ESPP Seminar Series: Dr. Wei Peng | Pathways to Deep Decarbonization

Title: 

Pathways to Deep Decarbonization: How Can We Model Realistic and Robust Strategies?

Abstract:

How to achieve deep decarbonization in the next few decades? Integrated assessment modeling methods (IAMs) have been used to assess future decarbonization pathways and their implications on cost and the environment. While most IAMs still focus on idealized policies, real-world decisions need to balance competing objectives, manage future uncertainties, and ensure political feasibility. In this talk, I will discuss our recent efforts to advance IAMs by: a) adding decision science methods to identify robust strategies under future uncertainties, and b) adding social science insights to identify realistic strategies under political constraints. I will demonstrate a range of examples, from the cost of state-driven climate policy in the US to the unintended health effects from a global carbon price.

Bio:

Wei Peng is an assistant professor of international affairs and civil and environmental engineering at Penn State. She uses computational models to quantify difficult tradeoffs of climate policies across social, political, and environmental aspects. Prior to her arrival at Penn State, Peng was a postdoc fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. She earned her Ph.D. in science, technology, and environmental policy from Princeton University and her B.S. in environmental science from Peking University. Her research has been published in Nature, Nature Climate Change, Nature Sustainability, PNAS, among others. Visit her personal website (weipengenergy.com) to learn more.