Resources for the Future Honors Ray Kopp

In memory of Resources for the Future colleague Raymond J. Kopp, who passed away on August 19.

Share your memories of Ray by following this link or by filling in the form at the end of a long scroll, below the words from Ray’s friends and colleagues.

“Ray was not only a terrific researcher and a model for those wishing to see their research have an impact on public policy. During his 40+ years at RFF, he also helped create an atmosphere in which doing research on environmental and natural resource issues was not only rewarding but (dare it be said?) fun!”

—Paul Portney
RFF Senior Advisor, former RFF President and CEO

“Skills in applied economic theory and measurement usually are not good predictors of comparable interdisciplinary talent. This rule of thumb does not apply to Ray. He led every major natural resource damage assessment for three decades, while advancing major research programs at RFF … Time in the internet age sometimes causes us to forget research legacies. In Ray’s case, we should not.”

—V. Kerry Smith
RFF University Fellow and Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University

“One of the impressive things about Ray is that he could quickly turn simple talking points into a smooth, cogent speech or proposal introduction. Never failed, in my experience. One of my other mentors said, ‘Good rhetoric takes time to develop.’ Ray made it look easy. Thanks, Ray, for applying that in the service of society through your work with RFF.”

—Daniel Shawhan
RFF Fellow

“A thoughtful, even-keeled, lovely man, Ray helped translate RFF’s important but occasionally abstract ideas into digestible policy and actions. He will be missed.”

—Jonathan Silver
Member of the RFF Board of Directors

“During the 1990s, Alan Krupnick and I got very involved with issues of climate change mitigation while on the staff of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. However, RFF never would have had the launch of a hugely successful climate change research and policy engagement program without Ray. He participated in side events at the annual COP meeting for many years; he initiated the pioneering effort with Jon Krosnick to understand public attitudes toward climate change–mitigation policies; and he talked to domestic policy stakeholders about their knowledge needs at every opportunity. This was Ray at his best, and uniquely Ray. Like others, I am a more discerning researcher thanks to him. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing.”

—Mike Toman
RFF Senior Fellow

“This is my picture of Ray as an important mentor in my life: Ray had charisma that drew from his focus, vision, and leadership. Ray always had great focus, which he brought to the workspace as a discipline, with philosophical roots that one could glimpse occasionally. His thinking about social contracts. His study of Zen. The first thing I remember Ray ever saying to me was the last thing he said to me the day I gave my seminar at RFF. As I was getting into my cab, he said simply: ‘Good job.’ He made me feel good. He made me feel like I wanted to be at RFF.

“Most famously in my memory, as a research director, Ray drew charisma by his leadership. When I arrived at RFF, Ray viewed his role as protecting the researchers. We were told about our responsibilities for fundraising and citizenship, but Ray said not to stress at the time about new responsibilities, all of which would come naturally. Our job as new researchers was one thing: ‘Beef up your resume.’ What was good for us was good for RFF. Ray gave us permission to stay calm and carry on. And most famously in the archives of the New York Times is Ray’s brilliant quote: ‘That’s absolutely bananas.’ It does not matter anymore what the article was about. Ray could represent his technical expertise with gravitas!

“For many years, Ray protected me and mentored me and my close colleagues as we built our capabilities. There was always a sense that one is on the right team, hanging with the cool guys, when engaged on a project or in a conversation with Ray. Ray had a great nose for the next big idea, and big ideas were always his focus.

“These pictures of Ray show why he commanded such great loyalty and affection from those who surrounded him.”

—Dallas Burtraw
RFF Senior Fellow, Collaborator, Friend

“Ray was a true Renaissance man, with his hobbies (some sort of race car), his spirit (parties of lore), and unique takes that come from brilliance. On a more somber note, I remember having dinner with him more than 20 years ago (maybe 25). We were discussing climate, and he said in candor that when China fully develops, ‘We are all cooked.’ That was in 1999, and now the world’s blown well beyond 1.5°C. I’ll miss Ray’s candor, his down-to-earth nature, and his brilliance. I learned a lot from Ray. The world—its crises at hand—need people who see things in unique ways and are not afraid to speak up and describe what they are seeing. That was another RFF, another time. I will deeply miss him and will always be grateful for how he helped me to be a bit more of an iconoclast.”

—Jan Mazurek
RFF Colleague

“As someone who has been actively engaged in climate policy advocacy for the past 20 years, after I got to know him, Ray became my first call on matters of climate economics that I needed to understand. He was always helpful—practical, insightful, and respected by others he would send me to. Over time, we became friends as much as colleagues and would see each other when he was in NYC or I in DC. I will miss him!”

—Larry Linden
Member of the RFF Board of Directors, Colleague

“Ray was the first person I worked with as a research assistant at RFF, exactly 20 years ago. The assignment? To help him and Paul Portney write an article to be published in Science. After I completed a draft for them, Ray returned it to me with a number of comments, but the one that caught my eye as an entry-level researcher was the one on the top of the page: ‘Your name should go first.’ Not only was Ray an incredibly knowledgeable expert (my first memory of him is hearing him rattle off all the issues with REDD+ off the top of his head), he was as generous a colleague one could ever imagine. The example he set as an early mentor is one I carry with me to this day in my own career: Know your shit; respect and give credit to all the people who help you. Thank you, Ray.”

—Jeffrey Chow
Former RFF Research Assistant

“Entrepreneurs build things. The entrepreneur starts up an endeavor by bringing on board a few key collaborators. The entrepreneur leads the team’s initial ideas into the market, finding who wants to support this work and who would benefit from consuming the results of the team’s effort. The entrepreneur translates innovation and creativity into action. Ray Kopp was a policy entrepreneur, par excellence.

“With his discerning ear, Ray could engage with stakeholders and policymakers to learn what evidence they needed to more effectively address a pressing policy question. In some cases, these consumers framed their questions in ambiguous and incomplete ways, but Ray understood how analysis and evaluation of various policy options could address their needs. He could see the production opportunities among his fellow scholars at RFF—and in partnering with colleagues across the world—that could be harnessed in ways that advanced fundamental knowledge in the service of informing public policy.

“Ray amplified his impact as an entrepreneur by mentoring his collaborators. I joined RFF as a fellow after completing my doctorate. To my classmates, I used to describe how a think tank differs from an academic department. I’d note that, instead of teaching students, we teach policymakers. In the policy world, the curriculum and pedagogy are different (and, fortunately, there is no grading). Effectively engaging and teaching policymakers does not come naturally to PhD economists. Ray taught me how to teach to the policy community. He brought me onto the Climate Policy Forum team, where I observed and learned from him how to engage business-sector stakeholders on climate policy. I learned how to communicate effectively—through formal presentations, one-on-ones in coffee breaks, and in policy briefs—rigorous evidence in an accessible and actionable manner.

“Ray built out a community of scholars working on climate policy that enhanced both the quality of our research and our real-world impact. In establishing networks of scholars, through the Climate Policy Network two decades ago and, more recently, the Global Climate Policy Partnership, Ray brought scholars together. I’ve enjoyed the friendships and the intellectual stimulation of collaboration with a rich array of scholars from around the world because of connections facilitated by Ray.

“As a successful entrepreneur, Ray knew how to charm. Whether it was in conversation with a donor, a Senator’s staffer, or an RFF fellow, Ray’s excitement about a project was infectious and inviting. He made the task fun of bringing rigorous evidence to bear on public policy. You wanted to sit next to Ray at dinner after a workshop or at the UN climate talks. The dinner conversation was always lively and filled with laughter. And, if you were lucky, you would see the twinkle in the eye of the entrepreneur as Ray would start describing his vision for what you could collaborate on next.”

—Joe Aldy
Former RFF Fellow

“I met Ray early on in my professional life, during one of his visits to Venice, Italy, as part of the scientific collaboration and sincere friendship that has developed over time between RFF and the research team created by Professor Carlo Carraro, consolidated today in the RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE). All our interactions were characterised by great kindness on his part and his desire to always approach work topics with a great international outlook. Unfortunately, his ride has come to an end, but as in car races, the good feelings of the journeys we made together remain forever, for which I am grateful.”

—Monica Eberle
Senior Scientific Manager and Project Manager at EIEE

“We remember with great fondness and admiration Ray Kopp, prime mover for many years of the fruitful cooperation between the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and RFF. Dear Ray, you will remain forever in our hearts and minds along with your stories about the Garage Kopp that made dinners in Venice so enjoyable.”

—Alessandro Lanza and Marzio Galeotti
Executive Director and Research Director of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei

Read more: “Climate economist who loved motor sports, bonsai dies at 75” from E&E News

Listen to Ray on RFF’s podcast: “70 Years of RFF: The Legacy of Resources for the Future, with Ray Kopp and Kerry Smith”