Johns Hopkins SAIS expert available to discuss resilience for U.S. power systems amid persistent and extreme climate change impacts

EXPERT ADVISORY
 
As extreme weather events, sea level rise, water availability issues, and changing temperatures continue to result in acute disruptions and persistent economic impacts, the U.S. electric power system faces an urgent need for policies that address climate vulnerabilities, says Dr. Sarah Marie Jordaan, Assistant Professor of Energy, Resources and Environment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
 
In a new article titled “Resilience for power systems amid a changing climate,” Dr. Jordaan suggests policies that improve a power system’s resilience to climate change impacts will produce important co-benefits that apply to other disruptions, such as cyberattacks, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
 
Most recently, the U.S. has faced wildfires across the West and hurricanes in Caribbean territories, disasters that the federal government reported as impacting power systems and costing the economy tens of billions of dollars each year.
 
“Climate change is not going to go away because of political opinion – it is based on scientific evidence. Risks to power supply can be related to events and environmental conditions that are expected from changes in climate,” Dr. Jordaan said. “There is an urgent need for both governments and industry to consider the known solutions to protect the nation’s electricity supply against potential disruptions.”
 
The scholar is available to further discuss:

• What are the biggest opportunities and threats related to climate change?
• How has climate change made power systems increasingly more vulnerable?
• What type of power generation will replace retiring nuclear facilities?
• How will the Trump administration – whose policies and budgets, to date, favor coal and nuclear power – impact the future of electricity?
• What are the benefits of incorporating both science and politics in energy policy?
• How can the government and industry make power generation more resilient amid extreme events?

 
Read more: Resilience for power systems amid a changing climate
 
Media Contact
Stacy A. Anderson
Communications Manager
Johns Hopkins SAIS
202.663.5620 office
202.853.7983 mobile
sande100@jhu.edu
 
About Johns Hopkins SAIS
A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For nearly 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today.
 
For more information, visit sais-jhu.edu or @SAISHopkins
 
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