Christian Downie

Christian Downie
Biography
Publications

Dr Christian Downie is a Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University, where he is the Director of the Governing Energy Transition (GET) Lab. He was previously an Australian Research Council Fellow at ANU, and before that a Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of New South Wales.

Christian has worked as an advisor to several Australian Government agencies, including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He holds a PhD in international relations and political science from the ANU, and has spent time teaching or researching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Balsillie School of International Affairs among others.

He is the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His latest book is Business Battles in the U.S. Energy Sector: Lessons for a clean energy transition. Christian’s writing has also been published by the ABC, CNN, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Conversation, among others. He is frequently cited in the international and Australian media.

Can public banks fund renewable energy exports?
Can public banks fund renewable energy exports?
Export credit agencies face hurdles in mobilising finance for renewable energy.
Australia can no longer justify fossil fuel funding
Australia can no longer justify fossil fuel funding
Canberra needs to sign onto the Glasgow Statement and join its allies in shifting public support to renewables.
When the tank’s empty: Australia’s impoverished energy security
When the tank’s empty: Australia’s impoverished energy security
Reliance on foreign oil and fuel-hungry cars puts the country in a vulnerable position, even when there’s no crisis.
The complex consequences of a plunging oil price
The complex consequences of a plunging oil price
The cost of planes on runways and cars in garages looks very different with an economics, security, or governance lens.
The future ain’t what it used to be
The future ain’t what it used to be
If Covid-19 teaches us anything, obviously we need to plan, but let’s not pretend the future is actually predictable.
It’s time for Australia to scale up its energy diplomacy
It’s time for Australia to scale up its energy diplomacy
A huge transformation of global energy production and consumption is underway but sorely needs international governance.
Australian energy diplomacy
Australian energy diplomacy
Implemented correctly, Australia could achieve some of its foreign policy goals through its energy exports.
Putting energy into foreign policy
Putting energy into foreign policy
The IEA treaty needs to be amended to allow large energy consumers, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, to become full members.
MIKTA: Benign middle-power diplomacy, or a risk for Australia?
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