On April 24, 2013 the Center for Global Energy Policy was founded within Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. The launch event filled Columbia's historic Low Memorial Library, where mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke about how “New York is where the energy future is taking place”.[5] The center's director, Jason Bordoff, a professor of professional practice and a former special assistant to President Barack Obama, said that he hoped that the center would "break new ground in energy research".[6]
Publications
The Center’s research agenda emphasizes an economic and geostrategic approach to key energy policy areas. Current research programs encompass a wide variety of specific studies and topics, focused both on U.S. policy and specific regions around the world.[7]
Criticism
The Center has been criticized for receiving funding from fossil fuel companies by the Columbia hub of the Sunrise Movement.[8] An estimate by Sunrise Columbia University found that the Center has received almost $16 million from oil and gas companies since its founding.[9] A 2022 study categorized the Center as one of three "fossil-funded centres" (along with the MIT Energy Initiative and Stanford’s Precourt Institute for Energy) and found that reports from the Center are more favorable to natural gas than renewable energy technologies, when compared to non-fossil-funded energy centers.[10]
Current members of the advisory board
The center has a large international advisory board.[11] Members include:
