Skip to Content

Trump’s Energy R&D Policies Ignore the Long-Term Impact of Innovation

President Obama’s former chief science advisor says the Trump administration’s promise to slash funding for energy research is short-sighted.
November 7, 2017
Justin Saglio

While Harvard University professor John Holdren was advising the White House, he helped shape many of America’s major climate commitments. He honed the Clean Power Plan and orchestrated the nation’s involvement in the Paris climate pact. But since Donald Trump was elected to office, a string of executive orders have sought to roll back those initiatives.

Speaking at MIT Technology Review’s EmTech conference Tuesday, Holdren pointed out that some of the most troubling of Trump’s changes are those relating to federal research funding. As part of the Paris climate agreement, President Obama and 19 other world leaders vowed to double investment in clean-energy research. Trump has said that he’ll halve government investment in energy R&D.

Holdren warned that such funding cuts stand to hurt many advances that will be crucial to our clean-energy future. In particular, he pointed to carbon capture and storage, clean biofuels for air travel, and modern nuclear reactors as promising technologies that are all currently a long way from commercial realization, and might never make it if they don’t receive funding over the coming years.

And that, he says, is short-sighted. “We tend to overestimate what innovation can do for us in the short run, and underestimate what it can do for us in the long run,” Holdren said. “If we spend 3 percent of global world product on protecting ourselves from the much larger economic damages of climate change, the money doesn't disappear down a black hole.” On the contrary, it creates jobs, reduces air pollution, and provides other societal benefits.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI

The tool, called Nightshade, messes up training data in ways that could cause serious damage to image-generating AI models. 

Rogue superintelligence and merging with machines: Inside the mind of OpenAI’s chief scientist

An exclusive conversation with Ilya Sutskever on his fears for the future of AI and why they’ve made him change the focus of his life’s work.

Data analytics reveal real business value

Sophisticated analytics tools mine insights from data, optimizing operational processes across the enterprise.

Driving companywide efficiencies with AI

Advanced AI and ML capabilities revolutionize how administrative and operations tasks are done.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.