Gernot Wagner
Austrian-American climate economist at Columbia Business School. Co-author with Martin Weitzman of Climate Shock (2015) and author of Geoengineering: The Gamble (2021); writes columns for Project Syndicate.
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What they believe
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Clean-energy technologies possess decisive physical advantages over alternatives.
Clean-energy technologies still have decisive physical advantages over the alternatives, and economic common sense will eventually win out.
gwagner.comSaid 16 Jan 2025This on korrents
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Any attempt by Donald Trump to obstruct the electric vehicle transition is bound to fail due to the physics of efficiency.
Thus, basis physics dictates that any attempt by Trump to stand in the way of the EV transition is bound to fail.
gwagner.comSaid 9 Nov 2024This on korrents
The bold line is korrents’ wording; the quote is theirs. These 2: what they wrote before what they said aloud, one per source, newest first.
Beliefs
Korrents What they believe 16 beliefs — each backed by an exact quote.
Each is a — compiled by korrents.com, not by them: the one-line wordings are korrents', the quotes are theirs.
Recent
Clean-energy technologies possess decisive physical advantages over alternatives.
Clean-energy technologies still have decisive physical advantages over the alternatives, and economic common sense will eventually win out.
Gernot Wagner Said 16 Jan 2025
Trends in science, economics, and local politics indicate that the US climate policy pendulum will swing back in due course.
Nonetheless, even as the US government moves in the wrong direction, trends in science, economics, and increasingly local politics indicate that the pendulum will swing back in due course.
Gernot Wagner Said 16 Jan 2025
Cutting the Department of Energy's loan program would hurt US competitiveness.
While some Republicans and members of Donald Trump's incoming administration want to cut this program, doing so would only hurt US competitiveness.
Gernot Wagner Said 16 Jan 2025
Show 13 more
Any attempt by Donald Trump to obstruct the electric vehicle transition is bound to fail due to the physics of efficiency.
Thus, basis physics dictates that any attempt by Trump to stand in the way of the EV transition is bound to fail.
Gernot Wagner Said 9 Nov 2024
Donald Trump's victory ensures that the United States will remain a laggard in the global green industrial expansion for some time.
The US is a laggard, and Trump's victory all but ensures that it will remain one for some time to come.
Gernot Wagner Said 9 Nov 2024
Donald Trump's efforts to halt the low-carbon transition may be futile regarding solar, wind, and other low-carbon technologies.
Trump's efforts to halt the low-carbon transition may be even more futile when it comes to solar, wind, and other low-carbon technologies.
Gernot Wagner Said 9 Nov 2024
The key to successful and politically sustainable climate policy is ensuring that benefits precede costs.
the key to a successful, politically sustainable climate policy is to ensure that the benefits precede the costs.
Gernot Wagner Said 8 Aug 2024
Solar is currently the cheapest source of electricity ever and is expected to become even cheaper.
In fact, solar is now the cheapest source of electricity ever - yes, even accounting for the fact that the sun doesn't shine at night - and it is bound to become even cheaper.
Gernot Wagner Said 8 Aug 2024
Averting climate catastrophe requires economic growth.
Staving off climate catastrophe will require more growth, not because ever-increasing GDP - itself a fundamentally inadequate metric - is the end goal, but because it is the result of cutting emissions fast enough.
Gernot Wagner Said 2 May 2024
Achieving net-zero emissions requires trillions of dollars in investment that will add to economic growth.
Moreover, achieving net-zero emissions requires trillions of dollars in investment, which will add to, not subtract from, economic growth.
Gernot Wagner Said 2 May 2024
Nothing short of a clean-energy revolution will turn the climate ship around.
Nothing short of a clean-energy revolution, complete with clean transport systems and industry, will turn the climate ship around.
Gernot Wagner Said 2 May 2024
A subsidy race combined with stronger carbon pricing efforts is superior to a tariff war.
A subsidy race, together with stronger efforts at pricing carbon dioxide emissions, is vastly superior to a tariff war.
Gernot Wagner Said 5 Apr 2024
Punitive tariffs that raise electric vehicle prices and reduce competition are counterproductive.
But a punitive tariff that raises the prices of EVs and reduces competition is counterproductive.
Gernot Wagner Said 5 Apr 2024
US policymakers may unintentionally extend the life of coal plants through CCS subsidies.
But especially in connection with generous IRA subsidies for CCS technology, US policymakers may be unwittingly throwing a lifeline to coal plants that would otherwise be economically unviable.
Gernot Wagner Said 10 Aug 2023
State-level utility commissions may use CCS mandates and subsidies to maintain coal-plant profitability.
When faced with new CCS mandates and accompanying subsidies, they may simply see an opportunity to maintain coal-plant profitability for longer.
Gernot Wagner Said 10 Aug 2023
The focus of policy should be on integrating cheaper solar and wind power to force changes in fossil fuel operations.
Broadly speaking, the focus should be on pushing cheaper solar and wind power into the system, as that will force coal- and gas-plant operators' hands.
Gernot Wagner Said 10 Aug 2023
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Where they publish
Site gwagner.com His columns, essays, research and talks on climate economics and policy
Link verified 24 Oct 2026.
Bluesky @gwagner.com Posts on climate economics, clean tech and policy
Link verified 24 Oct 2026.
YouTube YouTube Short videos and talks on climate economics
Link verified 24 Oct 2026.
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