Keith W. Hipel and Paul R. Portney to Serve as Co-Chairs for the Expert Panel on Energy Use and Climate Change: A Synthesis of the Latest Evidence

The Council is pleased to announce the appointments of Keith Hipel, FRSC, FCAE and Paul Portney as Co-Chairs for the Council’s newest expert panel assessment on Energy Use and Climate Change. This assessment was referred to the Council by Magna International Inc., a leading global automotive supplier.

As Co-Chairs of the Council’s Expert Panel, Drs. Hipel and Portney will work with a multidisciplinary group of experts to be appointed by the Council’s Board of Governors in the coming weeks, to review and summarize evidence on:

• Current and future global energy supply and demand;
• Current and projected GHG emissions, and the latest evidence on the impact of climate change in North America; and
• Policy options and tools available to limit/mitigate GHG emissions and reduce energy use.

Keith Hipel is a Professor of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He is well respected for research in areas such as conflict resolution and multiple criteria decision-making. His work has applications in water resources management, hydrology, environmental engineering, energy, and sustainable development. Dr. Hipel is highly cited and his research is regularly used by research institutions, industry, and government organizations. Over his career he has received numerous awards and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. His full bio can be read here.

Paul Portney is an Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Arizona and former President of Resources for the Future, an independent and non-partisan think tank specializing in energy and environmental research. Dr. Portney serves on various Boards and was Chair of the National Research Council Committee on the Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. He has authored or co-authored 10 books and was named one of the 100 most-cited researchers in economics and business. His full bio can be read here.

The Council, under the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Committee, is finalizing recruitment of an expert panel to complete this important assessment. The panel will consist of experts from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds to ensure the most authoritative, credible, and independent response to the question.

For continued updates please visit the assessment page.

About the Council of Canadian Academies

The Council of Canadian Academies is an independent, not-for-profit organization that began operation in 2005. The Council undertakes independent, authoritative, science-based, expert assessments that inform public policy development in Canada. Assessments are conducted by independent, multidisciplinary panels (groups) of experts from across Canada and abroad. Panel members serve free of charge and many are Fellows of the Council’s Member Academies. The Council’s vision is to be a trusted voice for science in the public interest. For more information about the Council or its assessments, please visit www.scienceadvice.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Samantha Rae Ayoub

Communications and Publishing Director

Council of Canadian Academies

613 698-6765

samantha.rae@scienceadvice.ca