Karl Hausker
Senior Fellow
Dr. Karl Hausker is a Senior Fellow in WRI’s Climate Program. He leads analysis and modeling of deep decarbonization climate mitigation, electricity market design, and the social cost of carbon. He testifies before Congress, lectures widely on deep decarbonization, and led the Risky Business study of clean energy scenarios for the U.S.
He has worked for three decades in the fields of climate change, energy, and environment in a career that has spanned legislative and executive branches, research institutions, NGOs, and consulting. He has led climate policy analysis and modeling projects for USAID, USEPA, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Western Climate Initiative, and the California Air Resources Board. Much of his work has focused on the electricity and transportation sectors, and on low carbon, climate resilient development strategies.
From 2007-2013, Karl was a Vice President at ICF International. He previously served as Deputy Director at the Center for Climate Strategies and as a Principal with Hagler Bailly. Karl lived in India all of 1999 as a Visiting Fellow at TERI.
His experience also includes: serving President Clinton as Deputy Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Policy Office where he represented EPA in interagency climate policy development and at COP-1; and serving as the Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where he worked on a diverse set of issues including electricity restructuring, CAFE standards, alternative fuels, western water policy, nuclear power, and energy security.
Karl holds an M.P.P and Ph.D. in Public Policy from University of California, Berkeley, and received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University.
Insights
Research
External Publications
Projects
U.S. Climate
Visit ProjectAdvancing climate action on federal, state and local levels to ensure a sustainable, prosperous and just future for all Americans.
Part of ClimateNew Climate Economy
Launch PlatformLaunch Platform Visit ProjectThe New Climate Economy (NCE), a flagship project of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, brings together government, business and economic leaders to enhance global and national understanding of how climate action can drive economic, social and development objectives.
Part of ClimateCarbon Removal
Visit ProjectAssessing carbon removal pathways, their potential, barriers and policy options to accelerate development as part of a suite of climate actions.
Part of ClimateElectricity Market Design
Visit ProjectExamining how electricity market design can impact the clean energy transition.
Part of Clean EnergyPower System Reform
Visit ProjectEngaging with wholesale market operators, utilities, developers, electricity customers and other key actors to strengthen and modernize the U.S. power system
Part of EnergyU.S. Climate Policy Resource Center
Visit ProjectBreaking down climate policy and investments in the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to facilitate implementation at the federal, state and local levels and support uptake by both the public and private sectors.
Part of Climate