A future agenda for climate policy.
Recent publications and activities
UK electricity market design: Seven Propositions and launch of the UCL Centre for Net Zero Market Design.
12 September 2024| Electricity systems and markets
Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #3: Dynamic Determinants of optimal policy (and a coda on UK coal mine ruled illegal)
21 Sept 2024 | Innovation
Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #2 (Global): The 2024 World Development Report
20 August 2024
Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #1: Energy cost constancy
17 July 24 | Energy Innovation; Special Topics
Climate change progress and paradox
19 Dec 2023
The New Economics of Energy Innovation and Systems Transition (EEIST) / 10 Principles
5 Oct 2022 | Energy Innovation
Bio
About Michael Grubb
Michael Grubb is Professor of Energy and Climate Change at University College London. Since leading the Energy and Environmental Programme at Chatham House in the 1990s, his career has combined a wide range of energy systems and climate change research with half-time implementation roles. Prior to UCL, he was employed at Imperial College London (Engineering and Environment) and then Cambridge University (Economics), conducting research alongside positions at the UK Carbon Trust (as Chief Economist, to 2010), the Energy Regulator, Ofgem (Senior Advisor, 2011-16), and subsequently chairing the UK government’s independent Panel of Technical Experts on Electricity Market Reform (2016-19).
Overview
Energy in The Climate Crisis
This site provides a window into leading research on the role of energy in climate change. Energy is vital to human development and welfare – but the burning of fossil fuels, across industrial production, buildings and transport, contributes at least two thirds of the emissions driving climate change. Decarbonising those systems is a challenge of unprecedented scale and complexity, at all levels of society. Drawing on a long and varied career in the field, spanning academia and practical experience, this site offers a window into what I have learned, and contributed.
Routes into the now-huge span of policy-oriented academic research, in addition to the IPCC Mitigation Assessments, include the Climate Policy journal, and the research network Climate Strategies, both of which I have had the privilege of contributing to along the way.
Publication Topics
The Big Picture and Special Topics
The nature of energy-climate change challenges: socio-economic fundamentals, global modelling and policy strategies
Carbon Pricing, Trade, and Industry
Including design of the EU ETS and industrial competitiveness, international carbon price coordination, carbon leakage and consumption footprints
Regional (e.g. EU, Asia) Studies
Region-specific studies, including EU and post-Brexit relationships, and Asian studies
Energy Innovation and Transitions
Innovation processes in energy technologies and systems, transition dynamics and associated policies
International Processes
Global negotiations under the UN Framework Convention (UNFCCC), lessons and legacy of Kyoto Protocol, challenges of international coordination, Paris Agreement and Glasgow Breakthrough agenda
Electricity Markets and Renewables
Electricity markets design especially UK and EU: price, risk, transition, energy crisis and market reform. Integration of variable renewables including security, capacity adequacy and interconnection
Climate Finance and Investment
Growing body of work related to climate finance and investment in climate-related endeavours
Planetary Economics
by Michael Grubb, with Jean-Charles Hourcade and Karsten Neuhof
The book is compulsory reading for policymakers and academics for understanding the broader challenges of environmental change. What makes the book such an outstanding contribution is the way it brings together the fields of energy, environment, innovation, behavioural economics and macroeconomics. Its key policy message is a timely call for policymakers to act decisively, so that our societies can have the confidence to invest and innovate in solving the great environmental challenges of our time. — Marcel Fratzscher, President, German Institute for Economic Research
Outreach
UK electricity market design: Seven Propositions and launch of the UCL Centre for Net Zero Market Design.
UCL has launched a new business-funded research Centre for Net Zero Market Design, that brings...
![Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #3: Dynamic determinants [and a coda on the UK coal mine ban].](https://profmichaelgrubb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SCED-Cover-pic.png)
Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #3: Dynamic determinants [and a coda on the UK coal mine ban].
Summary: Well-known dynamic characteristics of energy technologies and systems are important for...
Strategic Economics of Energy Transition #2 (Global dimensions): the 2024 World Development Report
This year’s World Development Report: the Middle-Income Trap could be the most globally...
Strategic economics of energy transition #1: Energy Cost Constancy
A new publication demonstrate the historical capacity for energy systems to adapt to needs, and maintain costs within a relative narrow range