The state of state climate leadership in an era of uncertainty, populism, and contested federalism

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

This roundtable of leading energy, climate, and environmental scholars responds to the prompt of the 2026 APPAM conference theme, which is “50 states, 50 systems: State policy variations & impacts.” The objective of this panel will be to discuss the current state of state policy action in the energy and climate space, in a moment in time when the federal government has abandoned all climate commitments; upended oil markets through military action; withdrawn previously-committed state climate funds; canceled clean energy incentives across a range of clean energy technologies; and used both emergency orders and brute force to mandate that fossil fuel power plants stay open while withdrawing permits for clean energy projects. In this time of contested federalism and populism, states are simultaneously being stripped of their powers and having to compensate for a lack of national leadership on energy and climate issues. This is all set in the context of rapidly evolving energy markets and needs (e.g., new load demand from data centers), and highly constrained and prescribed regulatory barriers to energy market growth (e.g., interconnection queues). 

With panelists that span across a range of social science disciplines, this roundtable will discuss topics of state policies and action on data center restrictions, energy affordability, climate commitments and progress, infrastructure developments, and clean energy technology deployment. We will provide information and analysis on state actions, set in the context of the current political moment. And we will discuss the implications for climate and decarbonization progress, and more generally for American federalism.  We will also link discussions of energy and climate policy to emerging frameworks of fragmented authoritarianism, variegated capitalism, and the Geographies of Energy Transition. Come join the “The state of state energy and climate leadership in an era of uncertainty, populism, and contested federalism” roundtable for a lively and deep discussion!

Policy Area

• Natural Resource, Energy, and Environmental Policy

Moderator

• Sanya R Carley, University of Pennsylvania

Organizer

• Sanya R Carley, University of Pennsylvania

Speakers

• Barry G Rabe, University of Michigan Ann Arbor

• Marilyn A. Brown, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Liza Reed, Niskanen Center

• Benjamin Sovacool, Boston University

• Carlos Eduardo Martin