Evaluating the Energy Security Implications of a Carbon-Constrained U.S. Economy

This research paper by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the World Resources Institute evaluates eight technological and energy use scenarios for the United States in 2035, all aimed at limiting atmospheric carbon dioxide to 450 parts per million (ppm). The authors use an "Energy Security Lens" to assess these scenarios across eleven factors, including diversity of sources, reliability, and affordability.

• The transition to a low-carbon energy system will inevitably involve some level of energy insecurity, particularly in the short term, regardless of the specific technologies or fuels selected.
• Achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals is more expensive using current technologies than it would be with a high penetration of advanced low-carbon technologies. Sustained financial and institutional support for a variety of these technologies is necessary to lower costs and improve long-term energy security.
• To minimize costs and energy security risks associated with climate goals, the United States should promote the deployment of advanced low-carbon energy technologies both domestically and globally.
• Policymakers must expand traditional definitions of feasibility and prepare the public for higher energy prices to fund necessary low-carbon infrastructure. However, they must avoid overly aggressive actions that could destabilize the current fuel system before alternatives are scalable.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Evaluating the Energy Security Implications of a Carbon-Constrained U.S. Economy. https://www.wri.org/research/evaluating-energy-security-implications-carbon-constrained-us-economy

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Evaluating the Energy Security Implications of a Carbon-Constrained U.S. Economy. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/evaluating-energy-security-implications-carbon-constrained-us-economy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Evaluating the Energy Security Implications of a Carbon-Constrained U.S. Economy |url=https://www.wri.org/research/evaluating-energy-security-implications-carbon-constrained-us-economy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendevaluating, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Evaluating the Energy Security Implications of a Carbon-Constrained U.S. Economy}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/evaluating-energy-security-implications-carbon-constrained-us-economy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }