Energy and Sustainability - Audio

The CSIS Stephenson Ocean Security Project and Energy Security and Climate Change Program are pleased to welcome Senator Tom Udall who will share his views on U.S. efforts to address plastic waste.   The conversation will center on the contribution of plastics to ocean pollution and climate change. Plastic production is forecasted to triple by 2050, at which point it will account for 20 percent of global oil consumption and generate considerable greenhouse gas emissions. The United States alone disposes of 32 million tons of plastic waste each year. Much of that ends up in the ocean where it degrades marine ecosystems and enters our food system through fisheries.   Welcoming remarks will be given by Sarah Ladislaw, Senior Vice President and Director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program, and the conversation will be moderated by Whitley Saumweber, Director of the Stephenson Ocean Security Project at CSIS. This event is made possible by the generous support of the Philip Stephenson Foundation and by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program. 

The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program, with input and support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions and Chief Commercialization Officer, is pleased to launch the Energy Innovation Series.  Energy Innovation is a six-part discussion series focusing on specific categories of energy technology and aims to foster greater understanding of―and support for―the role of innovation in the energy sysytem.  The series will investigate the innovation priorities of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Laboratory Complex against the broader ecosystem, both domestic and international, for advancing a portfolio of solutions.  Innovation in Storage and Battery Technologies, the first discussion in this series, will focus on innovation in the energy storage, including batteries for electric vehicles and for grid storage.  Under Secretary of Energy for Science Paul Dabbar will open the session with a keynote address.  The presentation will be followed by speakers from the national lab system, academia, and the private sector, who will present their work and discuss innovation in storage technologies and energy storage’s route from the laboratory to the market. More speakers to be announced.   This event is made possible by support from Clearpath and Energy Innovation Fund at National Philanthropic Trust

John Larsen (RHG) joins Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS) to talk about the Rhodium Group’s analysis of clean energy tax credit extensions in the United States. Not only could tax credits drive down GHG emissions, they are an opportunity to advance clean energy by offering incentives to supply more lower carbon energy options or by providing certainty to emerging clean energy industries. While Congress ultimately did not have a major tax credit deal at the end of 2019 (when we recorded our episode with John), the idea is likely to be revisited again. For more, check out the Rhodium Group reports:The Year-End Clean Energy Tax Credit Deal: Swing and a Miss for ClimateCan Tax Credits Tackle Climate?

Australia is being ravaged by the worst bushfires seen in decades. Beginning in 2019, the fires have burnt through 25.5 million acres, the size of Denmark and Belgium combined. At least 27 people are dead, including three volunteer firefighters, and more are missing. Thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged. Australia’s capital cities are experiencing record air pollution, and smoke has been seen as far away as South America. With the fire summer season extending for another few months, the disaster is expected to continue. The scale of these bushfires is unprecedented anywhere in the world. On Monday, January 27th, 5:00-6:30 pm, please join us for a conversation on the impact of these bushfires on regional politics, public opinion, the health of the population, and national economic growth. We will also discuss the cataclysmic scale of the fires and the climate change drivers that have driven the spread of the fires: are they a single natural disaster – a very bad year in a country accustomed to seasonal fires – or evidence of a long-term profound shift?This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Andrew Schwartz and Sarah Ladislaw talk about how and why climate change has risen as a top priority for global leaders, what this means for the energy sector, and what it means for decision makers across government, civil society and the private sector.

To stabilize the climate and prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change, we must reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by or soon after 2050. This will require a range of strategies and mechanisms including technological innovation, public policy, and private investment. We are pleased to launch the Climate Solutions Series, a year-long initiative which will bring together a wide range of audiences over six sessions to examine global pathways to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in different sectors of the economy. The first session will look at various pathways to net-zero emissions, ranging from a significant reduction in fossil fuel consumption and major behavior changes with little reliance on “negative emissions,” to smaller structural changes with a heavy reliance on technologies to reduce carbon from point sources and the atmosphere. The event will feature a presentation on these various pathways, followed by a facilitated discussion featuring perspectives from multiple levels of government. This series is made possible by the generous support of JPMorgan Chase & Company.

Russian natural gas exports are once again high on the agenda. Russia is completing two new pipelines to Europe, just inaugurated a new gas pipeline to China, and is boosting its presence in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. All this is happening as the outlook for gas in Europe is being upended by new supplies and routes, by new rules and regulations, and by an ambitious decarbonization agenda that will reshape the role of gas in the European energy system, and thus the relationship with Russia. The Europe-Russia relationship has always had a political and geopolitical dimension, ever since the Soviet Union first supplied gas to Western Europe in the late 1960s. “Yet to boil down the subject of Russian-European gas relations to geopolitics is to miss a large part of the story,” writes Thane Gustafson, a professor of government at Georgetown University and a Senior Director at IHS Markit, in his new book The Bridge: Natural Gas in a Redivided Europe (Harvard University Press, 2020). He continues to say: “The gas revolution in Europe has deep roots, which originated quite independently of Russia, and are only distantly related to geopolitics.” This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

The Stephenson Ocean Security Project invites you to the second annual CSIS Ocean Security Forum on January 7, 2020. The annual forum highlights how marine resources disputes, exacerbated by climate change and ecosystem collapse, drive instability in key regions of the globe. This year’s event will feature keynotes from U.S. Coast Guard leadership and key members of Congress and will highlight opportunities to improve security and human rights in the global fishing industry. Speakers will explore two themes: Opportunities to address human rights violations in the seafood supply chain through U.S. policy, emerging technologies, and corporate accountability. Implications of Chinese Belt and Road Initiative port investments on ocean sustainability and on the security and sovereignty of developing coastal states. Please follow us on Twitter @CSISOceans   Phil Stephenson, Founder, The Philip Stephenson Foundation Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS Dr. Dyhia Belhabib, Principal Investigator, Fisheries, Ecotrust Canada Jonathan Hillman, Senior Fellow, Simon Chair in Political Economy, and Director, Reconnecting Asia Project, CSIS Philip Chou, Senior Advisor, Oceana Ernesto Fernandez Monge, Officer, Reducing Harmful Fisheries Subsidies, Pew Charitable Trusts Moderator: Tabitha Mallory, Affiliate Professor, University of Washington, and CEO, China Ocean Institute Roberta Elias, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, World Wildlife Fund Bradley Soule, Chief Fisheries Analyst, OceanMind Jenny Barker, Chief of Party, Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability, FishWise Amol Mehra, Managing Director, The Freedom Fund Moderator: Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS Vice Admiral Daniel B. Abel, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS This event is made possible with the generous support of the Philip Stephenson Foundation.

This week, Energy 360 looks at the role of China on the global climate stage.  Deborah Lehr (Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Paulson Institute) and Han Chen (Manager for Energy Policy, International Program, NRDC), with Lachlan Carey (Associate Fellow, CSIS Energy & National Security Program), explain the actions China must take to meet its climate targets and be seen as a global leader on climate action. For more, check out: Deborah’s piece: Is China Still the Global Leader on Climate Change? Han’s piece US Withdraws from Paris—Don’t Expect China to Follow Suit From CSIS: How China can become the world leader for solving climate change andChinese Multilateralism and the Promise of a Green Belt and Road  

More than two million electric vehicles (EVs) were sold globally in 2018, a trend expected to grow over the coming decades. The smart deployment of EVs and EV infrastructure will be an important part of broader mobility planning and offers opportunities to connect markets and supply chains. The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to convene this panel to discuss strategies and policies to develop and deploy EVs. Nick Albanese will outline BloombergNEF's report, Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019, to set the scene with the global forecast for EVs and the implications on the growth of the clean energy economy. Garrett Fitzgerald, with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), will discuss its recent report, Driving a Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future, which evaluates mobility in China, India, and the United States. Lastly, Jonas Meckling will share his thoughts on how the United States can increase its commitment to EVs in the innovation, manufacturing, and deployment space under current and future policy landscapes.  This event is made possible by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

In this week’s episode, Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS Energy Program) talks with Manish Bapna (World Resources Institute [WRI]) about global climate adaptation efforts. WRI is part of a new effort that recently launched the year of action to accelerate climate adaptation. Manish talks about the commission’s work and how greater adaptation can benefit not only the climate but also the economy and society. For more, visit the Global Commission on Adaptation and read the report: Adapt Now: a Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience  

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to welcome Sverre Alvik to discuss DNV GL's Energy Transition Outlook 2019. DNV GL recently issued the third edition of its Energy Transition Outlook, which provides a “best estimate forecast” indicating a rapid transition in global and regional energy systems towards a 2.5° future. Sverre Alvik will discuss the underlying assumptions of the study and the rapid transition that is predicted over the next three decades, including a particular focus on North America. More specifically, he will discuss the forecasted penetration of electric vehicles and changes in oil demand, the prospects for renewable energy and electrification, as well as the outlook for technologies like hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). DNV GL provides risk management and quality assurance services in the oil and gas, power and renewables, and maritime industries. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

Tatiana Mitrova (Director of the SKOLKOVO Energy Center in Moscow) joins Nikos Tsafos (CSIS Energy Program) to discuss the outlook for the Russian energy sector. They talk about the outlook for oil and gas, the impact of oil prices and of sanctions on the Russian energy economy, and touch on Russia’s perception of climate change.

The next several decades will see pivotal changes in how consumers use energy and how utilities supply electricity. The development of new technologies that could meet demand across major end use sectors—transportation, residential, commercial, and industry—will also have economic and climate change considerations for policy makers and industry. The policy, investment, and technology choices made today will help define the future electric power sector. Through this high-level panel discussion, we will consider the challenges and opportunities in the electric power sector for major economies, including the United States, Japan, the EU, and countries in Oceania and Southeast Asia. More speakers to be announced. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program. 

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to welcome The Hon. John Cornyn (R-TX) to share his views on domestic energy production in the context of U.S. energy policy and the dynamic geopolitical landscape. The conversation will focus on the impact of the recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities and of domestic shale production policies on America’s position in the global energy market.This event is made possible by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program. 

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to welcome The Hon. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and The Hon. Joe Manchin (D-WV) for a conversation on energy policy priorities in the United States. This discussion will center on the opportunities and challenges of harnessing U.S. energy resources to foster economic opportunities and innovation for U.S. businesses, workers, and communities. As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senators Murkowski and Manchin are at the forefront of developing future energy policies across a wide range of crucial areas, including innovation, energy efficiency, and worker training. This event is part of Energy in America, an ongoing project assessing the ways energy is contributing to or detracting from social and economic mobility across the United States. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

Francisco Monaldi (Baker Institute) chats with Andrew Stanley (CSIS) about Venezuela's collapsing oil industry.  Join them as they discuss the current status of U.S. sanctions, geopolitical implications of Russia's involvement in the country's oil industry, and what might come next for the embattled Maduro regime.   For more on the crisis in Venezuela, watch Are Sanctions Working in Venezuela?  

This week, we return to India's ambitious agenda for improving electrification and energy access across its 29 states. Kartikeya Singh (CSIS) is joined by Indra Keshari (Resident Commissioner and former Power Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh), and Huda Jaffer (Lead Designer, SELCO Foundation). They discuss how state governments and civil society organizations continue to improve electricity access in India.   For more on Madhya Pradesh: Engaging with India’s Electrification Agenda: Powering Madhya Pradesh  Click here for more on the CSIS U.S.-India State and Urban Initiative.  

The scientific consensus is that to avoid catastrophic effects of climate change, global temperature rise must be held below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally below 1.5 degrees. Achieving this will include a fundamental transformation of the world energy system. Given their important role within this system, some oil and gas companies are now strategizing to become “energy companies,” adapting to this global energy transition. The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is excited to release Oil and Gas Industry Engagement on Climate Change: Drivers, Actions, and Path Forward, a new report on the oil and gas industry’s climate engagement and opportunities to drive further technological development. This event will convene experts on the energy industry, the energy transition, and industry strategy relating to climate change to illustrate the themes and the findings of the report. Panelists will discuss the industry’s investments in low-carbon technologies, how to take advantage of the investment made thus far, and what more companies can do to help get us on track to limit dangerous global warming. This event is the culmination of a project on oil and gas companies’ low-carbon investments sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co.This event is made possible by generous support from the J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Kartikeya Singh (CSIS) chats with Vikram Kapur (Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu) about the dramatic changes facing the state’s electric power sector, ranging from rapid growth in renewables to plans for electric vehicle infrastructure.  Click here for more on the CSIS U.S.-India State and Urban Initiative.  

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to host Linda Capuano, Administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), for a presentation and discussion of the EIA's International Energy Outlook 2019 (IEO2019), which will be released at 9:00 a.m. on September 24, 2019. The IEO2019 presents long-term projections of world energy supply and demand by region and primary energy source; electricity generation by energy source; and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.  Panel discussions will examine uncertainties related to the future of global energy consumption and trade, following Dr. Capuano's presentation.   Presentation: IEO 2019 Linda Capuano, U.S. Energy Information AdministrationSession One: Uncertainty about Global Fuel Consumption in 2050 Kevin Book, ClearView Energy Partners LLC; Mackinnon Lawrence, Navigant Research; Grzegorz Peszko, World BankSession Two: Shifting Patterns in Energy Trade Jamie Webster, Boston Consulting Group; Leslie Palti-Guzman, Gas Vista; Anna Mikulska, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy  This conference is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

Countries around the world face the same challenge: provide enough energy to fuel economic growth with optimal social and environmental outcomes.  This means energy must be affordable, secure, and clean.  But each country is in a different stage of development. For nearly half a decade, the global community has organized around two goals for the energy sector: (1) eradicate energy poverty and (2) combat the effects of global climate change.  Each has become more urgent and complex.  The eradication of energy poverty is not simply about energy access; it is providing modern energy services to the world’s growing and developing populations.  Climate action is not simply about emissions reduction; it is achieving a net-zero emissions economy, tackling local environmental concerns, and fostering a just transition. This conference will assess where the world stands relative to the dual challenge and discuss areas where real, near-term progress can be made.  It will also serve as the launch of a new, year-long project in which the CSIS Energy & National Security Program will explore strategies to address the dual challenge in several important countries and how public and private sector resources can help achieve these goals.   This event is made possible by generous support from BP.

CSIS Energy Program experts Andrew Stanley and Frank Verrastro are joined by Jon Alterman of the CSIS Middle East Program to discuss developments following the September 14 attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais in Saudi Arabia: what these events might mean for Saudi oil production and the global oil market, and where this leaves U.S. policy toward Iran and more broadly in the Middle East.

Stretching across West Texas and southeast New Mexico, the Permian Basin is now the largest oil-producing field in the world.  With daily production of more than 4 million barrels of oil and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas, it is a major factor in the U.S. transition to become a net oil and gas exporter and in the transformation of the state of the global oil market. Although the basin is in a part of the country with a long history of oil and gas production, the pace and scale associated with its growth has had major impacts and presents many challenges.  Moreover, during the short time scale that the industry has been producing this type of unconventional resource, accurately forecasting its rate of growth has proved problematic.  However, if the average of the current range of estimates proves to be correct, the region will continue to see significant increases in production in the coming years. This conference, part of the CSIS Energy & National Security Program’s Energy in America project, will explore the evolution and impact of oil and gas development in the Permian Basin, and the opportunities and challenges, both economic and environmental, that lie ahead. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

Sam Brannen (CSIS) chats with Sarah Ladislaw and Nikos Tsafos about the role of forecasts and outlooks in the energy sector, examining why the energy policymakers and business leaders use forecasts in strategic planning.  They also discuss forecasts vs. outlooks, the goal of creating an outlook, and how forecasters look at outlooks.

Brazil has vast oil reserves, but can the Bolsonaro government get the energy to market? Returning guest Lisa Viscidi of the Inter-American Dialogue says reforms are already in place that will enable oil production “to take off.” The real obstacles are the financial stability of Petrobras, the shaky state oil conglomerate, and the monopoly that the state has on most aspects of energy production, delivery, and even retail sales. Lisa also comments on market worries about Mexican president López Obrador’s commitment to existing energy contracts, and the huge effect of sanctions on Venezuelan oil production.

Click here for Under Secretary Mandelker’s complete remarks. The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to invite you to Are Sanctions Working?, a conference examining the state of U.S. sanctions―what is different, what is and is not working, and implications for U.S. foreign policy, the global economy, and the energy sector. The United States has employed sanctions as a foreign policy mechanism for decades.  In recent years, the United States has developed a new generation of more targeted, more agile economic sanctions.  It has become increasingly reliant on these new tools, and its ambitions for their impact have increased. Whether more robust sanctions regimes have won any clear victories is a matter of debate.   In the last three years, U.S.-imposed unilateral and secondary sanctions regimes have sought to influence North Korea, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.  But countries that have been subject to sanctions for years have found ways to adjust to U.S. moves. This conference will review the efficacy of the new style of U.S. sanctions, understand what is contributing to their success or failure, and gauge their future.  Speakers will also explore how sustained use of sanctions is impacting one universally important sector: the energy sector.   Welcome & Opening RemarksDr. John Hamre, President and CEO, CSISKeynote Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, U.S. Department of the TreasurySanctions and Foreign PolicyHeather Conley, Jon Alterman, Jeffrey Mankoff, Moises Rendon, Matthew GoodmanSanctions and the Energy SectorPeter Flanagan, Sarah Ladislaw, Kevin Book, Stephanie Segal This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to invite you to a conference on energy investment and infrastructure in Asia.  This conference will feature discussions on shared interests from U.S. and regional leaders in Asia's energy future and energy dynamics across the region, including how the energy trade map is changing.  The conference will include U.S. government, private sector, and other expert views on advances in the electric power sector, possible avenues for regional collaboration with the United States, and opportunities for governments and the private sector to advance developments on the energy agenda. Keynote: U.S. Interests in AsiaSenator Cory Gardner, CO-R; Frank Fannon, U.S Department of StateThe Role of Government Policy and InitiativesGloria Steele, USAID; James Sullivan, International Trade Administration; Takeshi Komoto, Embassy of Japan; Nguyen Dang Trung, Embassy of Vietnam; Arunish Chawla, Embassy of India in the United States​Energy Trends in the RegionDavid Turk, IEA; Clay Nesler, Johnson Controls; Khary Cauthen, Cheniere Energy; Todd Abrajano, Deputy Director (Acting), U.S. Trade and Development Agency; Tommy Joyce, U.S. Department of Energy This event is made possible by general support to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.  

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to invite you to Progress toward Global Energy Transitions, featuring Dave Turk (IEA).  The presentation and discussion will pull from a range of new IEA technology analysis, including the 2019 version of Tracking Clean Energy Progress which finds that only 7 out of 45 technologies are on track toward a sustainable energy future, IEA’s new reports on The Future of Hydrogen: Seizing Today’s Opportunities and Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System, as well as IEA’s enhanced focus on energy innovation.  The session will explore which energy technologies are seeing progress and why, and what lessons can be learned going forward for public- and private-sector decision-makers. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

This week Ranjit Bharvirkar, director of the India Program at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), and Kartikeya Singh (CSIS Energy Program and the CSIS Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies) discuss the prospects for energy reforms during Modi’s second term and ongoing power sector developments within Indian states.

Koichiro Tanaka, Professor at Keio University, President of JIME Center at the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, and Board Member of IEEJ, joined Jane Nakano, CSIS Energy & National Security Program, to discuss Japanese energy security, including Japan-Iran economic engagement, and the role of the Middle East for Japan’s energy security policies.

Albertan elections this spring brought in a new provincial government promising to revitalize the province’s oil and gas sector. This week on Energy 360°, Laura Dawson (Wilson Center) and Chris Sands (SAIS) join Andrew Stanley (CSIS Energy Program) to unpack the implications of this election. Together, they explain the dynamics behind Alberta’s elections, what we could expect in the lead up to country-wide elections this fall, and what it might mean for Canadian energy policy and for U.S.-Canada energy relations.   Laura Dawson is the director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center, and Chris Sands is director of the Center for Canadian Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and a non-resident senior associate with the CSIS Americas Program.    Note:  This episode was recorded prior to Prime Minister Trudeau’s approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.  See Andrew’s work on U.S.-Canada Energy Trade Read Laura’s recent Op-Ed: Trudeau figures out how to get things done in Washington Read Chris’s latest CSIS Commentary: Will Foreign Policy Prove Decisive in Canada’s 2019 Election?  

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to host the U.S. launch of BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook 2019.   The New Energy Outlook 2019 will be presented by Seb Henbest, New Energy Outlook Lead Author and Head of Europe, Middle East & Africa at BloombergNEF. New Energy Outlook is BloombergNEF's annual economic forecast for the world's power sector. Built over nine months, it is the result of international collaboration between 65 market and technical experts from BloombergNEF's 11 offices.   This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

The CSIS Energy and National Security Program is pleased to host Eirik Wærness (Equinor) to present Equinor's Energy Perspectives 2019. The discussion will be moderated by Nikos Tsafos (CSIS). Energy Perspectives provides a broad perspective on macroeconomics and global energy markets to 2050, analyzing relevant trends, climate policy impacts, energy sources, sectors, and regions across three very different scenarios – Reform, Renewal and Rivalry.      Recent indicators show diverging paths in energy market developments in terms of economic growth, energy demand, energy efficiency, technology development and geopolitics.  Two of the scenarios illustrate where the world may move if current trends continue, while Renewal shows where the world needs to move to limit global warming to well below 2°C.  This year, Renewal is complemented with two sensitivities: (1) the IPCC’s 1.5° report; and (2) the effects of delayed policy action to 2025.  This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the Energy & National Security Program.

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to launch two reports as part of its Energy in America series: The Changing Role of Energy in the U.S. Economy; and Energy as a Source of Economic and Social Mobility Featuring a discussion with contributing experts Joseph Aldy (Harvard University), Mary Alice McCarthy (New America), and David Hart (ITIF). Over the last decade, the energy landscape in the United States has shifted in some consequential ways.  Going forward, the energy sector changes and energy policy developments are likely to play an important role in the economic and societal well-being of many regions around the country.The Changing Role of Energy in the U.S. Economy provides insights into the role of energy in the U.S. economy at the national, regional, and local levels; the economic consequences of multiple energy pathways; the distributional impacts of various energy policies; and the anticipated economic consequences of technological change in the energy sector.Energy as a Source of Economic and Social Mobility examines how energy creates economic and social opportunity through jobs, innovation, and improved living standards.  Increasingly, it is no longer enough to demonstrate energy policy's net economic benefits—policies are often expected to account for preexisting inequities, consider distributive consequences, and create economic opportunity.  This study evaluates policies and strategies designed to harness various kinds of energy development as sources of U.S. economic growth and social mobility. Join us for a closer look at what is working—and what isn't—in U.S. energy policy as the relationship between energy and the U.S. economy evolves.This event is made possible by generous support from the Sloan Foundation.

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program is pleased to present "The Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy in Southeast Asia: A Status Report on the Economic Pillars" featuring keynote remarks by Sandra Oudkirk (Senior Official to APEC, U.S. Department of State), and a discussion with Dr. Phyllis Yoshida (Senior Fellow for Energy and Technology, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA; former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, Europe, and the Americas, U.S. Department of Energy), Nigel Hearne (President, Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production Company), Brian Churchill (Senior Advisor, Overseas Private Investment Corporation), and Peter Raymond (Senior Associate, Non-resident, Reconnecting Asia Project and Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS). In July 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced $113 million for new economic and energy initiatives to flesh out the administration’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. These announcements included nearly $50 million for Asia EDGE, an initiative to promote energy security and develop energy markets, and $30 million for an initiative to boost infrastructure investment through financial and technical assistance to partner countries. Secretary Pompeo also voiced strong support for the BUILD Act, which is set to double the U.S. government’s development-finance capacity to $60 billion to support U.S. private investment in strategic opportunities abroad. Nearly one year later, what impact have these initiatives had for U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia?This event is made possible with support from Chevron.

Nikos Tsafos (CSIS) chats with Mark Thurber (Associate Director, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development (PESD) Stanford) about his new book, Coal.  Mark and Nikos delve into the geopolitics and economics of continued coal use in energy versus the needs and concerns at the local, national, and global levels.  Click here for more on his new book, Coal.

This episode evaluates China’s progress in the global endeavor to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions and investing in green technology. Our guest, Ms. Barbara Finamore, explains Beijing’s current climate change policies and their role in China’s national priorities like the Belt and Road Initiative. She also looks ahead to how China might continue advancing clean energy at home while playing a growing role in international climate change initiatives. Ms. Barbara Finamore is Senior Strategic Director for Asia and the founder of the China program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, focusing on climate, clean energy, and urban solutions in China. Ms. Finamore also served as president and chair of the Professional Association for China's Environment (PACE) and is the co-founder and president of the China-U.S. Energy Innovation Alliance.  

Join Gina McCarthy (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment) and Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS Energy Program) as they discuss the need for breakthrough innovations to create more efficient residential air cooling systems. The two also discuss the importance of emphasizing the public health benefits of addressing climate change and how best to direct the immense energy younger generations have for addressing climate change and issues of inequality.Click to watch Gina McCarthy’s recent keynote address at CSIS.  

Opening RemarksSarah Ladislaw, Alex Dehgan, and Iain CampbellKeynoteGina McCarthy, former Administrator, U.S Environmental Protection Agency; and Director, Center for Climate, Health, & Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthPanel One:  The Problem and Potential of Technological SolutionsDavid Nemtzow, Bill Sisson, Paul Bunje, Gabrielle Dreyfus, and Kartikeya SinghKeynoteJohn Roome, Senior Director, Climate Change, The World BankPanel Two: Deploying Solutions at ScaleEric Toone, Jason Hartke, Stacy Swann, William F. Martin, and Erol YaybokeReception The CSIS Energy & National Security Program, Rocky Mountain Institute, Conservation X Labs, and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development are pleased to host the U.S. launch of the Global Cooling Prize.  To shed light on the purpose of the prize, keynote speakers and panelists will discuss the importance of developing new cooling technologies as the world grapples with climate change.    We are pleased to host Gina McCarthy and John Roome, who will each deliver keynote addresses to frame the importance of cooling within the contexts of climate, public health, investment, and scaling.    Following these keynotes, our expert panelists—from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives relative to climate and cooling technologies—will discuss the growing global demand for residential cooling, potential technological solutions, and how to deploy these solutions at scale. Announced in November 2018, the Global Cooling Prize is a global competition to develop breakthrough residential cooling technology.  The Prize seeks to create a global cooling revolution by spurring the development of a radically more energy-efficient cooling technology. The Prize calls upon participants around the world to develop a breakthrough residential cooling technology with at least 5 times less climate impact when compared to a baseline unit.    The Prize is administered by Rocky Mountain Institute, Conservation X Labs, the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy, and CEPT University.  It is made possible by the Indian Department of Science and Technology, Tomkat Foundation, Argosy Foundation, The Grantham Foundation, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Workforce Equity & Fiduciary Capital Advisors, and the Sidney E. Frank Foundation. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.  

Trevor Houser (Partner, Rhodium Group) talks with Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS) about modeling the physical risks and impacts of climate change at the Climate Impact Lab.  The Climate Impact Lab’s models are providing companies with better tools to see these potential impacts and risks in their portfolios, allowing them to begin taking precautionary steps to increase resilience.

Please join us on April 18 for a lively discussion of U.S.-Australia economic partnership. Participants will receive the CSIS Simon Chair in Political Economy’s latest brief, “Delivering Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” a wide-ranging look at opportunities for U.S.-Australia coordination in the Indo-Pacific across five sectors (infrastructure, investment facilitation, energy, digital economy, and financial systems).PANELISTS: Bill Costello Minister-Counsellor of Development, Embassy of Australia Mark Sobel U.S. Chairman, OMFIF; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury Nikos Tsafos Senior Fellow, Energy and National Security Program, CSIS Matthew P. Goodman Senior Vice President and Simon Chair, CSIS MODERATED BY Amy Searight Senior Adviser and Director, Southeast Asia Program, CSIS This event is made possible through general support to CSIS. 

Frank Verrastro (CSIS Energy Program) and Haim Malka (Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Middle East Program) discuss the current political developments in Algeria. Their discussion includes the challenges of creating a legitimate transitionary process, ongoing protests, and uncertainty for energy production and oil markets.

Luiza Demôro, associate and project lead author with BloombergNEF, and Chris Head, private sector specialist with Climate Investment Funds, join Nikos Tsafos, senior fellow with the CSIS Energy and National Security Program, to discuss the potential for concessional financing to accelerate the clean energy transition in emerging markets. For more, read: The Clean Technology Fund and Concessional Finance

Isabel Mogstad (Manager, EDF+Business Energy at Environmental Defense Fund), Geoff Walker (Co-founder and Managing Director at Water Street Partners), and Nikos Tsafos (Senior Fellow with the CSIS Energy & National Security Program) discuss how oil and gas companies are moving to reduce methane emissions from their operations worldwide.  Listen in as Isabel, Geoff, and Nikos converse about the unique challenges faced by companies in this partner-intensive industry, where decision making is spread across multiple actors and addressing methane leakage will require a high level of cooperation.  Isabel and Geoff also highlight the key factors necessary for addressing this issue within the next three to five years.    For more, see EDF’s recent report:  The Next Frontier: Managing Methane Risk from Non-Operated Assets

This episode explores China’s new-energy vehicle (NEV) market and draws from the November 2018 CSIS report entitled China’s Risky Drive into New-Energy Vehicles. We are joined by the author of the report, Dr. Scott Kennedy, who examines the strategic and economic motivations behind Beijing’s prioritization of NEVs. Dr. Kennedy discusses the positive results of China becoming the world’s largest NEV market, as well as issues the industry faces in China, such as overcapacity, environmental ramifications, and the challenges posed by international competitors. He also offers his assessment of how the industry will evolve and China’s role moving forward. Dr. Scott Kennedy is a senior adviser of the Freeman Chair in China Studies and director of Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy at CSIS. Prior to joining CSIS, he was a professor at Indiana University (IU) for over 14 years. His work focuses on China’s economic policy and its global economic relations, including industrial policy, technology innovation, and US-China commercial relations.

This week, Spencer Dale (Group Chief Economist, BP) and Sarah Ladislaw (SVP and Director, Energy and National Security Program, CSIS) discuss BP’s 2019 Energy Outlook, specifically diving into one of the Outlook scenarios which focused on less globalization and its potential implications for energy systems out to 2040.

The CSIS Energy & National Security Program is pleased to host Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), present highlights of the IEA's World Energy Outlook 2018.  The WEO is the IEA's annual report on the state of the energy sector from a global perspective, providing comprehensive analysis of the interplay between energy policy, markets, and technology development. Dr. Birol's presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with Frank Fannon (U.S. Department of State), John Hess (CSIS; Hess Corporation), and Katherine Hamilton (38 North Solutions), moderated by Sarah Ladislaw. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

CSIS is pleased to host a presentation of the 2019 BP Energy Outlook with Spencer Dale, group chief economist of BP. The global energy system faces a challenge to provide significantly more energy while simultaneously reducing emissions.  What forces are shaping the energy transition through 2040?  The Outlook explores the forces shaping this transition through various scenarios, focusing on different sectors, regions, and fuels. Mr. Dale will present the scenarios of the Outlook, followed by a moderated conversation with Sarah Ladislaw, senior vice president and director of the CSIS Energy & National Security Program. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the CSIS Energy & National Security Program.

In 2015, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced that India will generate 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022. India's ability to achieve this ambitious goal, however, will depend on the progress of India's states in meeting specific renewable energy capacity targets. The Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Studies and the Energy and National Security Program at CSIS are pleased to host Anand Kumar, Secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to unpack the role of center-state relations in achieving the target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. He will also highlight opportunities for how U.S. stakeholders can engage India and its states to help them meet their targets.    Introductory RemarksRichard Rossow Senior Advisor and Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, CSIS  Keynote AddressAnand Kumar Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India  Discussion with:Sarah Ladislaw Senior Vice President; Director and Senior Fellow, Energy and National Security Program, CSISThis event is made possible through general support to CSIS.