Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Climate Solutions Lab

Letter from the Director

Mark Blyth

Welcome to the Climate Solutions Lab!

The Climate Solutions Lab (CSL) is dedicated to learning, creating and distributing solution-oriented climate knowledge at Brown University and across the world. It is part of a university-wide Climate Solutions Initiative launched in September 2020, which aims to spur climate action locally and globally through scholarship, learning and research-informed infrastructure changes. The Initiative connects people around the university, such as those at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) and the Initiative for Sustainable Energy (ISE), to generate interdisciplinary lessons and new insights.

CSL is the cornerstone of the initiative to elevate climate change as a focus for the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. The Lab draws on the Watson Institute's deep expertise in climate-adjacent subjects such as energy, trade, finance, inequality and international development to launch new courses, research and policy discussions.

With director Jeff Colgan on sabbatical for the 2024-25 academic year I will serve as interim director as well director of the Rhodes Center for International Economics & Finance. 

I’m delighted to welcome two new core CSL faculty to Watson: Jennifer Hadden and Christopher Rea. Jen conducts research on the politics of climate change, with a focus on NGOs and social movements; Chris focuses on ways that large-scale institutions and organizations shape environmental governance, politics and regulation. Jen and Chris have already gotten off to a great start having been awarded an NSF grant to develop a new Center on Clean Energy and Society (CES). 

CSL programming for the fall includes lunchtime talks from Todd Stern, President Obama’s chief climate envoy, who will discuss his new book on landing the Paris Agreement; and Prof.Mizan Khan who will provide a Global South perspective on the current state of international climate negotiations and diplomacy.

I would also encourage you to check out the Rhodes Center programming which includes climate-related events such as Brett Christophers who will be discussing his new book, The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet.

I am delighted and proud to be the interim director of the CSL and I am very much looking forward to the coming year. 

Mark Blyth
The William R. Rhodes ’57 Professor of International Economics
Interim Director, Climate Solutions Lab
Professor of International and Public Affairs