Center for Environmental Public Policy (CEPP)

The Center for Environmental Public Policy (CEPP) at the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) takes an integrated approach to solving environmental problems. By synthesizing scientific, economic, technical, social, financial, and political understanding, CEPP collaborates to support the creation and implementation of public policies based on exacting analytical standards that carefully define problems and match them with the most impactful solutions. CEPP’s primary focus is on climate change, the key environmental challenge of our time.

Learn more about our team and current projects. 

What's new at CEPP?

CEPP researchers Emilia Chojkiewicz, Umed Paliwal, Nikit Abhyankar and Amol Phadke released a report titled Reconductoring With Advanced Conductors Can Accelerate The Rapid Energy Transmission Expansion Required For A Clean Grid. The 2035 4.0 report shows that large-scale reconductoring with advanced conductors can rapidly expand transmission capacity and contribute to cost-effective clean energy deployment over the next 10 years. In many cases, advanced conductors can double existing transmission line capacity at less than half the cost and a fraction of the time as new lines.  A programmatic approach to reconductoring can unlock lower cost renewable energy sources across the US, saving tens of billions in energy system costs. April 9, 2024.

CEPP's Berkeley Carbon Trading Project published a major study, Quality Assessment of REDD+ Carbon Credit Projects. The study found that current avoided deforestation offset methodologies, a quarter of the voluntary carbon market by credit volume, generate credits that likely represent a small fraction of project climate benefits, while also applying ineffective safeguard standards. September 15, 2023.

David Wooley was appointed by the EPA Administrator to serve as a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Act Advisory Committee for a two-year term beginning August 2023. The Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) is a senior-level policy committee established in 1990 to advise the U.S. EPA on issues related to implementing the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. 

David Wooley published the op-ed Gulf Coast Could Strengthen Electric Grid and Economy with Offshore Wind, in Energy News Network. August 29, 2023. 

CEPP, Energy Innovation, and GridLab released a new report, 2035 Report: Abundant, Affordable Offshore Wind Can Accelerate Our Clean Electricity Future, demonstrating the U.S. has one of the world’s best offshore wind potentials, enough to power up to 25 percent of America’s total power needs by 2050. With the right mix of policies today, offshore wind can help us meet our climate goals, create jobs, improve grid reliability and keep electricity affordable. August 2, 2023.