Decarbonizing the global economy will require trillions of dollars, largely from private sector investors. What could help accelerate the mobilization of private capital to advance climate solutions? Leaders from finance, government, industry, and academia exchanged ideas about this at the second annual “From Billions to Trillions” summit at Duke University on April 9, 2025. 

The SALA & Duke Climate and Sustainability Summit gathered more than 100 leaders, researchers and advocates May 21–22 at Duke University to explore bold climate solutions and institutional commitments. Duke Today wrote about some of the university scholars who participated in the summit, including Brian Murray, Nicholas Institute director, and Alison Taylor, Duke Climate Leader in Residence.

During the launch of The Duke Campaign, a session featuring Nicholas Institute experts Brian Murray and Jackson Ewing and Duke students highlighted how the university and stakeholders are collaborating on climate finance and policy to achieve global energy goals and create a more equitable and sustainable world. “This is an interdisciplinary set of challenges, and we attempt to match them to Duke’s interdisciplinary resources,” Ewing said.

The United States' still-young offshore wind industry is in "critical condition" as it faces political and regulatory uncertainties under the Trump administration. "It was already a challenging industry in many respects," Nicholas Institute Director Brian Murray told USA Today. "But what's happened now will cause delays, and delays cause more problems."

The first in a series of profiles of student leaders working on climate and sustainability. Duke Today highlights Tyler Ratcliffe and his journey of student leadership on campus—including becoming the first undergraduate co-chair of Energy Week at Duke and co-designing a house course on "Energy and Climate Venture Investing" with faculty advisor Brian Murray (Nicholas Institute director).

The Energy Data Analytics Lab is helping strengthen Climate TRACE, a non-profit coalition that provides the world’s largest inventory of greenhouse gas emissions.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, including one withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate treaty. Brian Murray, director of the Nicholas Institute, spoke with German broadcaster DW News about the implications for climate action domestically and abroad, and he discussed other steps Trump may take to reverse former President Joe Biden's climate and energy policies.

Can artificial intelligence be harnessed to combat climate challenges while balancing its increasing energy demands? Thought leaders from academia, government and the private sector discussed on Monday during “Leveraging AI to Tackle Climate Change,” an event hosted by the Brookings Institution’s Center on Regulation and Markets in collaboration with Duke University.

A new analysis by Energy Pathways USA estimates how electricity demand may change in the next decade and the potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Modeled scenarios focused on the potential reversal of an EPA rule limiting emissions from power plants and how quickly renewable resources can be connected to the power grid.

What could Donald Trump's election mean for U.S. energy policy and climate goals? Brian Murray, director of the Nicholas Institute, spoke with NPR's Morning Edition about the potential implications for the Inflation Reduction Act, offshore wind, electric vehicles and more.