief: Promoting an Enabling Environment for the Private Sector for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (United Nations ESCAP, July 2020).
Editing
Anshuman Varma, Yue Feng & Carter Cheng (eds.), Mechanization of Agriculture: Market Dynamics in China, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, United Nations ESCAP (December 2020).
Anshuman Varma, Yue Feng & Carter Cheng (eds.), Trade and Investment Policies on Mechanization of Agriculture, United Nations ESCAP (December 2017).
Working Papers
Carter Cheng, “The Hidden Bottlenecks: Institutional Misalignments under China’s State-led Innovation Regime for Emerging Technologies.”
Carter Cheng, “Innovating with Purpose: Improving the Knowledge and Technology Transfer (K&TT) Processes of Chinese Agritech.”
Op-eds & Commentaries
Mary Ongore & Carter Cheng, “Shining a Light in the Shadows: Training Journalists to Expose Illicit Financial Flows,” International Lawyers Project, June 2025.
Mary Ongore & Carter Cheng, “The Role of Tanzania’s Legal Profession in Tackling Illicit Financial Flows,” International Lawyers Project, May 2025.
Mary Ongore & Carter Cheng, “Reimagining Global Tax Governance Through the UN Tax Convention,” International Lawyers Project, December 2024.
Carter Cheng, “Kenya’s Inclusive Climate Action,” International Lawyers Project, November 2024.
Carter Cheng, “Kenya’s Road to Just Transition,” International Lawyers Project, November 2024.
Carter Cheng, “China’s Quest to Attract Foreign Talent,” The Diplomat, July 2016.
Carter Cheng, “How China Can Benefit from Brexit,” The Diplomat, June 2016.
Carter Cheng, “The Hidden Benefits of China’s Counterfeiting Habit,” The Diplomat, June 2016.
Public Service
Harvard Business Review
Advisory Council Member, 2024-present
FAO World Food Forum Youth Policy Board
Judging Panelist, 2025
World Economic Forum
Summer Davos 50 Global Shaper Representative, 2024
United World College Great Britain
Governance & Strategy Taskforce Member, 2022
United Nations 70th Youth Plenary & 2021 ECOSOC Youth Forum
Chinese Delegation Head, 2020-21
Fellowships
Centre for International Sustainable Development Law
Associate Fellow, 2025-present
Aspen Institute
UK Rising Leaders Fellow, 2024-present
Royal Society of Arts (UK)
Fellow, 2022-present
Tencent x Viva la Vida THINC Fellowship
THINC Tech for Impact Fellow (UK), 2024
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Local Pathways Fellow (UK), 2023
Centre for Diplomatic Advancement
Nelson Mandela Residential Fellow (UK), 2023
Selected Invited Talks, Panels & Presentations
Coalition for the UN We Need: European Futures Forum 2026, March 2026
“Civil Society Perspectives on the Implementation of the Pact for the Future and the Future of Multilateralism” (Panel Speaker, WEF Future50 Europe & Eurasia Team)
UN Foundation Our Future Agenda: Impact Coalition for Future Generations Membership Call, March 2026
“Intergenerational Foresight: A European and Eurasian Perspective” (Principal Presenter, WEF Future50 Europe & Eurasia Team)
UNCCD Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention, December 2024
“Youth Panel Press Conference” (Moderator)
IUCN Congress 2025: Joint Thematic Session, October 2025
“Soil Health for Nature Conservation and Resilience” (Invited Speaker)
YOUNGO Nature Working Group 2025 Biodiversity Academy, October 2025
“Navigating the Rio Conventions” (Invited Speaker)
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy London Open Dialogues on Climate Change, October 2025
“Resilience in Uncertainty: Sustainable Land, Biodiversity, Climate Futures Amidst U.S. Climate and Environmental Policy Reversals” (Moderator)
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy London Open Dialogues on Climate Change, September 2025
“Beyond Carbon and Toward COP30: Sustainable Land, Biodiversity, Climate Futures” (Moderator)
Life of Pachamama: Path Towards Democratization of the Global South Program, August 2025
“COP16 to COP30: Lessons and Progress” (Panel Speaker)
Centre for International Sustainable Development Law – Expert Roundtable, June 2025
“Live from Bonn 2025: UNFCCC SB62 Negotiations” (Moderator)
Commonwealth Youth Council – Climate Justice Workshop, June 2025
“Climate Justice: Levelling the Playing Field” (Panel Speaker)
UNCCD COP16 Forum Session, December 2024
“Advancing Finance and Strategic Partnership for Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought” (Moderator)
UNCCD COP16 International Lawyers Project Interactive Workshop, December 2024
“The Neglected Sides of Carbon Projects: Indigenous Rights and Legal Strategies” (Principal Presenter)
Future Leaders Network-Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Panel Series, December 2024
“Climate Diplomacy in Crisis? Panel Discussion with 2024 G7, G20, and COP29 Youth Delegates” (Moderator)
Future Leaders Network-Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Panel Series, November 2024
“Youth Diplomacy in the Changing World: Panel Discussion with 2024 G7, G20, and COP29 Youth Delegates” (Moderator)
HKUST Web 3.0 Lab-Carbon Care Innovation Lab-Climate Solutions Labs Panel Series, October 2024
“AI Innovation on Climate Action” (Panel Speaker)
UK Open Dialogues on Climate Change, September 2024
“AI and Climate Action: How the Burgeoning Use of AI is Changing Decarbonization Efforts” (Moderator)
Tencent x Viva la Vida THINC Fellowship Tech for Impact Webinar Series, February 2024
“Tech and International Development: Opportunities and Challenges” (Panel Speaker)
