Potential Pathways: The Future of the Electricity Sector in the Southeast

The electricity sector is in a period of rapid change. The shale gas revolution and a suite of new environmental regulations have contributed to a dramatic decline in the percent of electricity generation from coal since 2009 and shifted the region to increased gas generation. At the same time, steep declines in the cost of distributed solar generation, the proliferation of smart meters, thermostats and appliances, and dynamic retail pricing are revolutionizing the way consumers interact with the grid. 

Adding to this dynamic is the potential to shift a major portion of transportation to electric vehicles and advanced energy storage that would likely cause major changes in how the grid operates. Meanwhile, future climate policy remains uncertain given the Supreme Court's decision to stay the EPA's Clean Power Plan and U.S. participation in recent international commitments to limit greenhouse gas emissions and increase clean energy production.

These and other forces are combining to create significant uncertainty about the future of the Southeast electricity sector. This invitation-only workshop on October 5 will bring together experts on the electricity sector in the Southeast—including electric utilities, other market participants, NGOs, and energy and environmental regulators—to discuss key factors affecting the future of the region's electricity sector. Discussion topics will include the uncertainty surrounding future demand, how technology innovation could affect business models and regulatory structures, and the role of nuclear energy in the Southeast's electricity future.  

This invitation-only event is sponsored by the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the Duke University Energy Initiative.

Strong Institutions in Weak States: Institution Building, Natural Resource Governance, and Conflict in Ghana and Sierra Leone

McKenzie Johnson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Nicholas School of the Environment, will present the talk "Strong Institutions in Weak States: Institution Building, Natural Resource Governance, and Conflict in Ghana and Sierra Leone," on Friday, October 14, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

The idea that natural resources can be used to foster peace within and across states—environmental peacebuilding—has become influential in political science and environmental policy. Researchers posit that governance reforms that institutionalize standards of transparency and accountability, participatory governance, and modern regulation in resource-rich contexts can enhance prospects for peace and social justice and improve environmental outcomes. However, the application of environmental peacebuilding theory to conflict contexts has outpaced the ability of empirical research to substantiate its claims, and scholars remain unclear about the mechanisms through which governance reforms minimize conflict risk and promote opportunities for peace. Johnson's presentation will examine under what conditions does the application of global natural resource governance initiatives mitigate conflict or foster peace within conflict-affected contexts? 

This talk is part of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the University Program in Environmental Policy seminar series featuring leading experts discussing a variety of pressing environmentally focused topics. 

Total Economic Valuation of the National Park Service Lands and Programs: Results of a Survey of the American Public

In this National Ecosystem Services Partnership webinar, Michelle Haefele and John Loomis of Colorado State University will present the results of a survey that led to the first-ever comprehensive estimate of the total economic value of the National Park Service and its programs. They will discuss what the $92 billion dollar valuation means for the National Park Service.

To attend, please register in advance.

A Framework to Quantify the Strength of Ecological Links Between an Anthropogenic Stressor and Final Ecosystem Services

In this National Ecosystem Services Partnership webinar, Michael Bell from the Air Resources Division of the National Park Service will discuss a framework to quantify the strength of ecological links between an anthropogenic stressor and final ecosystem services. 

To attend, please register in advance.

2017 Winter Forum: Power to the People: Tackling Energy Inequality Through Clean Energy Solutions

The 2017 Winter Forum, Power to the People: Tackling Energy Inequality through Clean Energy Solutions, will be held January 8-10, 2017. The event is sponsored by the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University Energy Initiative, Nicolas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, and the Duke University Office of Undergraduate Education. Students will compete to develop the best solutions for unequal energy access at home and abroad using case analysis and storytelling skills. The Global Inequality Research Initiative (GIRI) 2016 fall seminar “Energy and Equity” will explore equity issues related to domestic and international energy access and ways to rectify persistent inequitable distribution of clean and renewable energy resources. Students from the GIRI program will play a leadership role in the forum, as they will have been exploring these issues throughout the previous semester.

The Winter Forum is a campus-based, non-credit curricular experience in an intense, retreat-like setting in which undergraduates interact with graduate/professional students, alumni and faculty to explore a major global issue from interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives. The Winter Forum is held over 2.5 days immediately before the start of the spring semester.

For more information, visit the event website.