Contact
Email Samuela Bassi
Department/Group
Policy
Website
Samuela Bassi
Statkraft Policy Fellow
Samuela joined the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment as a policy analyst in early 2012. Since 2016 she manages the Statkraft Policy Research Programme, investigating the transition to a low-carbon economy in Europe. Her work focuses in particular on climate and energy policy and on green growth.
Background
Before joining the Grantham Research Institute, Samuela worked as a senior policy analyst at the Institute for European Environmental Policy in London and in Brussels, focusing on environmental economics. She previously worked for an environmental consulting company in Venice and for the Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Samuela holds MSc’s in Economics from University of Trieste (Italy) and from Birkbeck College, London.
Research interests
- Design and implementation of climate change policy at EU and international level;
- Policy and economics of energy technologies;
- Green growth;
- Provision of policy relevant analysis and communication.
2014
Climate change policies and the UK business sector: Overview, impacts & suggestions for reform
Presentation given at the 2014 World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economics in Istanbul on 1st July.
A UK ‘dash’ for smart gas poster
UK dash for shale gas poster read more »
Climate policy in China, the European Union and the United States: Main drivers and prospects for the future
China, the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) are responsible for the majority of global emissions of greenhouse gases, and produce about half of global GDP. … read more »
UK climate change policy: how does it affect competitiveness?
The Committee on Climate Change has recommended that setting a target to reduce UK emissions of greenhouse gases to an average of 57 per cent below their 1990 … read more »
Submission to the inquiry by the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee on ‘Setting the fifth carbon budget’
This is a submission by the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics … read more »
Beyond the targets: assessing the political credibility of pledges for the Paris Agreement
This report provides the results of an analysis of “intended nationally determined contributions”, or INDCs, that were submitted by countries ahead of the Paris Agreement on climate change. read more »
Climate change policy, innovation and growth
New clean technologies are urgently required to meet long-term global climate goals. Simulating the development of these technologies has become worldwide policy priority. This policy brief uses the … read more »
2015
Beyond the targets: assessing the political credibility of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)
This paper analyses the credibility of national climate pledges (INDCs). It starts by fleshing out the key determinants of credibility in relation to action on climate change. It then outlines a framework to assess the credibility of a country’s INDC pledges based on these determinants. This framework is used to provide an initial assessment of the credibility of INDCs provided by G20 countries. read more »
Consultation response: ‘Reforming the business energy efficiency tax landscape'
This policy paper was submitted to HM Treasury in response to its consultation on 'Reforming the business energy efficiency tax landscape'. read more »
Bridging the gap: improving the economic and policy framework for carbon capture and storage in the European Union
This policy paper outlines measures that need to be taken by EU countries in order to develop and deploy Carbon Capture and Storage technology. read more »
Climate change priorities for the next UK Government
The next UK Government after the General Election on 7 May should reform the UK’s overly-complex energy taxation and create new institutions to depoliticise infrastructure investment, particularly in the energy sector. These recommendations are among several new measures outlined in the Institute’s latest policy brief ‘Climate change priorities for the next UK government’. read more »
2014
Submission to the inquiry by the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change on ‘ Fuelling the debate: Committee successes and future challenges ’
Outlines the main energy and climate change challenges in the UK over the next five-year term read more »
Submission to inquiry on ‘Environmental risks of fracking’ by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee
This is a submission by the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at London School of Economics and … read more »
Burden or opportunity? How UK emissions reductions policies affect the competitiveness of businesses
The ongoing review of the UK’s Fourth Carbon Budget is closely linked to the debate over the impact that domestic climate change policies can have on the competitiveness of businesses. … read more »
The US and Action on Climate Change
Bowen, Alex, 2014. Chapter in: The Global Development of Policy Regimes to Combat Climate Change, World Scientific Publishing. Link to publisher
Walking alone? How the UK's carbon targets compare with its competitors'
The UK Government is reviewing the fourth carbon budget for the period 2023-27. The Committee on Climate Change has recommended that the budget, which was originally legislated in … read more »
2013
Energy use policies and carbon pricing in the UK
Energy use policies and carbon pricing in the UK read more »
Climate change policies and the UK business sector: overview, impacts and suggestions for reform
The UK has a complex system of energy taxes which affect the business sector. Overlaps between taxes mean that carbon prices are uneven across sectors and fuels, and … read more »
Decarbonising electricity generation
The power sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK and must be largely decarbonised by 2030 if the Government is … read more »
A UK 'dash' for smart gas
Shifting from coal to natural gas for electricity generation can help the UK power sector to decarbonise in the near term. With good planning and investment, natural gas can support the development of a low-carbon power sector by providing essential backup for intermittent renewables, but could only play a bigger role longer-term if fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
However, a new UK ‘dash’ for gas on the assumption of low prices is a risky economic and environmental option. A lower risk option is a ‘dash’ for smart gas; using natural gas in those areas where it offers the greatest value in decarbonising the power sector. read more »
2012
Less pain, more gain: the potential of carbon pricing to reduce Europe’s fiscal deficits
An overriding challenge for many European governments and policy-makers is to reduce major fiscal deficits with the least collateral damage to their economy. This paper aims to clarify the … read more »
The economics of wind power: submission to the inquiry by the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change
Samuela Bassi and Sam Fankhauser
Study: Fifth Carbon Budget 'would not harm' UK competitiveness
BusinessGreen, 10 May
Beyond Paris – the long-term energy outlook
Financial Times, 15 February
Climate report calls for strengthening credibility in action plans
Financial Express, 1 February
The Paris deal is done, but how credible are the pledges?
BusinessGreen, 4 February
Long-term, low-carbon R&D investment should be increased: report
Xinhua, 19 January
What Will It Take for CCS to Have a Future in the European Union?
Cornerstone, The official journal of the world coal industry, 1 January 2016
2015
COP21: How credible are the INDCs commitments?
After the successful conclusion of the 21st Conference of the Party (COP21), attention is now likely to focus on what countries have promised in their so called ‘Intended Nationally Determined … read more »
Carbon Capture: key green technology shackled by costs
Yahoo, 22 November
Companies Struggle to Make Carbon Capture Viable
New York Times, 6 October
Europe is dragging its feet on CCS
2 July, EurActiv
EU Needs More Carbon Capture Technology, Report Says
Wall Street Journal, 16 June
European Union needs to increase investment in carbon capture and storage to meet its climate change targets
EU countries need to significantly increase investments in carbon capture and storage and show much greater urgency and determination to develop and deploy the technology according to a new report by the Institute. read more »
2014
Climate change policies 'can increase UK competitiveness'
Grantham Institute study says climate legislation has not harmed UK businesses and there is no case for weakening carbon targets read more »
UK climate change policies have not harmed economy, report says
Grantham Institute study says climate legislation has not harmed UK businesses read more »
2013
UN climate talks: Good COP Bad COP
COP 19 aimed to progress the negotiations towards a global climate change agreement, which the Parties are seeking to finalise by 2015 at COP 21 in Paris. The conference overran by one day, with a modest outcome. read more »
Launch of report about the future role of natural gas in UK electricity generation
The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment today launched their policy brief, ‘A dash for ‘smart gas’? The future role of natural gas in UK electricity generation’, at the House of Commons. This report was published jointly with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London. read more »
Launch of report about the future role of natural gas in UK electricity generation
On Wednesday 20 March, the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (LSE) launched their policy brief, ‘A dash for ‘smart gas’? The future role of natural gas in UK … read more »
Institute to present latest findings on shale gas at LSE student conference
The Grantham Research Institute will be joining a number of expert speakers at the upcoming LSE Energy Society conference, to be held on the 7th and 8th of March, as … read more »
The fifth carbon budget: how will it affect the UK’s competitiveness?
The Government must legislate the level of the fifth carbon budget, covering the period 2028 to 2032, by the end of June 2016. This event will explore the ambition of … read more »
2015
Report Launch (London) | Bridging the gap: improving the economic and policy framework for carbon capture and storage in the European Union
Agenda Presentation of key findings Debate: How can the development and deployment of CCS be accelerated in the EU in the next 5 to 10 years? Panellists: Michael Schuetz, European … read more »
Report Launch (Brussels) | Bridging the gap: improving the economic and policy framework for carbon, capture and storage in the European Union
This event launches a new report by the Institute, in partnership with the Grantham Institute at Imperial College, on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and features a panel discussion on how CCS can be accelerated in the EU in the next 5 to 10 years. read more »
Grantham Workshop – Samuela Bassi and Rodney Boyd - "How can policy make carbon capture and storage (CCS) more bankable in the European Union"
Samuela Bassi, a Policy Analyst at the Grantham Research Institute and Rodney Boyd, a Policy Analyst and Research Advisor to Professor Lord Stern, will be the speakers for this seminar. … read more »
