By Ezekiel Maben

On March 1, the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) hosted Ana Unruh Cohen, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at CGEP, and Amy Myers Jaffe, Director of the Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab at New York University (NYU) to mark the start of Women’s History Month. In their hour-long conversation at Faculty House, Cohen and Jaffe spoke about their careers and advice for young women interested in making an impact in energy transition. 

Cohen, who had spent many years on the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), spoke about the path that she took to become a scientist and a policy advisor. She highlighted that her current career is a result of numerous coincidences and chances, from a geology class inspiring her to become a paleoclimatologist, to accepting a fellowship from the American Meteorological society that brought her to Washington, D.C. 

She said that her career put her at the forefront of several legislative debates surrounding climate action, from the American Clean Energy and Security Act to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). She noted that the failures of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, and the ensuing reconciliation process, taught her and other climate professionals what they needed to do to get future transformative climate investment packages through Congress. Jaffe added that failure often serves as a pivotal point in policymaking, work and life. 

Afterward, Cohen and Jaffe took audience questions ranging from their “paths not taken” to the most difficult elements of the IRA to implement. 

During the post-talk reception, Cohen said she was grateful to see so many young people, especially young women, interested in taking action on the climate crisis. She stressed that building a workforce with the skills to carry out the green energy transition is the most pressing climate policy implementation challenge. 

She appeared optimistic about the prospects of climate action even after Republicans had taken control of Congress and disbanded the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. According to Cohen, public opinion has moved far enough in the direction of climate action that it was becoming more difficult to outrightly deny the climate crisis, and that the distribution of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds to red states where clean energy industries are, and the growing bipartisan consensus on the need for adaptation.

In a comment to The Morningside Post, Kaïme Désiré, Senior Program Manager at CGEP and a lead organizer of the roundtable, said “the main goal of this event was to help the new generation become the next leaders of tomorrow.” She encouraged students to come to future events, especially those associated with the Women in Energy Initiative. 

Ezekiel Maben (MPA-ESP ‘23) is a staff writer studying Environmental Science and Policy. He is passionate about conservation policy and its intersection with human rights.