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Energy & Environment (EE)
The Energy and Environment Concentration provides students with the analytical tools and substantive knowledge to address the key economic and environmental challenges of the 21st Century, and to pursue leadership careers in the fields of energy and environment in the public, private or nonprofit sectors.
Prior to fall 2009, Energy and Environment education at SIPA consisted of two separate concentrations: International Energy Management and Policy, and Environmental Policy Studies. Beginning fall 2009, these concentrations will be combined into one concentration with two separate tracks in order to build upon and deepen shared resources, courses and faculty expertise.
While shortages in many finite resources such as water and food must be addressed to create a truly sustainable economy, no single resource issue is more problematic than the need for energy to power the developed and developing nations of the world. Because energy and the environment are intimately connected to society's productivity and sustainability, our ability to properly protect, develop and manage our natural assets requires well-trained leaders. Energy and environmental leaders need a solid background in earth sciences, politics, management, economics, quantitative techniques, business, market and regulatory structures and policy analysis. The Energy and Environment Concentration incorporates this interdisciplinary approach to the study of energy and environmental issues so its graduates are well-equipped to prove themselves as the leaders and policy-makers of their generation.
There are two tracks within the concentration: the International Energy Management and Policy track (IEMP), and the Environmental Policy and Management track (EPM). The energy track focuses on energy business development and energy policy. The environmental track focuses on the policy and management knowledge required to address the most pressing environment and sustainability issues. Each track consists of a carefully developed sequence of courses, including one course from the other track. The environmental track recommends but does not require enrollment in the applied science specialization. Students interested in creating an individually designed track that combines interests in energy and environment should meet with one of the co-directors of the concentration.
International Energy Management and Policy Track
The global economy imposes increasing requirements on energy and ecological systems. In the next quarter century alone, energy systems will require more than $20 trillion in investment. But this growing activity, and importantly its energy use, will challenge the sustainability of water, food, climate stability, and the ecosystem.
The International Energy Management and Policy track offers an integrated treatment of the structure and issues of energy business and policy development. The world faces oil market insecurity, worldwide restructuring of natural gas and electricity systems, massive energy infrastructure requirements for economic development, and the complex local and global environmental implications of energy production and use. The required investment will come, overwhelmingly, from private foreign and domestic debt and capital markets. Business, market and regulatory structures are required to make such investment financially feasible. For the investment to be efficient, market prices must internalize social costs, market power must be mitigated or regulated, and market incentives must match cost with value. To contribute in this field, the energy policy professional must understand its technologies, economics, institutions, and quantitative methodologies.
The IEMP track provides a thorough understanding of energy industry fundamentals, including the structure and operation of international energy systems and the business organizations, markets, and governance structures involved in producing, transporting, and marketing energy products. It examines economic, environment, and social policies applicable to energy production, transportation and consumption; political and strategic issues arising from the unequal distribution of global energy resources; and the impact of technological change on the future role of energy in the global economy. Electives are available to permit students to pursue detailed study in petroleum markets and trading, electricity markets, urban energy systems, marine transportation systems, energy business and economic development, alternative energy project development and finance, and the geopolitics of energy. The track is working to expand its treatment of quantitative market analysis and project formation.
Environment Policy and Management Track
Because environmental problems play an increasingly important role in policy debates at the local, national and international levels, Environment Policy and Management track graduates are positioned to pursue a variety of career options. There are opportunities to work as an environmental professional in the public, nonprofit or private sector. Local governments and private industry are devoting increased resources to environment management. Development pressures and increased regulation of toxic materials require additional analysis and planning. Globalization and the pace of international commerce demand the consideration of environmental impacts across international borders. All of these trends frame the analytic work for the next cohort of environmental professionals.
The Environment Policy and Management track prepares students to become active leaders in any or all sectors of the economy. All Environment Policy and Management track students take Environment Science for Sustainable Development and participate in the Environmental Policy Studies Workshop. Students also select one environment policy course and one environment economics course. The MIA and MPA core curricula enable students to develop analytic skills in quantitative analysis, management and/or finance. When added to the track’s curriculum in Environment and Energy studies, the combination can be particularly powerful.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the environment and energy course offerings, not only at SIPA, but in the numerous environment and earth science programs at Columbia University. There are, in fact, 22 environmental studies programs at Columbia, including environmental engineering, environmental health, and sustainable development. A wealth of elective courses can be found throughout the University - in public health, planning, law, environmental science, ecology and engineering.
Columbia University also is home to the Earth Institute, one of the world's leading research centers for integrated earth and environment sciences, directed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs. The Earth Institute is comprised of numerous academic and research centers, including the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development, the Center for Environment Research and Conservation, among many others. SIPA is home to the Center for Energy and Marine Transportation Policy and the new Ph.D. in Sustainable Development. The diversity of these centers and programs provides ample opportunities for students in the Energy and Environment Concentration to learn and gain from cutting-edge research and training.
Internships and Co-curricular Resources
The Earth Institute's Office of Academic and Research Programs works to enhance sustainability education for Columbia students by arranging and hosting a variety of events for energy and Environment Science and Policy students, such as career fairs and co-curricular activities. In addition, this office administers an internship program for Earth Institute projects and places 20 students each year in intern positions throughout the Earth Institute. These events and programs provide for an innovative collaboration between the Earth Institute and SIPA that unites policy and science.