CGS is working to demonstrate new ways that universities can serve their states and communities as research and innovation hubs, and as neutral state conveners for policy discussions, providing the basis for deep collaboration for their regions, states, and businesses. Many leaders from the State of Maryland have committed to advancing science-based climate policy and action. Universities play a critical role in driving these solutions, in three ways:
Producing new and innovative ideas, research, and analytical approaches to solving sustainability problems
Educating our future leaders
Convening communities of stakeholders to better understand solutions.
CGS is actively engaged across the University of Maryland and through partnerships to bring together to most innovative, forward-looking research to drive policy action across diverse stakeholders within the State of Maryland.
Regional energy innovation: Regional factors and attention to state and local needs can create multiple opportunities for the development and deployment of clean energy technology innovation, from helping identify early market demand for new technologies to expanding the portfolio of low carbon energy technologies and their development and deployment. CGS is working with Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) to assess the drivers and outcomes of energy innovation at the state level. The analysis builds on an assessment of all 50 states and their measures of energy and innovation and two detailed case studies. The regional innovation work also contributes to a report for the State of Maryland by the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI2), led by Prof. Ellen Williams, to produce an assessment of the potential for catalyzing new approaches to energy innovation in our State.
Building Resilient Communities in Maryland: CGS is working within the State of Maryland to inform county and city comprehensive resilience planning by providing needs and priority analysis, insight into planning frameworks, and techniques for robust stakeholder and public outreach. CGS is working with the Community Resilience Financing (CRF) program to pilot this comprehensive, collaborative approach in Annapolis, MD.
Climate Change Risks in the State of Maryland: Drawing on research on climate-related investment risks, opportunities, and responsibilities, CGS explored the extent to which the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (SRPS) incorporates risks in its investment planning and practices. The CGS report further describes best practices for managing institutional investment portfolios in the face of climate change and offers recommendations for how Maryland SRPS can incorporate climate risk and opportunity into its operations.
