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Bridging Politics and Policy for a Low-Carbon Future: Research, Policy Engagement, and Interdisciplinary Collaboration Welcome! I am a political scientist by training, studying the politics and policy of low-carbon energy transitions, particularly solutions to achieve such transitions rapidly and equitably. I have over 10 years of experience working with academic and non-academic institutes on climate and environmental politics and policy, with a focus on China and other large carbon emitters. I am the author of Implementing a Low-Carbon Future: Climate Leadership in Chinese Cities (Oxford University Press, November 2025).
I study the political and institutional factors that shape state capacity to achieve efficient and equitable low-carbon energy transitions across different levels of government, focusing on the challenges that government and non-governmental actors face in translating climate goals into action. My work advances our understanding of the conditions that facilitate durable climate policy actions that can withstand changes in political leadership. It builds on original policy data collection and analysis, and is supported by extensive fieldwork, process tracing, and comparative case studies. I have researched and lived in China, Europe, and the United States. This extensive international experience has equipped me with a comparative lens to identify policy challenges, and has enabled me to explore solutions that require interdisciplinary training and collaborative experience. My goal is to elucidate the mechanisms that drive low-carbon energy transitions beyond the zero-sum game of winners and losers in politics, to instead seek policy solutions grounded in real-world practices. |
Book
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Implementing a Low-Carbon Future: Climate Leadership in Chinese Cities, Oxford University Press, in print November 2025.
• Based on extensive interviews with government officials and policy practitioners across different levels of government in China • Introduces the conceptual framework of "bridging leadership" to explain uneven subnational climate policy engagement • Meticulous process tracing of local climate policymaking in agenda setting, policy formation, and implementation in four low-carbon pilot cities |
Research
What is climate leadership? How can climate policy survive changes in political leadership? My research examines how domestic politics and institutional arrangements influence state capacity to achieve a rapid and equitable low-carbon energy transition, from local to global levels. This work advances the debate in climate politics and policymaking by shifting the focus from conventional distributive politics (which emphasizes zero-sum games between winners and losers) to solutions to enable fast and equitable low-carbon energy transitions. My research highlights the various types of policy entrepreneurship required to provide feasible policy solutions to challenges in low-carbon energy transitions.
Below are highlights of my field-based research projects. For a complete listing, please visit my research page.
Below are highlights of my field-based research projects. For a complete listing, please visit my research page.
Teaching
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I am passionate about working with the younger generation, both inside and outside the classroom, to gain a holistic and in-depth understanding of the politics and policy of low-carbon energy transitions. I believe comparative studies and experiential learning are particularly informative, such as visiting coal mines, wind and solar farms, or low-carbon cities, or participating in bilateral climate meetings.
For more information on my experience in teaching, mentorship, experiential learning, and course preparation, please visit my teaching page. |