• Research
  • Politika
  • About
Carnegie Russia Eurasia center logoCarnegie lettermark logo
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "William J. Burns",
    "Deborah Gordon",
    "Jonathan Koomey",
    "Adam Brandt",
    "Joule Bergerson",
    "Rob Barnett",
    "David Livingston"
  ],
  "type": "event",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "SCP",
  "programs": [
    "Sustainability, Climate, and Geopolitics"
  ],
  "projects": [
    "Carnegie Oil Initiative"
  ],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "Middle East",
    "North Africa",
    "South Asia",
    "East Asia",
    "Central Asia",
    "Southeast Asia",
    "Caucasus",
    "Russia",
    "Eastern Europe",
    "Ukraine",
    "Western Europe"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Climate Change",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}
Event

Oil-Climate Index Release

Wed, March 11th, 2015

Washington, DC

Link Copied
Project hero Image

Project

Carnegie Oil Initiative

The Carnegie Oil Initiative analyzed global oils, assessing their differences from climate, environmental, economic, and geopolitical perspectives. This knowledge provides strategic guidance and policy frameworks for decision making.

Learn More

Oil is changing. Tight shale oil, oil sands, heavy oils, ultra-deep oils, depleting oils, oil shale, and an expanding array of hydrocarbons are vying for market share. Consumers may not notice the transformation—aside from recent price fluctuations, little appears to have changed at the gas pump. But behind-the-scenes, the oils themselves, how they are extracted and processed, and the products into which they are made, are shifting in substantial ways.

These changes raise important questions: What are the characteristics and properties of these oils? How do they compare to one another in terms of their climate impacts?

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Stanford University, and the University of Calgary have developed the first-of-its-kind Oil-Climate Index, modeling these complex interactions. This data will shape how consumers, investors, industries, NGOs, and policymakers approach current and future oil production, refining, and consumption.

Carnegie hosted the Oil-Climate Index release event on March 11.

William J. Burns

William J. Burns is president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He previously served as U.S. deputy secretary of state.

Deborah Gordon

Deborah Gordon is director of Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where her research focuses on oil and climate change issues in North America and globally.

Jonathan Koomey

Jonathan Koomey is a researcher, author, lecturer, and entrepreneur whose work spans climate solutions, critical thinking skills, and the energy and environmental effects of information technology.

Adam Brandt

Adam Brandt is an assistant professor at Stanford University. He is interested in reducing the environmental impacts of energy systems.

Joule Bergerson

Joule Bergerson is an assistant professor at the University of Calgary. Her primary research interests are systems-level analysis for policy and decision making of energy system investment and management.

Rob Barnett

Rob Barnett is an energy policy analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. He specializes in energy sector economics, environmental policy and strategy, and Washington's impact on the energy sector.

David Livingston

David Livingston is an associate in Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where his research focuses on trade, markets, and risk.

North AmericaMiddle EastNorth AfricaSouth AsiaEast AsiaCentral AsiaSoutheast AsiaCaucasusRussiaEastern EuropeUkraineWestern EuropeClimate ChangeForeign Policy

Event Speakers

William J. Burns
Former Career Diplomat
William J. Burns
Deborah Gordon
Former Director and Senior Fellow, Energy and Climate Program
Deborah Gordon
Jonathan Koomey

Jonathan Koomey is a researcher, author, lecturer, and entrepreneur whose work spans climate solutions, critical thinking skills, and the energy and environmental effects of information technology.

Adam Brandt

Adam Brandt is an assistant professor at Stanford University. He is interested in reducing the environmental impacts of energy systems.

Joule Bergerson

Joule Bergerson is an assistant professor at the University of Calgary. Her primary research interests are systems-level analysis for policy and decision making of energy system investment and management.

Rob Barnett
Bloomberg Intelligence
David Livingston
Former Associate Fellow, Energy and Climate Program

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

Event Speakers

William J. Burns

Former Career Diplomat

A former career diplomat, William J. Burns served as director of the CIA, deputy secretary of State, and ambassador to Russia and Jordan. Burns was also president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 2015 to 2021.

Deborah Gordon

Former Director and Senior Fellow, Energy and Climate Program

Gordon was director of Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where her research focuses on oil and climate change issues in North America and globally.

Jonathan Koomey

Jonathan Koomey is a researcher, author, lecturer, and entrepreneur whose work spans climate solutions, critical thinking skills, and the energy and environmental effects of information technology.

Adam Brandt

Adam Brandt is an assistant professor at Stanford University. He is interested in reducing the environmental impacts of energy systems.

Joule Bergerson

Joule Bergerson is an assistant professor at the University of Calgary. Her primary research interests are systems-level analysis for policy and decision making of energy system investment and management.

Rob Barnett

Bloomberg Intelligence

Rob Barnett is a senior energy economist with Bloomberg Government, specializes in energy-sector economics, environmental policy and strategy, and EPA regulations.

David Livingston

Former Associate Fellow, Energy and Climate Program

Livingston was an associate fellow in Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where his research focuses on emerging markets, technologies, and risks.

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Carnegie Russia Eurasia logo, white
  • Research
  • Politika
  • About
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.