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Gernot Wagner

Gernot Wagner

28 commentaries

Gernot Wagner, a climate economist at Columbia Business School, is the author, most recently, of Geoengineering: The Gamble (Polity, 2021).

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  1. The Best Climate Policy Puts Carrots Before Sticks
    schnitzer1_Michael P. FarrellAlbany Times Union via Getty Images_solarpanelsUS Michael P. Farrell/Albany Times Union via Getty Images

    The Best Climate Policy Puts Carrots Before Sticks

    Aug 8, 2024 Monika Schnitzer & Gernot Wagner show how the sequencing of positive and negative inducements can make all the difference.

  2. Averting Climate Catastrophe Requires Economic Growth
    terzi6_green transition degrowth Getty Images

    Averting Climate Catastrophe Requires Economic Growth

    May 1, 2024 Alessio Terzi & Gernot Wagner show why shrinking the global economy, as envisaged by advocates of degrowth, is a bad way to cut emissions.

  3. The Right Response to China’s Electric-Vehicle Subsidies
    wagner28_ PEDRO PARDOAFP via Getty Images_yellen PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

    The Right Response to China’s Electric-Vehicle Subsidies

    Apr 5, 2024 Gernot Wagner & Shang-Jin Wei explains why the United States and the European Union are considering tariffs – and why that’s a bad idea.

  4. What Does Trump Mean for the Climate?
    wagner26_MARK FELIXAFP AFP via Getty Images_texassolar Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

    What Does Trump Mean for the Climate?

    Mar 4, 2024 Gernot Wagner doubts that a change of power in the United States would derail the long-term trends that really matter.

  5. How to Assess the Outcome of COP28
    wagner25_Sean GallupGetty Images_cop Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    How to Assess the Outcome of COP28

    Dec 13, 2023 Gernot Wagner thinks new climate pledges made in Dubai this year should be welcomed as another small step forward.

  1. obstfeld6_Anthony KwanGetty Images_tariffs Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Donald Trump’s Tariffs Would Hurt US Workers and Businesses

    Maurice Obstfeld shows why targeting an overall reduction in imports would reduce America’s real wages and national income.
  2. kenewendo6_ LUIS TATOAFP via Getty Images_green energy africa LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images

    Africa’s Green Future Starts with Debt Relief

    Bogolo Kenewendo & Patrick Njoroge propose large-scale relief to ensure that the continent’s countries can invest in climate action.
  3. james159_getty images-inflation Getty Images

    Diane Coyle on economic progress, tech monopolies, artificial intelligence, and more

    Diane Coyle advocates a new public philosophy that rejects viewing “government” and “market” as opposites, explains why time-use data must shape technological development, warns that policymakers are devising AI regulation in a thick conceptual fog, and more.
  4. banga4_PATRICK FORTAFP via Getty Images_rainforest PATRICK FORT/AFP via Getty Images)

    A New Paradigm for Standing Forests

    Ajay Banga, et al.

    While forest carbon markets have created new revenue streams, they usually reward only those countries, communities, or project developers who are focused on reducing their emissions from deforestation. Something more is needed to tie financial rewards to forests that aren’t under immediate threat.

    present a new mechanism to generate financial returns for countries that prevent deforestation.
  5. woods59_ Brandon BellGetty Images_labor Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    Working-Class Antiheroes

    Ngaire Woods advocates using domestic labor legislation that supports unionization – not tariffs – to protect workers.
  6. op_brown2_TIERNEY CROSSAFP via Getty Images_IMFworldbank Tierney Cross/AFP via Getty Images

    Toward a Fifth World Order

    Gordon Brown & Mohamed A. El-Erian

    Historically, massive revisions to the international system have come about only after a complete breakdown of the previous order. With today's global institutions sorely in need of reform, can the transition to a new order be achieved without incurring the costs and pain that such a breakdown would entail?

    explain why multilateral institutions urgently need to be reformed, and why the G20 is the right forum for it.
  7. kruger76_Justin SullivanGetty Images_shipping Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    US Tariffs Will Not Bring Back Jobs from China

    Michael R. Strain decries both parties’ reluctance to prepare Americans for the employment opportunities of today and tomorrow.
  8. stiglitz342_ Win McNameeGetty Images_harris economy Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Harris Is the Freedom Candidate

    Joseph E. Stiglitz sees a common thread running through the Democratic nominee’s economic agenda.
  9. prasad25_metamorworksGetty Images_globaleconomy metamorworks/Getty Images

    The Global Economy’s Hidden Weaknesses

    Eswar Prasad looks beyond promising headline trends to identify deep-seated risks and barriers to growth.

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