Elizabeth Echavarria
Elizabeth Echavarria is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science, interested in Comparative and Environmental Politics. She is advised by Professor Aseem Prakash, who is the founding director of the UW Center for Environmental Politics. Her research explores non-state market-driven governance initiatives, particularly in the mining and minerals industry, concerning its fundamental role in the development of renewable sources of energy and enabling a just energy transition. Before her doctoral studies, Elizabeth worked as a program and project manager at various NGOs. She holds a BA in Political Science from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and an MSc in Public Policy from University...
Inhwan Ko
My research focuses on the consequences and origins of various local renewable energy conflicts. A growing number of local communities around the world are facing land-use conflicts surrounding renewable energy facilities, and they are creating barriers to the national clean energy transition. For instance, local renewable energy conflicts, if not properly resolved, can derail local renewable energy projects, translate into unfavorable electoral outcomes for clean energy transition policies, and contribute to the diffusion of policy barriers to renewable energy facilities. To understand these consequences, however, one must investigate why local renewable energy conflicts unfold in the first place. NIMBY (not-in-my-back-yard) explanation provides only a...
Nicolas Wittstock
My research agenda generally encompasses the political economy of innovation and technological change, holistic economic growth, as well as related public policy. To that end, I am currently focusing on innovation activity within the sustainable development space, particularly climate innovation. To adequately meet climate challenges and facilitate further global economic development, large-scale climate innovation is necessary. Therefore, I currently explore the effect of different public policy tools on innovation in climate technologies across the OECD. My preliminary empirical findings indicate that while different policies do not have differential effects, overall policy stringency does push public and private institutions to increase their innovative output. My...