Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Pershing before the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe

Dr. Jonathan Pershing of the World Resources Institute argues that energy security and climate goals are often aligned but require an integrated policy framework to avoid conflicts. He proposes effectiveness and political feasibility criteria to evaluate policies, noting that while efficiency and renewables offer 'double wins,' other options like natural gas imports or corn-based biofuels can create security risks or environmental damage. The testimony provides specific policy recommendations for the US regarding cap-and-trade, production tax credits, transportation, and biofuels, while also highlighting the vulnerability of developing nations and the risk of climate-induced conflict and migration.

• Energy security and climate goals can be mutually reinforcing through 'double win' policies such as energy efficiency and renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower), which reduce both energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Certain energy strategies create conflicts between security and climate goals; for example, switching to natural gas reduces emissions but increases security risks for Europe, which relies on Russia for approximately 40% of its natural gas imports via pipeline.
• Climate change acts as a security threat by exacerbating resource conflicts and population migration, specifically citing Kenya where climate-driven floods and droughts intensify existing tensions between pastoralists and farmers.
• Developing economies, particularly those in the former Soviet Union, exhibit higher greenhouse gas intensity due to outdated equipment and a lack of market pricing for energy, necessitating policies that support capacity building and efficiency.
• The US could raise several trillion dollars over 22 years through the auction of emissions allowances under legislation like the Climate Security Act of 2007 (S.2191), which could fund the approximately $5 trillion in energy investment projected by the International Energy Agency.
• Corn-based biofuels may be counter-productive as they can result in higher greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline due to land-use changes and contribute to food shortages by decreasing available grain.
• Providing a longer-term extension of the production tax credit (PTC) for wind power could reduce installed costs by 5-15% compared to the current cycle of 1- to 2-year extensions.

APA

Pershing, J. (n.d.). Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Pershing before the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-dr-jonathan-pershing-commission-security-cooperation-europe

Chicago

Pershing, Jonathan. Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Pershing before the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-dr-jonathan-pershing-commission-security-cooperation-europe.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Pershing |first1=Jonathan |title=Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Pershing before the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-dr-jonathan-pershing-commission-security-cooperation-europe |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{pershingndtestimony, author = {Pershing, Jonathan}, title = {{Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Pershing before the Commission on Security \& Cooperation in Europe}}, publisher = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-dr-jonathan-pershing-commission-security-cooperation-europe}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }