WRITING AND PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY

Writings by Category
Click on a category header to access the archive

U.S. Energy and Climate Policy


"Energy Emergence: Rebound and Backfire as Emergent Phenomena" - Report Overview
"Energy Emergence: Rebound and Backfire as Emergent Phenomena" finds extensive evidence and a strong expert consensus that a large amount of the energy savings from below-cost energy efficiency are eroded by demand 'rebound effects,' and that in some cases the rebound exceeds the savings, resulting in increased energy consumption from efficiency, known as backfire. The report contains a comprehensive review of the expert literature.
February 2011

The Emerging Climate Technology Consensus
Frequently Asked Questions about a new climate policy framework focused centrally on energy innovation.
July 2010

The Power to Compete: Benchmarking the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act on Clean Energy Innovation and Competitiveness
A new policy brief by the Breakthrough Institute and Americans for Energy Leadership, "The Power to Compete?", provides the first independent analysis of how the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act would impact U.S. competitiveness in the global clean energy industry.
June 2010

March 2010

Analysis of Waxman-Markey ACES Climate Bill: Full Breakthrough Institute Collection
Download Breakthrough's complete analysis of the bill [.ppsx]. Also underlying assumptions and calculations [.xlsx]
June 2009

Invest in New American Energy
A Pathway to a Clean and Prosperous American Energy Economy: Overview and Policy Recommendations
May 2009

International Climate Policy and Politics


Climate Pragmatism: Innovation, Resilience and No Regrets
A pragmatic strategy to restart stalled global climate efforts through the pursuit of energy innovation, climate resilience, and no regrets pollution reduction (Report Overview)
July 2011

WSJ: Forget the U.N. Climate Convention, Rethink Innovation Instead
Forcing countries to agree to emissions caps will never work, argue Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger. The duo argues in a special Wall Street Journal column that the global community should think past U.N. climate talks in Cancun and focus instead on energy innovation, adaptation, and no regrets policies that do not require agreement about global warming.
November 2010

After Copenhagen: From Climate Nihilism to Climate Pragmatism
Breakthrough Institute Chairman Ted Nordhaus gives the keynote address at the World Climate Solutions conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, the very building where international climate negotiations collapsed less than one year ago.
October 2010

Hartwell Paper: A New Approach on Global Climate Policy
Global climate policy should be radically overhauled in the wake of the failure of the United Nations process, an international group of 14 climate policy experts and scientists argue in the "Hartwell Paper." Instead of the failed Kyoto-Copenhagen focus on national emissions targets and timetables, what's needed is a focus on expanding access to energy for the poor, quickly reducing non-CO2 climate forcings, and adaptation to changing climate.
May 2010

The Emerging Climate Consensus: Global Warming Policy in a Post-Environmental World
A collection of Nordhaus and Shellenberger's post-Break Through writings, from September 2007 to Spring 2009. (PDF)
April 2010

The End of Magical Climate Thinking
One year ago, America's president said he was going to start a green-energy revolution. Here's why the Obama administration failed -- and what needs to come next. (Foreign Policy)
January 2010

Copenhagen Coverage
This post documents Breakthrough's coverage of the climate negotiations in Copenhagen for those looking to understand the significance of this international event.
December 2009

Scrap Kyoto
Kyoto is dead--and that's a good thing. In its place, we need massive global investment in new clean energy technology. Nordhaus and Shellenberger in Democracy Journal. (PDF)
June 2008

Energy Technology and Innovation


Bridging the Clean Energy Valleys of Death
Helping American Entrepreneurs Meet the Nation's Energy Innovation Imperative
November 2011

Know Your Heritage: The Heritage Foundation's Incoherent Attack On Public Investment in Energy Innovation
The Heritage Foundation recently proposed a near dismantling of the Department of Energy in the name of budget deficit reduction. But their proposal includes numerous inconsistencies and inaccuracies to justify eliminating programs vital to the United States energy innovation system. In response, the Breakthrough Institute, along with ITIF and Americans for Energy Leadership, detail point-by-point the fundamental inaccuracies of Heritage's proposal.
April 2011

"Post-Partisan Power" - Report Overview
How a Limited and Direct Approach to Energy Innovation Can Deliver Clean Cheap Energy, Economic Productivity, and National Prosperity
October 2010

"Jumpstarting a Clean Energy Revolution with a National Institutes of Energy" Report Overview
A report co-authored by the Breakthrough Institute and Third Way.
September 2009

March 2009

National Energy Education Act
Concept Proposal developed by Breakthrough Staff. (PDF)
June 2008

Fast, Clean, & Cheap: Cutting Global Warming's Gordian Knot
A path-breaking analysis published in the Harvard Law and Policy Review that documents the radical improvements to low-carbon technologies needed to meet humanity's growing energy needs and the kinds of policies needed to secure them.
January 2008

Clean Energy Competetiveness Policy


A Clean Energy Comeback Strategy
The real race is to make clean energy cheap. And pole position is up for grabs.
October 2011

Surviving the Coming Clean Tech Crash
The best way for Washington to green America's economy is to employ new innovation and commercialization policies that will replace the old and expiring clean tech deployment subsidies.
August 2011

"Strengthening Clean Energy Competitiveness: Opportunities for America COMPETES Reauthorization"
In a new policy report, the Breakthrough Institute, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program call on Congress to strengthen clean energy competitiveness through the America COMPETES reauthorization.
June 2010

Clean energy jobs CAN be shipped overseas (and what to do about it)
Cap and trade won't bring those jobs back to America. Here's what will...
April 2010

A Clean Energy Competitiveness Strategy for America
Accelerating U.S. clean technology innovation, manufacturing, and market creation has become not just an environmental necessity but an economic imperative. A presentation and essay by Jesse Jenkins and Devon Swezey.
April 2010

Storm Clouds on the Clean Tech Horizon: Presentation to the Clean Tech Group
Presentation by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus. (pptx)
February 2010

"Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant" Report Overview
Benchmarking clean-tech competitiveness: A new report by the Breakthrough Institute and Information Technology & Innovation Foundation provides the first comprehensive analysis of competitive positions among the U.S. and key Asian challengers in the global clean energy race.
November 2009

Winning the Clean Energy Race: A New Strategy for American Leadership
Asian nations are set to dominate the clean energy industry without a major energy competitiveness project by the U.S. government.
November 2009

Science Policy and Politics


Sarewitz: Why Climate Science Won't Solve Climate Change
More research makes the controversy worse, says Breakthrough Senior Fellow Dan Sarewitz in Slate.
March 2010

Science Can't Tell Us What to Do
Climate change e-mail scandal underscores myth of pure science. Breakthrough Senior Fellow Dan Sarewitz and co-author Samuel Thernstrom in an LA Times op-ed.
December 2009

The Steps Not Yet Taken
A chapter from Controversies in Science and Technology Volume 2: From Climate to Chromosomes by Roger Pielke and Dan Sarewitz (PDF)
April 2008

The Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in Policy and Politics
Download the intro to Roger Pielke's 2007 book here. (PDF)
May 2007

Environmentalism and Political Philosophy


May 2009

May 2009

Second Life: A Manifesto for a New Environmentalism
Nordhaus and Shellenberger in The New Republic. (PDF)
October 2007

Break Through Introduction
The introduction to the Nordhaus and Shellenberger's full length successor to the Death of Environmentalism. (PDF)
October 2007

The Death of Environmentalism: Global Warming in a Post Environmental World
Nordhaus and Shellenberger famously declare environmentalism dead, igniting a firestorm of controversy. (PDF)
October 2004

Economy and Social Policy


Manufacturing Growth: Advanced Manufacturing and the Future of the American Economy
A new report by the Breakthrough Institute and Third Way argues that the United States needs to rethink its approach to manufacturing to incentivize and enhance next generation "advanced manufacturing" and worker training.
October 2011

Presentation: "Where Good Technologies Come From"
From hybrid crops to blockbuster drugs, nuclear power to wind power, and microchips to the Internet, government support was critical to the productive public-private partnerships that spawned so many revolutionary American technologies.
December 2010

Where Good Technologies Come From: Case Studies in American Innovation
Where do good technologies come from? The history of American innovation shows that an active partnership between the public and private sectors has been key to developing breakthrough technologies, which have driven generations of economic prosperity. In an updated report, the Breakthrough Institute explores this partnership through a set of case studies in American innovation.
December 2010

Obama Needs an Economic Philosophy
Teryn Norris and Adam Zemel in the Huffington Post.
February 2009

Fresh Start: A Proposal to Rebuild LIves through the Redemptive Power of Work
This document was created in the Fall of 2006 by The Breakthrough Institute, The Center for American Progress, and American Environics. (PDF)
November 2006

November 2006

Toward a Renewed Social Contract
A Proposal to Frame the Debate and Advance a Progressive Values Agenda Around Preparedness and Reconstruction in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina (PDF)
November 2006

Health Care for Hybrids
Investing in Oil Savings, Retiree Health Care, and a Revitalized Auto Industry for a Stronger America by Bracken Hendricks, Ted Nordhaus, Roland Hwang and Nick Shipley. (PDF)
June 2005

Public Opinion and Social Values


November 2009

June 2009

January 2009

Survey of Public Opinion on Global Warming and Policy Approaches
Failure to Address Energy Anxiety Could Derail Global Warming Policies. (PDF)
June 2007

Energy Attitudes: An Analysis of Opinion Research on Energy and Global Warming
An Analysis of Opinion Research on Energy and Global Warming conducted by Jeff Navin and American Environics. (PDF)
June 2007


Writings by Type
Click on a category header to expand the archive

Presentations


Reports and Policy Memos


Essays and Long Articles


Op-Eds and Short Articles


FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
Bridging_the_Valleys_Of_Death_Cover.png Bridging the Clean Energy Valleys of Death
Helping American Entrepreneurs Meet the Nation's Energy Innovation Imperative
Screen Shot 2011-11-07 at 9.35.18 AM.png Taking on the Three Deficits: An Investment Guide to American Renewal
A comprehensive diagnosis of America's budget, trade, and investment deficits, and a policy framework to solve these pressing national challenges.
Manufacturing Report Cover Screen Shot.png Manufacturing Growth: Advanced Manufacturing and the Future of the American Economy
A new report by the Breakthrough Institute and Third Way argues that the United States needs to rethink its approach to manufacturing to incentivize and enhance next generation "advanced manufacturing" and worker training.
Climate_Pragmatism_Cover_Img.jpg Climate Pragmatism: Innovation, Resilience and No Regrets
A pragmatic strategy to restart stalled global climate efforts through the pursuit of energy innovation, climate resilience, and no regrets pollution reduction (Report Overview)
Energy_Emergence_Cover.jpg "Energy Emergence: Rebound and Backfire as Emergent Phenomena" - Report Overview
"Energy Emergence: Rebound and Backfire as Emergent Phenomena" finds extensive evidence and a strong expert consensus that a large amount of the energy savings from below-cost energy efficiency are eroded by demand 'rebound effects,' and that in some cases the rebound exceeds the savings, resulting in increased energy consumption from efficiency, known as backfire. The report contains a comprehensive review of the expert literature.
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Case Studies Report_cover_small.png Where Good Technologies Come From: Case Studies in American Innovation
Where do good technologies come from? The history of American innovation shows that an active partnership between the public and private sectors has been key to developing breakthrough technologies, which have driven generations of economic prosperity. In an updated report, the Breakthrough Institute explores this partnership through a set of case studies in American innovation.
WSJ - Energy Conversation Graphic.jpg WSJ: Forget the U.N. Climate Convention, Rethink Innovation Instead
Forcing countries to agree to emissions caps will never work, argue Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger. The duo argues in a special Wall Street Journal column that the global community should think past U.N. climate talks in Cancun and focus instead on energy innovation, adaptation, and no regrets policies that do not require agreement about global warming.
Post-Partisan Power Thumbnail.png "Post-Partisan Power" - Report Overview
How a Limited and Direct Approach to Energy Innovation Can Deliver Clean Cheap Energy, Economic Productivity, and National Prosperity
competes_thumb.png "Strengthening Clean Energy Competitiveness: Opportunities for America COMPETES Reauthorization"
In a new policy report, the Breakthrough Institute, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program call on Congress to strengthen clean energy competitiveness through the America COMPETES reauthorization.
HartwellPaper_English_version.jpg Hartwell Paper: A New Approach on Global Climate Policy
Global climate policy should be radically overhauled in the wake of the failure of the United Nations process, an international group of 14 climate policy experts and scientists argue in the "Hartwell Paper." Instead of the failed Kyoto-Copenhagen focus on national emissions targets and timetables, what's needed is a focus on expanding access to energy for the poor, quickly reducing non-CO2 climate forcings, and adaptation to changing climate.
EmergingClimateConsensusCover.jpg The Emerging Climate Consensus: Global Warming Policy in a Post-Environmental World
A collection of Nordhaus and Shellenberger's post-Break Through writings, from September 2007 to Spring 2009. (PDF)
Thumbnail image for Rising Tigers Cover.jpg "Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant" Report Overview
Benchmarking clean-tech competitiveness: A new report by the Breakthrough Institute and Information Technology & Innovation Foundation provides the first comprehensive analysis of competitive positions among the U.S. and key Asian challengers in the global clean energy race.
Death_of_Environmentalism.jpg The Death of Environmentalism: Global Warming in a Post Environmental World
Nordhaus and Shellenberger famously declare environmentalism dead, igniting a firestorm of controversy. (PDF)

BREAK THROUGH THE BOOK

Winner of the 2008 Green Book Award

"Prescient" - Time

"Could be the most important thing to happen to environmentalism since Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring.'" - Wired

Break Through: Why We Cant Leave Saving the Planet to Environmentalists

A new politics for a new century, one focused on aspirations, not complaints, human possibility, not limits. In stores now >>


 
Privacy : Contact