Chicago, IL—The Paulson Institute today announced the launch of the Climate Change and Air Quality Program. Through research, projects and advocacy, the program will advance efforts in the United States and China to curb the impacts of climate change and work toward solutions for the air pollution problem, ultimately contributing to sustainable and mutually beneficial economic growth.
“Climate change is among the most critical issues of importance to the US-China relationship, and I am delighted that the Institute is launching this new program. It’s clear that China and the United States can and must play a leadership role in addressing the global challenge of climate change, and the Paulson Institute is well-positioned to do meaningful work in this area,” Chairman Henry M. Paulson, Jr., said.
The Paulson Institute is a “think and do tank” that aims to advance sustainable economic growth, a cleaner environment and cross-border investment in the United States and China. The Institute was founded at the University of Chicago in 2011 and maintains offices in Chicago, Washington, DC, and Beijing. In tandem with partners around the globe, its work is comprised of research, advocacy, and projects to promote new ideas and models that can have a positive impact in the United States and China and foster stronger ties between the two countries.
The Institute’s new Climate Change and Air Quality Program will focus initially in China on helping to tackle the country’s air quality problem. Projects will kick off this month in Beijing, where international and Chinese experts will share strategies for advancing China’s regional air pollution initiatives, discuss improved enforcement of clean air actions, and identify metrics to measure compliance with the government’s policies and targets.
In the United States, the Institute has also become actively engaged in climate change issues through Mr. Paulson’s co-sponsorship of the Risky Business Project, which explores the economic risks that climate change poses to the United States economy. Additionally, the new program will serve as a complement to the Institute’s initiatives on sustainable urbanization and conservation.
The Climate Change and Air Quality Program’s work in China will be led by Ellen Carberry. Prior to joining the Paulson Institute, Ms. Carberry was the founder and Managing Director of the China Greentech Initiative in Beijing. With the launch of the new program, there will be a significant increase in the number of professionals working in the Paulson Institute Beijing office.
The scope of the Paulson Institute’s Climate Change and Air Quality Program will consist of three aspects:
1) Research: using data analytics to identify the most effective and economically sustainable solutions to China’s air quality problems.
2) Projects: working on scalable, multi-partner projects to address China’s air pollution problems, initiatives that will serve as showcases for subsequent application across China.
3) Advocacy: to promote best practices both in the marketplace and with government for broader adoption across China.
“Our aim with this new Paulson Institute Program is to help drive practical and pragmatic solutions to the problems of air pollution and climate change. We believe in the power of collaboration across public and private organizations—particularly in China and the United States—to spur transformative actions that address these challenges,” said Ms. Carberry. “This global problem can only be solved if our countries are working together, and we look forward to engaging in this work.”