I am an Associate Professor at the [Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)](https://www.sais.jhu.edu/) in Washington, DC. My research interests lie in comparative political economy, at the intersection of climate policy, environmental politics, and economic and industrial policy. Clean energy transitions—the move away from fossil fuels for instance through the use of renewable energy and the electrification of the global auto sector—are changing domestic and international politics in real time. Against this background, my research uses the analytical tools of political science to examine what drives such state responses to climate change and to identify political obstacles to government attempts to decarbonize domestic economies. Specifically, my work builds on insights from comparative politics and comparative political economy to study how economic coalitions—and the actions of firms in particular—structure the dynamics of clean energy transitions. At the same time, my research takes advantage of such transitions as especially useful laboratories to build and refine theory, as they bring together rapid technological change, interest group conflict between emerging industries and legacy sectors, and degrees of state intervention in the economy rarely witnessed outside of the context of late industrialization. My research agenda now spans three separate but interrelated strands: (a) green industrial policy and the drivers of the division of labor in the global economy, (b) sources of state capacity to overcome external opposition to clean energy transitions and climate policy, and (c) the political economy of green growth. My book *[Collaborative Advantage: Forging Green Industries in the New Global Economy](http://www.jonasnahm.com/book.html)* (Oxford University Press 2021) examines the development of the wind and solar industries, two historically important sectors that have long been the target of ambitious public policy.

Jonas Nahm

Professor of Energy, Resources, and Environment at Johns Hopkins University

About

Publications

G20’s US$14-trillion economic stimulus reneges on emissions pledges

Nature / Mar 02, 2022

Nahm, J. M., Miller, S. M., & Urpelainen, J. (2022). G20’s US$14-trillion economic stimulus reneges on emissions pledges. Nature, 603(7899), 28–31. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00540-6

Strategic State Capacity: How States Counter Opposition to Climate Policy

Comparative Political Studies / Jul 16, 2021

Meckling, J., & Nahm, J. (2021). Strategic State Capacity: How States Counter Opposition to Climate Policy. Comparative Political Studies, 55(3), 493–523. https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140211024308

The Enemy Within? Green Industrial Policy and Stranded Assets in China’s Power Sector

Global Environmental Politics / Nov 01, 2021

Nahm, J., & Urpelainen, J. (2021). The Enemy Within? Green Industrial Policy and Stranded Assets in China’s Power Sector. Global Environmental Politics, 21(4), 88–109. https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00632

China's key role in scaling low-carbon energy technologies

Science / Nov 15, 2019

Helveston, J., & Nahm, J. (2019). China’s key role in scaling low-carbon energy technologies. Science, 366(6467), 794–796. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz1014

The Energy Politics of China

The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics / Apr 04, 2019

Nahm, J. (2019). The Energy Politics of China. In K. J. Hancock & J. E. Allison (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Energy Politics (pp. 505–532). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190861360.013.19

The politics of technology bans: Industrial policy competition and green goals for the auto industry

Energy Policy / Mar 01, 2019

Meckling, J., & Nahm, J. (2019). The politics of technology bans: Industrial policy competition and green goals for the auto industry. Energy Policy, 126, 470–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.11.031

The power of process: State capacity and climate policy

Governance / Feb 06, 2018

Meckling, J., & Nahm, J. (2018). The power of process: State capacity and climate policy. Governance, 31(4), 741–757. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12338

When do states disrupt industries? Electric cars and the politics of innovation

Review of International Political Economy / May 25, 2018

Meckling, J., & Nahm, J. (2018). When do states disrupt industries? Electric cars and the politics of innovation. Review of International Political Economy, 25(4), 505–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2018.1434810

Central–Local Relations: Recentralization and Environmental Governance in China

The China Quarterly / Aug 18, 2017

Kostka, G., & Nahm, J. (2017). Central–Local Relations: Recentralization and Environmental Governance in China. The China Quarterly, 231, 567–582. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0305741017001011

Exploiting the Implementation Gap: Policy Divergence and Industrial Upgrading in China's Wind and Solar Sectors

The China Quarterly / Aug 22, 2017

Nahm, J. (2017). Exploiting the Implementation Gap: Policy Divergence and Industrial Upgrading in China’s Wind and Solar Sectors. The China Quarterly, 231, 705–727. https://doi.org/10.1017/s030574101700090x

Renewable futures and industrial legacies: Wind and solar sectors in China, Germany, and the United States

Business and Politics / Mar 01, 2017

Nahm, J. (2017). Renewable futures and industrial legacies: Wind and solar sectors in China, Germany, and the United States. Business and Politics, 19(1), 68–106. https://doi.org/10.1017/bap.2016.5

Scale-up Nation: China’s Specialization in Innovative Manufacturing

World Development / Feb 01, 2014

Nahm, J., & Steinfeld, E. S. (2014). Scale-up Nation: China’s Specialization in Innovative Manufacturing. World Development, 54, 288–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2013.09.003

The Role of Innovative Manufacturing in High-Tech Product Development: Evidence from China’s Renewable Energy Sector

Production in the Innovation Economy / Jan 17, 2014

Nahm, J., & Steinfeld, E. S. (2014). The Role of Innovative Manufacturing in High-Tech Product Development: Evidence from China’s Renewable Energy Sector. In Production in the Innovation Economy (pp. 139–174). The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9780262019927.003.0006

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Experience

Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

Links & Social Media

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