Leonardo Beltrán Rodríguez has joined Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow. In this capacity he will focus on the role of governments in the energy transition, bringing over a decade of government experience working as Mexico’s former Deputy Secretary of Energy.
“I look forward to engaging with the academic community to understand the threats posed by the climate crisis, as well as the opportunities we have to accelerate policy and technology innovation,” said Mr. Beltrán. “I’m especially keen to work on how energy transition policy and regulation can be a lever for economic growth, social development, and environmental stewardship on the path to net zero.”
Mr. Beltrán has a distinguished 13-year career in public service in the government of Mexico, including as the longest-serving Deputy Secretary of Energy from 2012-2018. During this time he led the Ministry’s coordination of Mexico’s National Energy Strategy, a policy document that served as the foundation for the energy reform of 2013.
“Mr. Beltrán is a leading expert on energy transition policy,” said Jason Bordoff, Founding Director at CGEP and Co-Founding Dean of the Columbia Climate School. “His experience working at the intersection of energy policy and regulation—spanning renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy innovation—will be instrumental to the work we do here at CGEP.”
Mr. Beltrán has been named one of the most influential leaders in the energy sector in Mexico. He is currently a non-resident fellow at the Institute of the Americas, an executive fellow of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, and is serving his second three-year term on the Administrative Board of Sustainable Energy for All.
To learn more, tune in to an episode of the Columbia Energy Exchange, where Mr. Beltrán joins host Jason Bordoff for a conversation on the future of Mexico’s energy transition. Read Mr. Beltrán’s full bio here.
