Catherine McKenna, Canada’s former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, is joining Columbia University as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow with Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP). In this role, she plans to work on practical solutions to help scale climate action with CGEP and the new Columbia Climate School. The areas she will focus on include: accelerating the transition from coal to clean energy, advancing work on carbon pricing, border carbon adjustments and carbon markets, and supporting women’s climate leadership.

“The climate threat is the greatest crisis facing humanity today. We need new models of thinking and systems change to ambitiously tackle climate change now,” said McKenna. “I’m excited to work with the Center on Global Energy Policy and the Columbia Climate School, the first school of its kind in the US — to engage with its incredible students and faculty on practical solutions to the climate crisis. We urgently need to accelerate the global transition from coal to clean energy and ensure a just transition for workers and communities. We also need to expand carbon pricing and move forward on border carbon adjustments to address competitiveness and develop more effective carbon markets. And critically, we need to support and empower women and girls who are leading the fight against climate change.”

McKenna is the founder and principal of Climate and Nature Solutions and recently launched “Women Leading on Climate” at COP26 in Glasgow last November. As Canada’s first Minister of Environment and Climate Change in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, she was a lead negotiator of the Paris Agreement (in particular Article 6 concerning carbon markets) before introducing and successfully defending landmark legislation that established a carbon price across Canada. She also led efforts to phase out coal and established Canada’s first Just Transition Taskforce for workers and communities, reduce plastics in oceans and waterways, and double the amount of nature protected in Canada in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.

“Catherine is a tour de force,” said Jason Bordoff, CGEP Director. “Her energy and spirit along with her leadership and practical experience are what’s needed if we’re to have a meaningful impact in solving the climate crisis. We’re delighted she chose to come to Columbia to bring all these qualities and much more to the students and faculty working on these critical issues.”

As Minister of Environment and Climate Change, McKenna helped establish a number of international initiatives including the Powering Past Coal Coalition (with Canada, the UK and Bloomberg Philanthropies), the Ministerial on Climate Action (MOCA), the Women Kicking it on Climate Summit and the Nature Champions Summit. McKenna was Co-Chair of the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, and helped develop the G7 Ocean Plastics Charter. She has worked closely with members of the Obama and Biden administrations on Canada-US and international climate and infrastructure agreements and policy.

She later became Minister of Infrastructure and Communities where she made historic investments in public transit and green and resilient infrastructure, leveraged private sector investment to get more public infrastructure built through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and led the development of Canada’s first National Infrastructure Assessment to drive Canada to net-zero emissions by 2050.

A mother of three, today she is focused on scaling climate and nature-based solutions to drastically reduce global emissions by 2030 including by empowering women and girls and through public-private partnerships.

Tune in to the latest Columbia Energy Exchange podcast with McKenna as she discusses her life and this new stage in her career. 

Read Catherine McKenna’s full bio here.

As the world pushes forward to find ways to reduce carbon emissions and transition to net-zero, hundreds of millions of people still lack access to reliable energy sources like electricity and the basics in life it affords. To bolster its work around this and help ensure the energy transition is just, the Center on Global Energy Policy is pleased to announce Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, has joined as a member of the board. 

“I am delighted to join the board of Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy,” said Ms. Ogunbiyi. “The Center’s data-driven approach and objective analysis to support policy makers is key to ensuring equitable solutions within the energy sector. I am particularly passionate about including voices from different regions to ensure a just transition that considers the realities of both developing and developed economies.”  

Ms. Ogunbiyi also serves as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. She brings a wealth of experience and perspective from many parts of the world including from her home country Nigeria. 

“I can’t think of a better person to help guide CGEP, and the entire energy industry for that matter, through what an equitable future must look like if we’re to achieve net-zero,” said Jason Bordoff, Founding Director of CGEP. “It’s not talked about enough; we need to ensure no one is left behind as we build out a global carbon-free economy. Damilola will help get us there.”

SEforALL is an international organization that was founded in 2011 by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who recognized that energy is the critical link that connects economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

“The mandate of delivering Sustainable Development Goal 7 is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all,” said Ms. Ogunbiyi. “With a UN mandate to deliver SDG7, SEforALL has become a trusted global energy leader. As millions more people fall back into energy poverty under COVID-19, SEforALL’s role has never been more crucial. SEforALL advocates for an energy transition that is just and inclusive and that prioritizes energy access for developing nations enabling them to take differentiated paths towards the same net-zero goals by 2050.”

Before joining SEforALL, Ms. Ogunbiyi was the first woman Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency. She was also responsible for the Energizing Education Programme, which will provide uninterrupted electricity to 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals through off-grid captive power.

“The global energy transition is upon us and its success will depend on making sure we have the right policies in place and sufficient resources invested in developing economies,” said Matt Harris, Chairman of CGEP’s Advisory Board. “Damilola’s experience and leadership will be instrumental in achieving this. We are thrilled to have Damilola join the board.”

Ms. Ogunbiyi entered public service as the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on public-private partnerships. She also worked as a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Power and Head of the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria.

Before joining the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ms. Ogunbiyi was the first woman to be appointed as the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board. Under her leadership, five independent power projects were completed to deliver over 55 megawatts of power to Lagos State hospitals, schools, streetlights and the Government secretariat. Ms. Ogunbiyi has also worked for the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID) on public-private partnerships.

NEW YORK — The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA announced today that Dr. James Glynn, Dr. Luisa Palacios, and Dr. Harry Verhoeven have joined the Center as Senior Research Scholars. At CGEP, they will conduct research, collaborate with the strong community of scholars at the Center as well as across the University, including the newly formed Climate School, and engage with public and private sector leaders, journalists, students and other key stakeholders.

Dr. Glynn has over 15 years of experience within energy systems analysis and energy technology research, development and deployment, collaborating with governments, technologists and energy analysts in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He is an expert developer and user of the International Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programmes’ (IEA-ETSAP) TIMES source code, developing global and national energy systems models.These model applications have provided insights into Irish, European and International energy policy in collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders. He has affiliations to the MaREI Center in University College Cork, Imperial College London, and is an executive committee member of the IEA-ETSAP. Dr. Glynn received a master’s degree in Energy Systems and the Environment from the University of Strathclyde, a master’s degree in Economic & Environmental Modelling from National University of Ireland Galway, and a Ph.D. In Energy Engineering from University College Cork. His research will focus on developing and applying integrated energy systems models to explore the interactions between the climate, economy, and society in order to find resilient pathways to future sustainable development goals.

Dr. Palacios comes to the center after a multidisciplinary career in the intersection of energy, finance and policy. Most recently, she completed a two-year period in the Board of Directors of Houston-based Citgo Petroleum Corporation, the 5th-largest independent U.S. refiner during most of which she served as Chairwoman. Palacios led Citgo during a critical period in the company’s history, as it faced significant geopolitical challenges. As Citgo’s first-ever chairwoman, Palacios shaped efforts to strengthen corporate governance, ethics, and social responsibility, including the publication of the company’s first-ever ESG report. She received a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Ph.D. in international affairs from The John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Her research will focus on Latin America’s energy sector in the context of the energy transition.

Dr. Verhoeven is a well-known scholar of International Relations who has previously taught and/or been affiliated with the University of Oxford, Georgetown University, the School of Oriental and African Studies and the University of Cambridge. He serves as a Senior Advisor to the European Institute of Peace and has collaborated extensively with key policy actors, including the World Bank, the European Union, various agencies of the United Nations, governments in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America and non-governmental organizations. For more than a decade, he has served as an expert in legal cases pertaining to development-induced displacement and human rights violations in various African states. He also founded the Oxford University China-Africa Network in 2009 and remains its Convenor. Dr. Verhoeven holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a DPhil (Ph.D.) from the University of Oxford. His research at SIPA and the Center will continue to focus on climate change, international relations and the linkages between water, energy and food security, with a particular focus on Africa.

“We’re so thrilled that James, Harry, and Luisa have joined our extraordinary team of scholars at the Center,” said Jason Bordoff, Co-Founding Dean of Columbia’s Climate School, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs, and Founding Director of CGEP. “With this new crop of scholars, CGEP is expanding its energy modeling capacity, exploring new intersections between international relations and energy security, and further examining Latin America’s energy markets and geopolitical risks. All three of their research areas are essential to understanding an energy system in transition and to moving the needle forward to prevent the worst impacts of climate change on people and the planet. We look forward to their engagement with the scholarship at the Center and at Columbia University more broadly.”

“Since its founding, the Center on Global Energy Policy has strived to bridge the gap between academic research and policy. The appointments of Dr. James Glynn, Dr. Luisa Palacios, and Dr. Harry Verhoeven will further advance this mission,”  said Dr. Geoffrey M. Heal, Donald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise in the Faculty of Business and co-chair of CGEP’s Academic Steering Committee. 

“As CGEP continues to grow its research capacity, we’re excited to bring in new technical capabilities and geographic expertise to our team to help advance smart, actionable, and evidence-based energy and climate solutions. Please join us in welcoming Harry, Luisa, and James to the Center,” said Dr. Melissa C. Lott, Senior Research Scholar and Director of Research.  

About the Center on Global Energy Policy 

The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA advances smart, actionable and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education and dialogue. Based at one of the world’s top research universities, what sets CGEP apart is our ability to communicate academic research, scholarship and insights in formats and on timescales that are useful to decision makers. We bridge the gap between academic research and policy — complementing and strengthening the world-class research already underway at Columbia University, while providing support, expertise, and policy recommendations to foster stronger, evidence-based policy. Recently, Columbia University President Lee Bollinger announced the creation of a new Climate School — the first in the nation — to tackle the most urgent environmental and public health challenges facing humanity.

NEW YORK – Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy announced today that former Chair of the California Air Resources Board Mary Nichols will join the Center as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow. At CGEP, Nichols will advance smart, actionable and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education and dialogue. She will contribute to energy and climate scholarship at the Center and across the University, engage with the University’s vibrant student community, and participate in public and private events, workshops and lectures organized by the Center.

“Perhaps no one has done more to champion environmental protection in the US over the last half century than Mary Nichols. Mary has a long and distinguished career in public service and environmental policy and has pioneered several landmark climate initiatives, including California’s cap-and-trade program. She’s known for enacting tough, legally sound regulations on pollution control and conservation that have served as models for national and international environmental law,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy. “We are thrilled that Mary will be joining the Center as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow to help advance smart, actionable and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education and dialogue.”

Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s progress toward healthy air. She most recently served as the Chair of the California Air Resources Board where she led the Board in crafting California’s internationally recognized climate action plan. 

“Climate change is already upon us, and even as people begin to experience the effects of a warming planet, global emissions are still rising. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we need to look for safe and sustainable ways to eliminate carbon from the atmosphere, and we’ll need to go far beyond business as usual,” said Nichols. “I’m proud to join the team at the Center on Global Energy Policy, an established leader taking an interdisciplinary and pragmatic approach to addressing the climate crisis through energy policy. I look forward to being a part of their work.”

CGEP’s Distinguished Fellows Program brings veterans of public and private sector life into the Columbia community. Distinguished Fellows serve as adjunct research scholars, collaborate on articles and op-eds published through CGEP, participate in public events at Columbia University, speak to campus and faculty groups, and may teach a course or supervise a student research team.

ABOUT MARY NICHOLS

Mary Nichols is the former Chair of the California Air Resources Board, where she occupied the attorney seat. She has served on the Board under Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (1975–82 and 2010–18), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010) and Governor Gavin Newsom (2019–present). She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis. When not working for the State of California, Nichols was a senior staff attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council; Assistant Administrator for U.S. EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, in the administration of President William Jefferson Clinton; and headed the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s progress toward healthy air. She has also led the Board in crafting California’s internationally recognized climate action plan. Nichols is a graduate of Yale Law School and serves on the faculty at the UCLA School of Law.

ABOUT THE CENTER ON GLOBAL ENERGY POLICY

The Center on Global Energy Policy advances smart, actionable and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education and dialogue. Based at one of the world’s top research universities, what sets CGEP apart is our ability to communicate academic research, scholarship and insights in formats and on timescales that are useful to decision makers. We bridge the gap between academic research and policy — complementing and strengthening the world-class research already underway at Columbia University, while providing support, expertise, and policy recommendations to foster stronger, evidence-based policy. Recently, Columbia University President Lee Bollinger announced the creation of a new Climate School — the first in the nation — to tackle the most urgent environmental and public health challenges facing humanity.

NEW YORK — The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs announced today that Dr. Melissa C. Lott has been selected as the Center’s Director of Research. Dr. Lott will serve as a key part of the leadership team, working with the Center’s Founding Director to shape the Center’s research efforts that span the economic, environmental, and geopolitical aspects of the current and future energy system.

“Melissa’s deep knowledge and expertise will contribute greatly to the understanding of critical energy issues and enhance the Center’s research, teaching, engagement, and, ultimately, its impact on solutions for climate change. I am really looking forward to working with Melissa,” said Dr. Geoffrey M. Heal, Donald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School and Chair of CGEP’s Academic Steering Committee. 

“We could not be more excited that Melissa will be moving into this new position. Melissa exemplifies CGEP’s mission by combining first-rate scholarship with a proven track record of external engagement, communication and impact,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of CGEP.

As CGEP’s Research Director, Dr. Lott will develop research collaborations across Columbia University, its new Climate School, and outside academic organizations, oversee CGEP’s external expert review process for research publications, and coordinate the work of CGEP’s research programs to advance academic research that responds to the challenges of today in real-time.

“We are facing a series of critical challenges around the world as we work to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change and protect human health and the environment. The energy sector lies at the heart of the solutions, and detailed, fact-based analysis to support policy solutions is needed more than ever. It is an honor to take on this new role at the Center on Global Energy Policy, and I look forward to developing new research in conjunction with CGEP’s other scholars and our partners both within Columbia University and throughout the global research community,” said Dr. Lott.

About Dr. Melissa C. Lott

Dr. Lott joined CGEP in October 2019, to lead the Center’s Power Sector and Renewables Research Initiative. Prior to joining CGEP, Dr. Lott served as the Assistant Vice President of the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre, where she led the development of the flagship APEC Energy Demand and Supply Outlook. Dr. Lott also served as the primary author of the International Energy Agency’s technology roadmap on energy storage. She was previously a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she was the Lead of Energy Modeling and Simulation for the CFO’s Program Analysis and Evaluation Office. Dr. Lott holds a Ph.D. from University College London and master’s degrees in both mechanical engineering and public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological systems engineering from the University of California, Davis. An author of more than 350 articles on energy, Dr. Lott is known for her role as a founding author of Scientific American’s Plugged In energy column.

About the Center on Global Energy Policy

The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA advances smart, actionable, and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education, and dialogue. Based at one of the world’s top research universities, what sets CGEP apart is our ability to communicate academic research, scholarship, and insights in formats and on timescales that are useful to decision-makers. We bridge the gap between academic research and policy — complementing and strengthening the world-class research already underway at Columbia University, while providing support, expertise, and policy recommendations to foster stronger, evidence-based policy. Recently, Columbia University President Lee Bollinger announced the creation of a new Climate School — the first in the nation — to tackle the most urgent environmental and public health challenges facing humanity. Follow us on Twitter @ColumbiaUEnergy.

Fifty years ago this week, 20 million Americans came together to march for the planet, demanding action to clean up America’s waterways and air and protect public health. Their efforts launched the first Earth Day and the modern environmental movement. To celebrate this milestone, CGEP is releasing a special double episode of the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast to reflect back on the U.S. environmental movement in 1970, examine the movement’s successes in reducing pollution, and find lessons for addressing climate change. This page features research, videos and events from CGEP scholars and researchers examining policies, technologies and economic incentives aimed at addressing climate change. Connect with us on social media to celebrate Earth Day and be part of the solution as we look forward to the next 50.

Podcast

Earth Day at 50: Reflections from Gina McCarthy: Host Jason Bordoff talks to former EPA Administrator and NRDC president and chief executive officer Gina McCarthy on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Earth Day at 50: Reflections from William Reilly: Host Jason Bordoff is joined by Bill Reilly, who has a remarkable career in the environmental movement.

Building Coalitions for a Clean Energy Recovery: Host Bill Loveless is joined by Dr. Ernest Moniz, former Sectretary of Energy, to talk about the role that energy sectors can play in reinvigorating the U.S. economy.

Greener Stimulus? Economic Recovery and Climate Policy: Host Jason Bordoff is joined by Dr. Joe Aldy to gain insight into design of stimulus and how climate policy could factor into it.

Carbon Solutions for Climate Change: Host Bill Loveless catches up with Julio Friedmann, a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy and the director of the center’s Carbon Management Research Initiative.

Research

Earth Day at 50 Reveals What’s Missing in Climate Change Fight: In Foreign Policy, CGEP Founding Director Jason Bordoff reflects on the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day.

How to Broaden the Coalition Against Climate Change: In Foreign Policy, CGEP Founding Director Jason Bordoff argues that while the dramatic increase in urgency and attention to the issue of climate change at Davos was very welcome, turning ambition into action will require that corporate and activist leaders alike increasingly advocate for policy change, focus on the regions and energy sectors driving emissions growth, and find common ground on the best role for the energy industry to play in delivering decarbonization solutions.

The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change: In The Lancet, CGEP Senior Research Scholar Dr. Melissa C. Lott explores the health impacts of energy pollution, and how climate change is undermining the foundations of good health.

Interactions Between a Federal Carbon Tax and Other Climate Policies: CGEP’s Carbon Tax Research Initiative explores key questions and implications related to the design and implementation of a carbon tax in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the threat of climate change. In this report, Justin Gundlach, CGEP Non-Resident Fellow Ron Minsk and Research Scholar Dr. Noah Kaufman propose a framework to consider the interactions between a federal carbon tax and salient energy and emissions policies. The paper provides policymakers information about how they might want to add, subtract, or change existing policies by using the framework to classify existing policies are either complementary or redundant to a federal carbon tax.

Low-Carbon Heat Solutions for Heavy Industry: Sources, Options, and Costs Today: CGEP’s Carbon Management Research Initiative explores the public policy, financial and economic aspects of removing, storing and using carbon dioxide to reduce greenhouse gases and address the threat of climate change. In this report, CGEP Senior Research Scholar Dr. Julio Friedmann explains why the U.S. needs an agenda to decarbonize heavy industry.

Guide to Chinese Climate Policy: In the Guide to Chinese Climate Policy, CGEP Inaugural Fellow David Sandalow explores the impacts of climate change in China and the effectiveness of policies designed to address climate change.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Power Projects: Insights into Environmental and Debt Sustainability: CGEP Senior Research Scholar Dr. Erica Downs examines the environmental and debt sustainability of China’s Belt and Road Initiative through the lens of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) power sector projects. 

The Role of Natural Gas in the Energy Transition: CGEP Non-Resident Fellow Akos Losz and Senior Research Scholar Jonathan Elkind discuss industry outlooks for natural gas and LNG demand, and question marks surrounding the role of gas in deep decarbonization scenarios consistent with the Paris Agreement’s climate goals. 

Engaging State-Owned Enterprises in Climate Action: CGEP Adjunct Research Scholar Philippe Benoit explores the role of state-owned enterprises in climate change, examines the effectiveness of market-oriented solutions such as carbon taxes in changing SOE behavior, and evaluates some other potential strategies for reducing their emissions.

Energy Transition Fact Sheet: The world has embarked on an unprecedented effort to completely transition its energy supply and use to mitigate risks of global climate change. A new fact sheet outlines the challenges and opportunities in the global energy transition.

PG&E: Market and Policy Perspectives on the First Climate Change Bankruptcy: CGEP Senior Fellow John MacWilliams, Sarah La Monaca and James Kobus analyze the PG&E bankruptcy, assess how capital markets have reacted to the bankruptcy through the lens of valuations in the US utility sector, and discuss the policy implications of California’s recent legislative response to wildfire risk.

The Next Generation of Federal Clean Electricity Tax Credits: CGEP Adjunct Senior Research Scholar and Fellow Dr. Varun Sivaram and Research Scholar Dr. Noah Kaufman examine the renewable electricity production and investment tax credits and offer design principles for future clean electricity tax incentives.

Toward a Real Green Belt and Road: CGEP Senior Research Scholar Jonathan Elkind surveys the considerable environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative in its current form and highlights several approaches to limit—and ideally eliminate—negative environmental impacts.

Accelerating Electric Bus Adoption in New York City: On September 17, 2019, CGEP hosted a workshop led by CGEP Inaugural Fellow David Sandalow and Columbia University SIPA Energy and Environment practicum students on the electrification of New York City’s bus fleet that offered a number of observations and recommendations to assist the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) with meeting its goal of fully electrifying New York City’s municipal bus fleet by 2040. 

Events

In this series of free, one-hour virtual sessions, experts from across the Earth Institute and the Center on Global Energy Policy share aspects of their work through lectures, interactive activities, and live demos. On Monday, April 27, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST, CGEP Senior Research Scholar Erin Blanton will lead Let’s Get Fired Up With Energy to explore what makes the lights go on, heats our homes, and makes our cars go. During this interactive online session targeted for students in the 2nd to 4th grades, she will explain the basics of energy and the different finite and renewable natural resources that provide us with the energy that we need. View the full lineup here. 

Video

Jason Bordoff for Earth Day: In a new video, CGEP Founding Director Jason Bordoff talks about the work of the Earth Institute, of which CGEP is an affiliate, “to bring the whole collective ambition and capacity of a great research institution like Columbia to bear on solving problems in the world like climate change.”

Carbon Taxes: How They Work: As economists, policymakers and other leaders eye carbon taxes as a climate policy solution, the Center on Global Energy Policy launched a new video that provides the basics on how carbon taxes work and what tradeoffs to consider.

Additional Resources

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Fifty years ago in recognition of the first Earth Day, thousands of students and faculty members at Columbia University participated in workshops, speeches, and marches as part of a national environmental teach-in. The Earth Institute continues in that rich tradition and celebrating the knowledge and people that are helping to guide the world onto a path toward sustainability.

What the First Earth Day Achieved | State of the Planet Blog

NEW YORK — The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs announced today that Erin Blanton has joined CGEP as a Senior Research Scholar. Blanton will lead the natural gas research initiative and will conduct research focused on the role of natural gas in the energy transition, energy markets and geopolitics. Blanton will also manage collaborative projects that contribute to the University’s wider research and engage with public and private sector leaders, journalists and students.

“Global natural gas markets are in the midst of a major transformation. Investors, regulatory agencies and policymakers are working to understand the economic, environmental and geopolitical impacts of this transformation,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of CGEP. “Erin can speak fluently on everything from the impact of increased LNG flows on Russia’s leverage over European gas buyers to the environmental implications of natural gas methane leakage and flaring. We are confident she will help us continue to drive our work in this space ahead successfully. Her deep expertise in energy markets will help bring into context the impact this transformation will have on global trade, energy security and efforts to address climate change.”

“The natural gas industry has made a case that gas can be a critical factor in the ongoing energy transition as a bridge fuel, primarily by displacing more-polluting coal in the energy system,” said Blanton. “But methane leaks, flaring and venting — which are receiving steadily greater attention in recent years — all have the potential to undermine the role of the industry in this transition and their profitability moving forward. I’m excited to join the team at CGEP and am looking forward to engaging the industry on the importance of the environmental, social and governance aspects of transforming the sector.”

About Erin Blanton

Before joining the Center, Blanton spent 16 years at Medley Global Advisors, an independent macro-policy research firm. Blanton was a managing director and led natural gas and renewable coverage as part of the firm’s energy team. Her clients consisted of the world’s leading hedge funds, asset managers and investment banks. Blanton has a master’s degree in Energy Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University.

NEW YORK — Climate change is undermining the foundations of good health; threatening the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the hospitals and clinics we depend on. However, the response to climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century. New research published today in the British medical journal The Lancet, The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change, tracks annual indicators of progress, empowering the health profession and policymakers to accelerate their response. Dr. Melissa C. Lott, Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA is co-author of the section on mitigation in the energy sector, which provides new data and insights that show how climate change and air pollution from burning fossil fuels is already harming human health.

According to this research, in 2018, we experienced 831 climate-related extreme events around the globe, resulting in $166 billion in economic loses. Every child born today will be affected by climate change, says its authors. Without significant intervention, this new era will come to define the health of people at every stage of their lives, particularly children.

At the core of the challenge – and its solution – are our global energy systems.

Existing datasets clearly show that the energy sector (including not only power plants, but also transportation and industry) not only produces the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions but also the vast majority of key air pollutants that damage our bodies including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. For example, exposure to this air pollution leads to increasing instances of childhood asthma, heart disease, respiratory illness, cancers, and early death.

This research shows how the transition to cleaner sources of energy could be one of the world’s greatest public health opportunities. We have already made some progress with using renewable energy to generate electricity and adopting electric vehicles. But, we are not on track to meet Paris Agreement targets. From 2016 to 2018, global carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector still grew by 2.6% from 2016 to 2018. Here in the United States, after almost a decade of decline, air pollution rose from 2016 to 2018, leading to nearly 10,000 additional early deaths.

According to this research, we are currently facing a world in which we are more likely to get lung cancer even if we don’t smoke and where more children will develop asthma, suffer infectious disease, and be faced with a lifetime of health challenges due to the combined effects of climate change and air pollution. But, such outcomes are not inevitable, and we know the solutions. By transitioning to clean energy systems as soon as possible, we can mitigate the damage to our health.

Read the Report

For media inquiries, please contact Artealia Gilliard at ag4144@sipa.columbia.edu or (212) 853-1337, or Genna Morton at gam2164@sipa.columbia.edu or (212) 853-0298. 

NEW YORK – The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs announced today that Dr. Erica Downs has joined as a Senior Research Scholar to focus on Chinese energy markets and geopolitics. Dr. Downs was formerly a CGEP non-resident Fellow and a Senior Research Scientist in the China Studies division of the CNA Corporation.
 
“China is the world’s largest energy user and greenhouse-gas emitter. Its future production and consumption patterns at home, as well as its massive global energy investments abroad through its Belt and Road Initiative, have enormous consequences for the global economy, geopolitics, and environment,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the CGEP. “Erica’s deep expertise in these areas illustrate the value she brings to our growing team. We are so pleased to have her on board.”
 
“We’re thrilled Erica is joining our team,” added David Sandalow, inaugural Fellow and Director of the China Energy and Climate Research Program at CGEP.  “China plays a central role in global energy markets, the world’s response to climate change and much more. Her deep expertise on these topics will contribute greatly to understanding of critical issues at this important time.”
 
Dr. Downs has a distinguished career in Eurasian energy policy with a focus on China. She has over 15 years of experience working in the public and non-profit sectors. She previously worked as a Senior Analyst in the Asia practice at Eurasia Group, a Fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, an Energy Analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, and a lecturer at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, China.
 
“I’m excited to join the excellent team at CGEP to help inform leaders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors on critical energy issues,” said Downs. “Jason and David have built a first-rate China research program at CGEP, and I look forward to helping build the Center’s work on China’s climate change policies, domestic energy markets and production, and geopolitical influence in global energy infrastructure and markets. These issues are central to understanding the current and future energy landscape.”
 
Dr. Downs has managed more than 50 publications in the areas of Chinese energy production and development and its geopolitical positioning. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from Princeton University and a B.S. from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She is an honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee.

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About the Center on Global Energy Policy

CGEP’s mission is to enable public and private sector leaders to make more informed choices about the world’s most pressing energy issues by providing an independent and interdisciplinary platform for insights and data-driven analysis, convening and information-sharing, education and training, and actionable recommendations on the current and future global energy system.

For Media Inquiries, contact Artealia Gilliard, Director of Communications and Digital Media at ag4144@sipa.columbia.edu or 212-853-1337.

NEW YORK – The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs announced today that Artealia Gilliard will join the Center as Director of Communications and Digital Media. At CGEP, Artealia will lead efforts to highlight the Center’s research, events, expertise and policy insights on the world’s most pressing energy issues.

 “Artealia has worked with journalists and decision-makers across the political spectrum on many of today’s most timely and complex energy issues,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy. “As we continue to provide leading analysis and shape the global energy landscape, Artealia brings an invaluable perspective and experience to our leadership team. We are pleased to have her on board to lead our growing communications functions to engage new audiences.”

Artealia has more than 15 years of experience as a strategic communications expert and advisor on a wide range of energy and environmental issues. She served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation Policy and Director of Governmental, International, and Public Affairs for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She led communications and legislative strategy for the bipartisan pipeline safety bill and energy and transportation safety issues, including regulations governing crude-by-rail and natural gas storage safety.

“Opening up the policy process so that more people can participate has been a passion and driving force for my career,” Gilliard said. “I am thrilled to join the Center on Global Energy Policy and to be part of their work to create more informed and inclusive energy and climate change solutions.”

Most recently, Artealia was Director of Communications at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, a multigenerational family foundation advancing solutions to inequality and climate change. Before joining the Obama Administration, Artealia held senior-level positions in state and federal government, including the Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management in Alaska where she served as Special Assistant and Chief of External Affairs. Artealia holds a Master of Science in Communications Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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About the Center on Global Energy Policy

CGEP’s mission is to enable public and private sector leaders to make more informed choices about the world’s most pressing energy issues by providing an independent and interdisciplinary platform for insights and data-driven analysis, convening and information-sharing, education and training, and actionable recommendations on the current and future global energy system.