A New Day for Ecomodernism
Big Changes at the Breakthrough Institute
Over
a decade ago, the three of us created the Breakthrough Institute to
help build a better environmental movement. The publication of “An
Ecomodernist Manifesto” in April of this year represents the culmination
of that effort. The manifesto has been translated by volunteers into 10
additional languages, and has become a touchstone for conversations
about how to advance human development while protecting the natural
environment.
Meanwhile, with the recent announcement by Bill Gates, President Barack
Obama and a dozen nations that they would double global funding for
energy innovation, it has become clear that the framework of climate
policymaking has decisively shifted from making fossil fuels expensive
to making clean energy cheap, thanks in no small measure to the work of
Breakthrough Institute, Breakthrough Fellows and Senior Fellows, and our
ecomodernist allies around the world.
As ecomodernism has grown and matured, it has become clear to the three
of us that the movement has outgrown the organization that we created in
order to help launch it. There is more to be done than a single
organization can take on while maintaining the clarity and focus that is
necessary to do great work. And there is an expanding need to speak
with different voices to different audiences.
So we are excited to announce some big changes at Breakthrough. Effective January 1st, 2016,
Peter Teague will become Breakthrough’s Interim Executive Director and
Ted will become our first Director of Research. Under Peter’s leadership
Breakthrough will continue its groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting
research, analysis, and advocacy for an ecomodernist future.
Michael Shellenberger will leave his long-time role as President of
Breakthrough to become a Breakthrough Senior Fellow. With generous
support from Rachel Pritzker and Roland Pritzker of the Pritzker
Innovation Fund, and input from Breakthrough friends and allies, Michael
will be engaging in a strategic assessment over the coming months of
what the ecomodernist movement needs to achieve its mission. In addition
to growing ecomodernism, Michael will continue his deep commitment to
ensuring modern energy access for developing nations and protecting and
expanding nuclear energy.
The three of us are excited to continue our long-standing collaboration
in new roles in service of a movement whose reach and influence is
expanding rapidly around the world. We are grateful to Breakthrough’s
supporters and to the ecomodernist movement. The best is yet to come.
— Peter, Ted, and Michael
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