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Energy Explained
Get the latest as our experts share their insights on global energy policy.
How DOE’s Announcement on Data Centers Could Impact the Grid
The US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to make a rule that would help rapidly move electricity onto the US grid in large amounts.
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Amy Harder on Climate and Energy Reporting
The national conversation around climate change is shifting. There’s more focus on energy affordability and demand, as well as on the dual role artificial intelligence plays as both...
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December 10, 2025
• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
est
Responsible Mining in Latin America: The Extractive Transition and Social License, a Crossroad for the Andean Region
The event is for CUID holders only. Please note: space is limited. The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA invites Columbia University students to a...
Event
• Large Conference Room
Center on Global Energy Policy
Center on Global Energy Policy
News
The Center on Global Energy Policy Announces New Distinguished Visiting Fellows from US, European, and Indian Governments and Civil Society
October 17, 2025
The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA today welcomed four new distinguished visiting fellows who will add extensive energy and geopolitical expertise from the United States, European, and Indian governments and civil society to CGEP’s roster of experts and policymakers. The fellows will conduct and contribute to CGEP research and publications, participate in public CGEP convenings and events, and engage with students and faculty throughout the Columbia Community.
“The Center on Global Energy Policy’s Distinguished Visiting Fellows program brings leading experts from government service directly to our intellectual community, allowing them to contribute timely perspectives on key issues to policy conversations surrounding energy security, energy markets, and the global energy transition,” said Jason Bordoff, CGEP Founding Director. “This remarkable new cohort of fellows brings a range of experience from the highest levels of government and civil society to CGEP, bolstering our leadership and insights on pressing topics such as the power sector, nuclear security and nonproliferation, energy security and resilience, and renewable energy, and on regions from Europe to South Asia.”
CGEP’s new distinguished visiting fellows can be found below:
Neil Chatterjee
Neil Chatterjee, Former Commissioner and Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), joined Palmetto in early 2025 as the Chief Government Affairs Officer. Neil is a policy reformer with extensive experience across the energy landscape both domestically and internationally. He built a reputation as a bipartisan operator who builds alliances and cuts through red tape with an eye on promoting innovation, and is an advocate for harnessing technology to mitigate threats to critical energy infrastructure.
Neil Chatterjee said, “I am glad to join the Center on Global Energy Policy and the Columbia University community as a distinguished visiting fellow. There’s a pressing need for solutions to America’s most intractable energy problems, from permitting reform to increasing electricity demand. I look forward to productive conversations with students and faculty to engage policymakers in pursuit of those aims.”
Ajay Mathur
Dr. Ajay Mathur is a Professor of Practice in the School of Public Policy at IIT, Delhi. He was previously the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) (2021-2025), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) (2016-2021), and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) (2006-2012 and 2013-2016). He has also served as a member of the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Climate Change and co-chair of the global Energy Transitions Commission and the Clean Cooling Initiatives of the One Planet Summit. He was a leading Indian and G-77 climate change negotiator (2006-2012) and was the Indian spokesperson at the Paris climate negotiations (2015). Dr Mathur received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the (then) University of Roorkee and Masters and PhD degrees from the University of Illinois. He has also received the Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both his alma maters.
Ajay Mathur said, “The international community must make progress on a slate of critical issues during COP and other climate negotiations each year, and the Center on Global Energy Policy is well-positioned to further the policy discussions that can move those ambitions from theory to practice. I am pleased to join CGEP as a distinguished visiting fellow and look forward to engaging with the Columbia community on mitigating the effects of climate change and furthering the energy transition.”
Ann Mettler
Ann Mettler is currently leading the establishment of a new organization focused on advancing energy resilience and clean tech innovation. This initiative builds on the Energy Resilience Leadership Group, which she co-founded in 2023 with the CEO of Siemens Energy, in the wake of the Ukraine war. From 2020 to 2025, she served as Vice President for Europe at Breakthrough Energy, an organization founded by Bill Gates. Prior to that, from 2014 to 2019, Ann was Director-General and Head of the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the European Commission’s in-house think tank reporting directly to the President. Ann holds Master’s degrees in Political Science and European Law & Economics, graduating with distinction from the University of New Mexico (USA) and Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University in Bonn (Germany).
Ann Mettler said, “We need innovative policies, next-generation technologies, and systems thinking to meet the unprecedented demands of the energy transition. I am pleased to join the Center to help develop solutions fit for a new geopolitical era. I look forward to engaging with students, faculty, and policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic—and around the world.”
Laura Holgate
Laura S. H. Holgate, Ambassador (ret.), is President of LSHH International Advisors. She served twice as a US ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international organizations in Vienna, Austria. Amb. Holgate has held multiple positions in and out of government, including Vice President at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Special Assistant to the President at the National Security Council, and a senior official at the Departments of Energy and Defense. She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, past president and member of Women in International Security, a member of the World Institute of Nuclear Security, and serves on multiple advisory panels.
Laura Holgate said, “The pursuit of advanced nuclear energy technologies demands a robust community of policymakers who are committed to new approaches and innovative solutions. I am pleased to be appointed a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy as we work to pursue the next generation of policies that will accelerate the deployment of firm, clean, and safe nuclear energy in ways that enhance national security.”
The distinguished visiting fellows program brings world-renowned scholars and former government officials into CGEP’s orbit for what is typically a 12-month period. Distinguished visiting fellows participate in a variety of activities–including events and engagements with Columbia University students, faculty, and staff–contribute to CGEP publications, and help CGEP engage policymakers in Washington, DC and around the world. More information about the program is available here.
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Publications
Regulatory Progress for Project-Based Carbon Credit Markets: Pre-COP30 Roundtable Summary
On November 6, 2025, in the lead-up to the annual UN Conference of the Parties (COP30), the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA convened a roundtable on project-based carbon credit markets (PCCMs) in São Paulo, Brazil—a country that both hosted this year’s COP and is well-positioned to shape the next phase of global carbon markets by leveraging its experience in nature-based solutions.
Summaries
by Gautam Jain, Preetha Jenarthan, Victoria Barreto Vieira do Prado + 3 more • December 04, 2025
America’s Toothless Sanctions on Russian Oil
Last month, the Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, signaling a renewed desire to drive Moscow to the negotiating table in its war against Ukraine. But although these measures have the potential to harm the Russian economy, just how much damage they inflict will depend largely on one actor: Beijing. China bought almost half the oil Russia exported in 2024, evading Washington’s existing restrictions in the process. And new sanctions alone will do little to push China into significantly reducing its purchases.
What the Global Electric Vehicle Market Signals for US Automakers and Policymakers
Commentary
by Pierpaolo Cazzola • November 24, 2025
