CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

Climate Change and Clean Energy

The Keystone Center's energy and environmental practices come together in our work on climate change policy. We work with all sectors of society to understand the science of climate change, identify the best opportunities for meeting our energy needs in a carbon-constrained world, and evaluate the risks and strategies for adapting to the impacts of unmitigated climate change.

Projects include:

Energy Innovation Systems From the Bottom Up: Energy Technology Workshops (2009 - present)
The Clean Air Task Force and the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes asked The Keystone Center to facilitate a series of Workshops in March 2009 to inform specific recommendations for U.S. climate-related RD and D efforts over the next 10 years. Each Workshop examined in depth one exemplary energy technology, photovoltaics, carbon capture and storage, and CO₂ air capture. Experts in the technology, together with experts in innovation policy, institutional design, finance, firm behavior, and market behavior, worked to create a “map” of the policies and arrangements necessary to decisively advance the technology. The final report provides a vision of how climate-related technology RD&D must evolve, with sufficient bottom-up detail and texture to provide guidance for legislators, agency administrators, private-sector decision makers, and private investors.
Final report:	Innovation Policy for Climate Change: A Report to the Nation
External website:	http://www.cspo.org/projects/eisbu/
Contact:	Catherine Morris

CO₂ Capture and Storage Outreach (2005 - present)
The Keystone Center is assisting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to develop tools and strategies for educating and engaging the public in this highly technical issue. To assist in educating the public about the emerging technology of fossil energy, Keystone has developed middle and high school curricula on the subject of climate change. These non-biased curricula adhere to National Education Standards and span across social studies, language arts, science and math. We are also working with the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP), led by Battelle, on region-specific outreach related to terrestrial sequestration on farmland, mining land, and marshland.
External website:	http://www.keystonecurriculum.org
Contact:	Jeremy Kranowitz

EPA State Climate and Energy Technical Forum (2005 - present)
We work with EPA’s State and Local Branch to provide a monthly forum for state energy, environment and public utility commission staff to exchange their lessons learned with implementing programs and policies that promote clean energy. The State Clean Energy-Environment Technical Forum explores analytical questions and attempts to resolve key issues of state clean energy efforts, such as measuring the benefits, implementing policy drivers, collaborating with other state agencies, and financing and marketing programs.
Project page:	http://www.epatechforum.org
External website:	http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/state-forum.html
Contact:	Catherine Morris

State Clean Energy-Environment Partnership Workshops (2006 - 2008)
We helped plan and facilitate the annual workshop for energy, utility commission and environmental officials at the forefront of advancing clean energy policies and programs, including states that joined EPA’s Clean Energy Environment State Partnership. The workshops focus on strategic opportunities and resource needs for the coming year.
Contact:	Catherine Morris

Blank Rome Interel Trans-Atlantic Climate Change Roundtable (2007)
The Keystone Center facilitated a meeting in March 2007 among government, industry, environmental groups, think tanks, attorneys and consultants from the European Union and United States to discuss policy trends on climate change and energy policy. The day-long discussion yielded consensus on areas where convergence between policies and actions in the EU and US should be enhanced.
Final report:	http://www.blankromegr.com/index.cfm?contentID=37&itemID=170
Contact:	Judy O’Brien and Peter Adler

The Keystone Dialogue on Global Climate Change (2000 - 2002)
The Keystone Dialogue on Global Climate Change was convened in October 2000 to provide a forum for representatives of the key emitting sectors, NGOs, and policy makers to: 1) Jointly explore the magnitude and timing of global emissions reductions required to stabilize concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; 2) determine the magnitude and timing of reductions by the U.S. in a global effort to stabilize concentrations; 3) evaluate the policy options that could be utilized to achieve these reductions; and 4) provide decision-makers with guidance on the variables (public policies, carbon prices) that affect the investment decisions of key economic sectors to reduce the carbon intensity of their activities in a cost effective/socially acceptable manner.
Final report:	Keystone Dialogue on Global Climate Change Final Report, May 2003
Contact:	Catherine Morris