Some countries are capping gas prices. Here's why the U.S. is unlikely to As the war in Iran pushes oil prices higher, some governments are shielding consumers with price controls. But economists warn that caps mask scarcity signals and can trigger the kind of panic buying that can even drive up oil prices more.

@cwolfram.bsky.social says that U.S. price caps on gas don’t fix supply, and could backfire. By lowering prices, they may boost demand and push global oil prices even higher.

Energy markets are global. Ignore that, and policy can worsen the problem.

We're hosting an #EnROADS session (co-dev'd by @climateinteractive.org + MIT Sloan) during Boston Climate Week!

Join Jason Jay from @mitsloansusty.bsky.social to test solutions, explore future scenarios, and see impact.

Request to join: luma.com/vlmmj8z5

May 7, 2:30-3:00, MIT Sloan Tang Center

$900 a year: That's how much climate change costs the average US household Climate change costs include higher home insurance bills, disaster recovery costs in the form of higher taxes and health damages from wildfire smoke and extreme weather. "In short, climate inaction…

Climate policy is an affordability issue, with climate change *already* costing avg. U.S. households $900/yr. 10% of counties pay even more.

Costs exceed $110B/year across the country, hit lower-income households hardest, and drive up housing.

New op-ed from MIT CPC + UCLA.

Our MIT Climate Pathways Project is supporting DC Climate Week.

Join Krystal Noiseux for an interactive session using #EnROADS (co-dev'd with @climateinteractive.org & MIT Sloan).

4/23/26 @ 6:30-8pm
MLK Jr. Library, D.C.
Request a spot: luma.com/g43qrhgx

#DCCW2026 #DCClimateWeek #ClimateAction

We're grateful to #EnROADS endorser Samuel Rubin, Co-Founder of the Hollywood Climate Summit.

#EnROADS, co-developed by @climateinteractive.org + MIT Sloan, gives leaders a concrete way to explore climate impacts.

Explore 80+ endorsements: buff.ly/WrV6VrH

Grateful to our endorsers Mark Denzler and Jay Sullivan (Sutton Place) for their kind words about #EnROADS, co-dev’d by @climateinteractive.org + MIT Sloan. The simulator can help firms assess climate risk and opportunities.

Iran War Is Pushing Consumers to Break Up With Fossil Fuels EVs, solar panels, induction stoves and heat pumps, now cheaper than ever, are becoming more attractive as the conflict upends oil and gas markets.

Rising fuel prices are pushing adoption of EVs, heat pumps, and more.

As Christopher Knittel notes: supply shocks raise global oil prices, "those increases trickle down to gasoline."

For policymakers: shocks can drive change, but only with lasting policy.

#ClimatePolicy #EnergyTransition

Aircraft noise impacts home values, new data shows | MIT Sloan Here’s how aircraft noise at major airports in Boston, Chicago, and Seattle affected housing prices.

New research co-authored by Christopher Knittel shows aircraft noise affects property values.

What policymakers should consider:
-flight routes & runway design shape neighborhood impacts
-housing markets reveal real preferences
-efficiency gains ≠ free; noise costs matter, too

MITEI’s Future Energy Systems Center starts six new research projects to enable a decarbonized future The MIT Energy Initiative’s (MITEI) Future Energy Systems Center will fund six new projects, with topics ranging from sodium-metal batteries to co-designing low-carbon power plants. The selected…

Can the grid keep up with home electrification?

New work from Christoph Reinhart explores how to cut emissions w/o straining the grid.

Focus:
-lower demand (insulation, hybrid heating, smart EV charging)
-plan buildings + grid together
-reduce need for new grid infrastructure

America Is an Oil Exporter. Why Does a Mideast War Raise U.S. Gas Prices? The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran have intensified and the conflict has widened, shaking global energy markets.

If conflict is in the MidEast, & the U.S. exports oil, why are gas prices rising?

Christopher Knittel explains: "Supply disruption raises prices for every barrel globally."

Oil markets = interconnected, exporters aren't immune. Price shocks ripple worldwide, hitting gasoline fast.

Interactive simulation motivates climate action at the top | MIT Sloan New research by MIT Sloan finds that leaders who participate in engagements using an interactive climate policy simulator, En-ROADS, demonstrated a stronger understanding of climate solutions.

What gets leaders to act on climate?

In our study of 949 decision-makers, hands-on simulation En-ROADS didn't just inform, it shifted priorities.

Leaders got better at spotting high-impact solutions and felt more able to drive change.

Experience might be the key.

buff.ly/K7BIkAP

U.S. Suspends Oil Shipping Rules to Ease Gas Price Pressures The Jones Act dictates that only U.S.-made ships can move cargo between U.S. ports. They charge customers more for shipping than foreign vessels.

Christopher Knittel says academic research found the Jones Act added ~1.5¢ per gallon to gasoline prices. “It’s not a huge number, but adds up given how much gasoline we consume.”

A good example of why rigorous, policy-relevant research matters in energy debates.

#EnergyPolicy

Fuel price hike hits Americans' pocketbooks High fuel prices caused by the conflict in Iran threaten to worsen affordability issues that ordinary Americans face — and some economists are warning that a prolonged conflict could pull the U.S. into a recession.

Fuel prices are hitting Americans hard. Christopher Knittel warns a prolonged Iranian conflict could push the U.S. toward recession—“above a 50% chance.”

Chris is an energy & climate economist, directing research at MIT CEEPR & the CPC.

Why rooftop solar in Mass. is flawed, and how to fix it - The Boston Globe It turns a climate solution into a burden for residents without solar, raising their electric bills.

New @BostonGlobe op-ed on rooftop solar + electric bills: buff.ly/3X15cuM

Chris Knittel & Fischer Argosino explain why rate design matters for both affordability + decarbonization.

These questions are front + center in Massachusetts DPU docket 25-200 and we're glad to be part of the conversation.

We're grateful to one of our earliest #EnROADS endorsers: Roberta Barbieri, VP of Global Sustainability at @PepsiCo! We love what she had to say about the climate solutions simulator co-developed by @climateinteractive.org + MITSloan.

Professor Catherine Wolfram recently spoke with the New York Times about geopolitics and energy. She noted that renewables like wind and solar cannot be weaponized in the same way as oil and gas, so the geopolitical risks are different.
See more here: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/b...

MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative 2025 Impact Report Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

Our MIT Climate Pathways Project, a collab. between the CPC, @mitsloansusty.bsky.social & @climateinteractive.org, uses #CROADS/#EnROADS to advance evidence-based climate policy. Feat. in SI's 2025 Impact Report (p.15); 24,000+ leaders reached: buff.ly/rNXRdET. Where to find us: buff.ly/ymvn0oW

Climate Policy and Practice Through the Climate Project at MIT, the MIT Climate Policy Center, and the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, the MIT Sloan School of Management is working to inform policy and practice for a more…

We're excited to be part of the climate team at MIT Sloan! See below for a few words from Dean Richard M. Locke, the John C. Head III Dean at Sloan, on the school's contributions to MIT's broader climate impacts and commitments, including a nod to the CPC.
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

#EnROADS continues to transforms climate conversations in local governments around the world. Here's what District Administrator Bastian Rosenau (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) had to say about the climate solutions simulator co-developed by @climateinteractive.org + MIT Sloan. More at buff.ly/dLEu35J

Fuel prices on your mind? Christopher Knittel told the NYT that because oil is relatively cheap to move, "every barrel competes with every other barrel in the world." A reminder of just how global and interconnected oil markets are.

Read more:

Is green energy raising your electric bill? Or state policies? It’s complicated. | MIT Sloan Study finds that over 25 years, while large-scale renewables lower residential electricity prices, state electric rate structures can cause rooftop solar to drive up costs for non-solar households.

Do renewables raise electricity prices? New CEEPR research finds Renewable Portfolio Standards and utility-scale wind & solar are linked to lower prices. But some rooftop solar rate structures can shift grid costs to non-solar customers. Rate redesign can help.

En-ROADS: A Powerful Tool for Climate Risk Capacity-Building and Scenario Analysis Development En-ROADS is an open-source climate simulator used by risk professionals around the world for education, capacity-building, and climate risk assessment. This article introduces why and how it can be…

GARP® -- the world's top professional association for risk managers, dedicated to the advancement of the profession -- recommends the #EnROADS climate solutions simulator used in our MIT Climate Pathways Project w/@mitsloansusty.bsky.social + @climateinteractive.org Check out:

Data Center Temporal Flexibility Policy Brief - MIT Climate Policy Center.pdf

In the NYT, our Faculty Director Christopher Knittel weighs in on data center policy — from on-site power to moratoriums.

Get it right, and we support the grid + AI growth. Get it wrong, and costs rise.

Policy brief:
buff.ly/VyIYRum

NYT: buff.ly/eoXJ9rx

Hans Peter Lankes shares why En-ROADS transforms climate conversations: “En-ROADS generates vibrant discussion, where everyone learns something new, no matter how immersed in the climate space they are.” buff.ly/tjU8PIp

Climate change is already costing the avg. U.S. household $901/year & $1,325 in hardest-hit counties. Driven by extreme weather, wildfires, & rising insurance premiums.
Not a future cost — a current one.
NYT: buff.ly/NSZhjoN
Policy brief: buff.ly/kt0TRa3

Vesselina Apostolova, Fellowship Director at @climatebase.bsky.social shares how #EnROADS (co-dev'd w/ @climateinteractive.org + @MITSloan) is strengthening education for their fellows. We're thrilled that En-ROADS is embedded in their curriculum!

Apps for next cohort due Feb 23! buff.ly/X7B2iUh

Data Center Temporal Flexibility Policy Brief - MIT Climate Policy Center.pdf

As the country considers policies on data centers & rising energy bills, our recent research explores how shifting workloads can cut system costs (up to 5%), with emissions impacts depending on the grid mix. See our policy brief for more info:

Prof. Victoria Charles empowers her students at @smcedu.bsky.social + @uclacollege.bsky.social to take climate action by incorporating tools like the #EnROADS climate solutions simulator (co-developed by @climateinteractive.org + MIT Sloan) to spark a sense of responsibility and possibility.

Connecticut’s new climate-risk website highlights growing exposure in housing and insurance markets. On the subject, a new CPC policy brief lays out key takeaways for policymakers on rising climate costs, risk disclosure, and affordability. Check it out!

MIT CPC LIHEAP - Energy Poverty Policy Brief.pdf

Good news for energy assistance: LIHEAP survived federal budget cuts, preserving vital support for low-income households this season. Re-sharing our policy brief on how to improve this important program, with updated context for policymakers & journalists.