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CGEP scholars reflect on some of the standout issues of the day during this year's Climate Week
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NEW YORK — The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) announced today that Colombia’s former Energy Minister and Finance Minister, Dr. Mauricio Cárdenas, has joined CGEP as a Visiting Senior Research Scholar to lead a new research initiative focused on energy and climate policy in Latin America. He will also be a Visiting Professor at SIPA. Dr. Cárdenas previously served as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at CGEP.
“We’re thrilled Mauricio will be expanding his role at CGEP to focus on energy and climate issues in Latin America,” said Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy. “More scholarship is necessary to understand the complex and critical energy issues in the region and their place in the global energy landscape. From Latin America’s leading production and use of renewables, to energy security and geopolitics, this new initiative will strengthen Columbia’s academic leadership on energy issues in the region.”
Dr. Cárdenas is a leading expert on Latin America, and an economist with both academic and policy making experience. He served as Colombia’s Finance Minister between 2012 and 2018, immediately after serving as Minister of Mines and Energy. Earlier in his career he led Colombia’s National Planning Department, its Ministry of Transport, and its Ministry of Economic Development.
“I am excited to launch this new program at one of the world’s leading research universities, and to advance critical scholarship on energy and climate issues affecting Latin America,” said Dr. Cárdenas. “Ultimately, our goal is to create research that is actionable, timely, and that will help decision-makers make more informed choices about these pressing issues, as well as our future energy system.”
Dr. Cárdenas has twice been the Executive Director of Fedesarrollo, a think tank in Colombia that conducts research on economic and social policy. He was also a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he led the Latin American Initiative. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree from the University of the Andes.
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About the Center on Global Energy Policy
CGEP’s mission is to enable public and private sector leaders to make more informed choices about the world’s most pressing energy issues by providing an independent and interdisciplinary platform for insights and data-driven analysis, convening and information-sharing, education and training, and actionable recommendations on the current and future global energy system.
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CGEP scholars reflect on some of the standout issues of the day during this year's Climate Week
Plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) are reshaping the transportation energy landscape, providing a practical alternative to petroleum fuels for a growing number of applications. EV sales grew 55× in the past decade (2014–2024) and 6× since 2020, driven by technological progress enabled by policies to reduce transportation emissions as well as industrial plans motivated by strategic value of EVs for global competitiveness, jobs and geopolitics. In 2024, 22% of passenger cars sold globally were EVs and opportunities for EVs beyond on-road applications are growing, including solutions to electrify off-road vehicles, maritime and aviation. This Review updates and expands our 2020 assessment of the scientific literature and describes the current status and future projections of EV markets, charging infrastructures, vehicle–grid integration and supply chains in the USA. EV is the lowest-emission motorized on-road transportation option, with life-cycle emissions decreasing as electricity emissions continue to decrease. Charging infrastructure grew in line with EV adoption but providing ubiquitous reliable and convenient charging remains a challenge. EVs are reducing electricity costs in several US markets and coordinated EV charging can improve grid resilience and reduce electricity costs for all consumers. The current trajectory of technology improvement and industrial investments points to continued acceleration of EVs. Electric vehicles are increasingly adopted in the USA, with concurrent expansion of charging infrastructure and electricity demand. This Review details these trends and discusses their drivers and broader implications.
