After the pandemic-induced drop in 2020, energy demand and emissions are back on their growth trajectories. In its report “Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector,” the IEA stated that getting to net-zero by 2050 will require “nothing short of a total transformation of the energy system that underpins our economies.” The report also observed that “the pathway is narrow but achievable.” Shorter innovation cycles and faster scale-up of new and existing energy technologies will be essential in achieving these targets within this time frame. Although the power sector is decarbonizing at a fast pace, other sectors are lagging significantly. How are three of the world’s leading universities addressing this challenge? How are these universities planning to reduce industrial emissions? How are universities, national labs, and energy companies improving their collaborations? What climate-resilient infrastructure investments do universities recommend publicly funding? What is the responsibility of universities to enable and support a “Just Transition” in developing countries? How can universities encourage the next generation to work in the energy industry?
S&P Global
Senior Vice President & Chief Energy Strategist
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Director, MIT Energy Initiative; Chevron Professor of Chemical Engineering
Stanford University
Director of Precourt Institute for Energy, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Rice University
Director of the Carbon Hub; A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Science