ECo Talks: Regional Decarbonization Drivers and the Geography of Global Industrial Supply Chains with Valerie J. Karplus
Valerie J. Karplus, Professor in the department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, will present her talk, “Regional Decarbonization Drivers and the Geography of Global Industrial Supply Chains,” as part of the ECo Talks series produced by the Earth Commons.
About the Speaker:
Valerie J. Karplus is a Professor in the department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University and the Associate Director of the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Karplus studies resource and environmental management in organizations operating in diverse national and industry contexts, with a focus on the role of institutions and management practices in explaining performance. Areas of expertise include decarbonization of global corporate and industrial supply chains, regional approaches to low carbon transition, and the integrated design and evaluation of energy, air quality, and climate policies. At CMU, she directs the Laboratory for Energy and Organizations and serves as principal investigator for the NSF-funded Industrial Decarbonization Analysis, Benchmarking, and Action (INDABA) Partnership, involving five universities in four countries and multi-sector, multi-stakeholder partners. From 2011 to 2016, she co-founded and directed the MIT-Tsinghua China Energy and Climate Project, a five-year research effort focused on analyzing the design of energy and climate change policy in China, and its domestic and global impacts. Karplus holds a BS in biochemistry and political science from Yale University and a Ph.D. in engineering systems from MIT.
About the Talk:
Emphasis in national policies and plans on achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century varies widely across countries and regions. The pace and extent of this decarbonization will have far-reaching implications for global industrial and manufacturing supply chains and associated trade flows. Focusing on critical minerals and steel, which will both be in high demand in a deep decarbonization transition, this talk will examine the geography of today’s global supply chains. For the case of steel, we will then consider the emerging landscape of decarbonized production globally and the role of industrial policy, trade policy, and international collaboration in shaping its trajectory in the coming decades.
Event Details: Light refreshments will be provided. Free and open to all. No RSVP required.
About the Series: ECo Talks feature scholars, leaders and innovators sparking conversation, sharing knowledge, and spurring change. ECo Talks are presented by the Earth Commons Fridays 11:30 am – 12:30 pm in Arrupe Hall Conference Room. Learn more about the series >>
