Johns Hopkins SAIS experts available to discuss anti-fossil fuel activism, future of energy and climate policies
EXPERT ADVISORY
In less than a decade, activism against the fossil fuel industry has exploded across the globe. Today’s most prominent environmentalists — rather than focusing on legislative goals, such as carbon emissions trading or renewable energy policies — have become more vocal against the fossil fuel industry, according to Assistant Professor of International Political Economy Andrew Cheon and Johannes Urpelainen, the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Professor of Energy, Resources and Environment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
In the new book, “Activism and the Fossil Fuel Industry,” the two scholars offer a systematic treatment of the anti-fossil fuel movement in the United States. Building on the existing social scientific literature, Cheon and Urpelainen evaluate different types of anti-fossil fuel activism, such as Keystone XL, divestment, anti-coal, anti-fracking campaigns, with particular attention to their success and impact. They also provide recommendations for future energy and climate policies.
The scholars are available to further discuss:
- Why has activism against fossil fuels become so popular in recent years?
- What impact, if any, have campaigns against fossil fuels had on climate change mitigation?
- How likely is anti-fossil fuel activism to bring about meaningful change in energy policy?
- What can we learn from the more successful campaigns against fossil fuels?
- What does the future hold for the anti-fossil fuel movement?
- What does the future hold for the fossil fuel industry?
Andrew Cheon concentrates on issues of international political economy, theories of international relations, and problems of energy governance. Before joining Johns Hopkins SAIS, he obtained his doctorate in Political Science from Columbia University. He also served as founding president of the academic journal Duke East Asia Nexus. His work on topics including state-owned enterprises, interest groups, energy innovation, renewables, and fossil fuel subsidies have appeared in Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Global Environmental Change, Political Studies, and Energy Policy. He recently completed a book manuscript on foreign investments of national oil companies.
Johannes Urpelainen also serves as the Founding Director of the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy (ISEP) at Johns Hopkins SAIS. He oversees the vision, strategy, and management of the initiative tasked to offer pragmatic, but effective approaches, to providing the world’s population with affordable and abundant energy at minimal environmental impact. Urpelainen has authored four other books and more than 100 articles on environmental politics, energy policy, and global governance. He frequently advises governments, international organizations, and the private sector on energy and environment.
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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