Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free
Arjun Makhijani, president, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research

Arjun Makhijani

Energy expert Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) believes the United States must assume a leadership role in moving the world to a zero-CO2-emissions energy economy, while at the same time taking the lead in reducing the world’s reliance on nuclear power.

His 2007 book, “Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy,” is the first analysis of a transition to a U.S. economy based completely on renewable energy. He argues that a zero-carbon economy is possible without increasing the percentage of Gross Domestic Product devoted to lighting, heating, cooling, transportation and other energy uses.

Arjun Makhijani, Takoma Park, Md., earned his Ph.D. in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in nuclear fusion. Since 1971, when he authored the first study of the energy efficiency potential of the U.S. economy, he has written extensively on energy, including nuclear fuel cycle issues such as weapons production, testing and nuclear waste. He also has testified before Congress, worked on the Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project and consulted for utilities and United Nations agencies. In 2007, he was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society.  He founded IEER, an independent nonprofit think tank, in 1988.

Forum chair: Geoff Baker
Forum moderator: Marcia Franklin