Brian P. Flannery
Visiting Fellow
Brian Flannery joined Resources for the Future as a Visiting Fellow in 2012. At RFF he continues involvement on climate and energy issues that began in 1980 when he joined Exxon’s Corporate Research Laboratory. In 2011 he retired from Exxon Mobil Corporation as Science, Strategy and Programs Manager. At Exxon, he conducted research, organized international workshops and symposia dealing with climate-related science, technology, economics, and policy, and worked with others across the organization on a variety of activities involving research, operations, projects and issues where climate change was a factor.
Flannery has served on several editorial and advisory boards, among them: Stanford University School of Engineering, Annual Reviews of Energy and Environment and the International Geosphere Biosphere Program, and participated in assessments of the US DOE and EPA and IPCC (Working Group III: 3rd and 4th Assessments). He participated with business associations including the International Chamber of Commerce (Vice-Chair, Environment and Energy Committee), US Council for International Business (Chair, International Energy Working Group), Major Economies Business Forum (Chair, Task Force on Business Engagement) and IPIECA (Executive Committee, and Chair Global Climate Change Working Group). Flannery played a leadership role in creating the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change (MIT) and the Global Climate and Energy Project (Stanford).
Before Exxon, Flannery pursued a career in astrophysics. He received degrees from Princeton (AB 1970) and the University of California Santa Cruz (PhD 1974) and held positions as a post-doctoral associate at the Institute for Advanced Study (1974-76) and assistant and associate professor at Harvard (1976-1980). Flannery is coauthor of the reference Numerical Recipes: the Art of Scientific Computing. The series of books and software is widely used by scientists, engineers, economists and others who create or utilize technical computing in their research.
Flannery’s current interests center on developments in the Paris Agreement and challenges of reconciling obligations under the WTO and UNFCCC—in particular, border tax adjustments.
Education
- PhD in astrophysics, University of California-Santa Cruz, 1974
- AB in astrophysics, Princeton University, 1970
Featured Content
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Report — Aug 22, 2024
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensities of the Steel and Aluminum Industries at the Product Level
This report updates and expands upon testimony made to the US International Trade Commission and a 2022 report which developed a Greenhouse Gas Index for 39 industrial sectors.
Testimony and Public Comments — Dec 7, 2023
Oral Testimony on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensities of the US Steel and Aluminum Industries at the Product Level
This comment to the US International Trade Commission concerns procedures to determine and estimates of the greenhouse gas intensity of products of the aluminum and steel industries that might be subject to border adjustment in international trade.
Common Resources — Sep 28, 2022
The Greenhouse Gas Index: A Metric for Greenhouse Gas–Intensive Products
New research suggests that a Greenhouse Gas Index proposed by RFF scholars could help standardize the quantification of emissions for a wide variety of policies.
Working Paper — Sep 27, 2022
The Greenhouse Gas Index for Products in 39 Industrial Sectors
The Greenhouse Gas Index for Products in 39 Industrial Sectors
Report — Aug 22, 2024
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensities of the Steel and Aluminum Industries at the Product Level
This report updates and expands upon testimony made to the US International Trade Commission and a 2022 report which developed a Greenhouse Gas Index for 39 industrial sectors.
Testimony and Public Comments — Dec 7, 2023
Oral Testimony on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensities of the US Steel and Aluminum Industries at the Product Level
This comment to the US International Trade Commission concerns procedures to determine and estimates of the greenhouse gas intensity of products of the aluminum and steel industries that might be subject to border adjustment in international trade.
Working Paper — Sep 27, 2022
The Greenhouse Gas Index for Products in 39 Industrial Sectors
The Greenhouse Gas Index for Products in 39 Industrial Sectors
Working Paper — Oct 21, 2021
Determining the Greenhouse Gas Index for Covered Products of Specific Manufacturers
This working paper explores the GHG index, a central concept used to determine border tax adjustments for covered products.
Common Resources — Sep 28, 2022
The Greenhouse Gas Index: A Metric for Greenhouse Gas–Intensive Products
New research suggests that a Greenhouse Gas Index proposed by RFF scholars could help standardize the quantification of emissions for a wide variety of policies.
Common Resources — Oct 21, 2021
Accounting for Emissions in Global Trade with a Greenhouse Gas Index
RFF’s Brian Flannery explains how a greenhouse gas index can account for the emissions of internationally traded goods, and he discusses its potential applications in the design of border adjustments.
Resources Radio — Sep 14, 2021
Border Tax Adjustments, with Brian Flannery
Brian Flannery describes the challenge of imposing border adjustments on goods from countries whose climate policies aren’t sufficiently ambitious.
Common Resources — Oct 23, 2020
Implementing a Framework for Border Tax Adjustments in US Greenhouse Gas Tax Legislation and Regulations
RFF Visiting Fellow Brian Flannery summarizes two of his recent coauthored reports that outline how policymakers should approach the development of border tax adjustments, which also comply with US obligations under the World Trade Organization.
Press Release — Oct 21, 2021
Accounting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in International Trade
Accounting for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in International Trade
Media Highlight — Jul 14, 2021
Europe is Proposing a Border Carbon Tax. What Is It and How Will It Work?
Europe is Proposing a Border Carbon Tax. What Is It and How Will It Work?
Media Highlight — Jun 17, 2021
1st Carbon Border Tax is Coming. What It Means for the US
1st Carbon Border Tax is Coming. What It Means for the US
Media Highlight — Apr 27, 2016
Earth Day Planted Seeds for Action on Climate. Is a Carbon Tax a Good Idea?
Earth Day Planted Seeds for Action on Climate. Is a Carbon Tax a Good Idea?