Skip to main content
  • Sections
  • Search

Center for Strategic & International Studies

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • Sign In

Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Cybersecurity and Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Governance
    • Intellectual Property
    • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Privacy
    • Military Technology
    • Space
    • Technology and Innovation
  • Defense and Security
    • Counterterrorism and Homeland Security
    • Defense Budget
    • Defense Industry, Acquisition, and Innovation
    • Defense Strategy and Capabilities
    • Geopolitics and International Security
    • Long-Term Futures
    • Missile Defense
    • Space
    • Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation
  • Economics
    • Asian Economics
    • Global Economic Governance
    • Trade and International Business
  • Energy and Sustainability
    • Energy, Climate Change, and Environmental Impacts
    • Energy and Geopolitics
    • Energy Innovation
    • Energy Markets, Trends, and Outlooks
  • Global Health
    • Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, and Immunizations
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Health and Security
    • Infectious Disease
  • Human Rights
    • Building Sustainable and Inclusive Democracy
    • Business and Human Rights
    • Responding to Egregious Human Rights Abuses
    • Civil Society
    • Transitional Justice
    • Human Security
  • International Development
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Governance and Rule of Law
    • Humanitarian Assistance
    • Human Mobility
    • Private Sector Development
    • U.S. Development Policy

Regions

  • Africa
    • North Africa
    • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Americas
    • Caribbean
    • North America
    • South America
  • Arctic
  • Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Australia, New Zealand & Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Korea
    • Pakistan
    • Southeast Asia
  • Europe
    • European Union
    • NATO
    • Post-Soviet Europe
    • Turkey
  • Middle East
    • The Gulf
    • Egypt and the Levant
    • North Africa
  • Russia and Eurasia
    • The South Caucasus
    • Central Asia
    • Post-Soviet Europe
    • Russia

Sections menu

  • Programs
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Analysis
    • Blogs
    • Books
    • Commentary
    • Congressional Testimony
    • Critical Questions
    • Interactive Reports
    • Journals
    • Newsletter
    • Reports
    • Transcript
  • Podcasts
  • iDeas Lab
  • Transcripts
  • Web Projects

Main menu

  • About Us
  • Support CSIS
    • Securing Our Future
Photo: ValerAnDim/Adobe Stock

You are here

  1. Home
  2. Energy Security and Climate Change Program
  3. Projects
  4. Climate Solutions Series
Connect

Climate Solutions Series

Exploring paths to net-zero global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

About the Project

To stabilize the climate and prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change, we must reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by or soon after 2050.

The Climate Solutions Series brings together a wide range of experts to examine ways to reach net-zero GHG emissions in different sectors of the economy. This series of six public events opened with a discussion of emissions pathways; the following five events will focus on power, transportation, industry, and buildings, and conclude with carbon dioxide removal technologies that cut across multiple economic sectors. Each of these five events will highlight technology pathways, enabling policy environments, and current and potential private sector contributions to achieve deep decarbonization.

The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program will release analysis examining the path to decarbonization of each sector following each session.

Sessions

January 23, 2020: Deep Decarbonization Scenarios
The first session looks at various pathways to net-zero emissions, ranging from a significant reduction in fossil fuel consumption and major behavior changes with little reliance on “negative emissions,” to smaller structural changes with a heavy reliance on technologies to reduce carbon from point sources and the atmosphere. The event features a presentation on these various pathways, followed by a facilitated discussion featuring perspectives from multiple levels of government.

View the Deep Decarbonization Pathways resource brief here.

March 30, 2020: AUDIO EVENT: Decarbonizing the Electric Power Sector
The second session features a discussion of how to decarbonize the electric power sector by 2050. It covers key themes for the power sector, including: managing a changing power mix, the importance of both deployment and innovation, and how wealthy countries can help low-income countries develop on a low-carbon pathway. This audio event consists of individual interviews with experts followed by a collection of themes that emerged from their interviews.

View the Decarbonizing the Electric Power Sector resource brief here.

May 27, 2020: Decarbonizing Global Transport
The third session examines the various aspects of the transportation sector and issues involved in its decarbonization. Dan Sperling (UC Davis) provides an overview of the transportation sector and his perspective on the “three revolutions” of electrification, automation, and ridesharing. Anand Shah (Ola Electric) follows with remarks on decarbonizing personal transport. Dan McGrath (DHL) shares DHL’s perspective on decarbonizing freight and shipping. Shoshanna Saxe (University of Toronto) discusses her research on how our infrastructure choices affect the sustainability of cities. The session closes with a panel discussion on the policy and technological aspects of the decarbonization of global transport, moderated by Nikos Tsafos (CSIS).

View the Decarbonizing Global Transport resource brief here.

July 28, 2020: Decarbonizing Heavy Industry
The fourth session looks at how to decarbonize energy-intensive industries like chemicals and steel. Rebecca Dell (ClimateWorks Foundation) gives an overview of the industrial sector, the sources of emissions, and the policy landscape involved in reducing emissions from manufacturing and energy-intensive industry. Andreas Bode (BASF) provides the perspective of a major company in the chemicals industry and how the industry is attempting to reduce emissions from its products and processes. Adam Rauwerdink (Boston Metal) then elaborates on the experiences of a small startup attempting to decarbonize the production of iron, steel, and other metals. The session closes with a panel discussion on the policy and technological aspects of the decarbonization of heavy industry, moderated by Sarah Ladislaw (CSIS).

View the Decarbonizing Heavy Industry resource brief here.

September 15, 2020: Decarbonizing the Built Environment
The fifth session examines emissions from the buildings sector and the opportunities and challenges for its decarbonization. Clay Nesler (Johnson Controls) gives an overview of the buildings sector, the sources of emissions, and issues related to the decarbonization of the sector. Debbie Weyl (World Resources Institute) shares how opportunities and challenges to decarbonization differ around the world. Amy Cortese (New Buildings Institute) then discusses the domestic environment for zero-carbon buildings in the U.S. The session closes with a panel discussion on the policy and technological aspects of the decarbonization of buildings, moderated by Philippe Benoit (CSIS).

View the Decarbonizing the Built Environment resource brief here.

November 12, 2020: Carbon Dioxide Removal Solutions

The sixth and final session examines technological and nature-based solutions for atmospheric carbon removal and storage. Roger Aines (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) gives an overview of carbon removal methods. Erin Burns (Carbon180) discusses the technical and policy opportunities and challenges for direct air capture. Cathy Macdonald (The Nature Conservancy) then discusses her organization’s approach to nature-based carbon solutions and the policy framework necessary for them. The session closes with a panel discussion on how carbon removal solutions contribute to reaching net-zero global GHG emissions and the outlook for their deployment, moderated by John Larsen (Rhodium Group, CSIS Energy).

View the Carbon Dioxide Removal Solutions resource brief here.

This project is made possible by the generous support of JPMorgan Chase & Company.

Energy Security and Climate Change Program

  • Events
  • Projects
    • Clean Resilient States Initiative
    • Climate Smart Foreign Policy
    • Climate Solutions Series
    • Completed Projects
    • Energy Futures Forum
    • Energy in America
    • Energy Innovation Series
    • Energy Rewired
    • Energy Spheres of Influence
    • Energy Transitions: Low-Carbon Pathways for Growth and Sustainability
    • Engaging Global Gas Players on Methane Emissions
    • Global Just Transition Network
    • Industrial Policy, Trade, and Clean Energy Supply Chains
    • Just Transition Initiative
    • U.S.-India State and Urban Initiative
  • Staff and Affiliates
  • Energy 360° (Podcast)
  • Publications
  • Theories of Change (Podcast)
  • Topics
Find Additional Content
Media Queries
Contact H. Andrew Schwartz
Chief Communications Officer
Tel: 202.775.3242

Contact Paige Montfort
Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
Tel: 202.775.3173

Most Recent

Critical Questions
Extreme Weather Tests Grid Resilience across Much of the United States
February 17, 2021
Report
Climate Solutions Series: Carbon Dioxide Removal Solutions
February 16, 2021
Report
Climate Solutions Series: Decarbonizing the Built Environment
November 30, 2020
On Demand Event
Online Event: Carbon Dioxide Removal Solutions
November 12, 2020
Report
Climate Solutions Series: Decarbonizing Heavy Industry
By Sarah Ladislaw
October 5, 2020
On Demand Event
Online Event: Decarbonizing the Built Environment
September 15, 2020
On Demand Event
Online Event: Decarbonizing Heavy Industry
July 28, 2020
Report
Climate Solutions Series: Decarbonizing Global Transport
July 20, 2020
View all content associated with this program
Footer menu
  • Topics
  • Regions
  • Programs
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Analysis
  • Web Projects
  • Podcasts
  • iDeas Lab
  • Transcripts
  • About Us
  • Support Us
Contact CSIS
Email CSIS
Tel: 202.887.0200
Fax: 202.775.3199
Visit CSIS Headquarters
1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Media Queries
Contact H. Andrew Schwartz
Chief Communications Officer
Tel: 202.775.3242

Contact Paige Montfort
Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
Tel: 202.775.3173

Daily Updates

Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs.

Subscribe to CSIS Newsletters

Follow CSIS
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

All content © 2022. All rights reserved.

Legal menu
  • Credits
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reprint Permissions