Rising tensions between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia over Russian troop buildups on the Ukraine border have raised the specter of an energy crisis in Europe. This new geopolitical context is likely to influence Europe’s calculus going forward, with a high likelihood that a lasting distaste for heavy reliance on Russian gas will give even further impetus to plans to rapidly diversify to cleaner energy sources such as offshore wind and hydrogen. That begs the question: Have Russia’s recent actions hurt its own chances to be a major participant in Europe’s energy transition?
Read MoreHengrui Liu discusses China’s newly released “Working Guidance For Carbon Dioxide Peaking and Carbon Neutrality in Full and Faithful Implementation of the New Development Philosophy” ( The “1” Policy).
Read MoreThe pressure to enact ambitious climate policy is higher than ever, as the IPCC clarifies the urgency of the challenge, and key global summits draw closer. In addition to emissions reduction targets and investment in green infrastructure, political leadership in the European Union and the United States are considering a “carbon border tax.” This is a duty on imported goods, determined based on the carbon (or greenhouse) footprint of the process used to manufacture the good in the country of origin. These are attempts to mimic the “climate club” approach of the Montreal Protocol, but need to pay much closer attention to the details of that agreement. In this blog, Fletcher School junior fellow, Tarun Gopalakrishnan explains why.
Read MorePresident Joe Biden’s first budget release provides an initial glimpse of the Biden Administration’s priorities for technological innovation in low-carbon energy. Importantly, the fiscal year (FY) 2022 request would sharply increase US government investments in research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) in energy efficiency and renewables.
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