Decoding Global Climate Policy with Dr. Mark Jaccard

Dr. Mark Jaccard will help climate-concerned citizens understand and navigate the confusion of agendas around the pressing need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. This includes clear, easy-to-follow advice on how to engage effectively as citizens and as consumers. As Chair and CEO of the British Columbia Utilities Commission and Distinguished Professor of Energy Economics at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Jaccard brings unparalleled expertise in designing and applying energy-economy models to assess climate policies. Drawing on decades of experience advising international and domestic climate initiatives, he will provide practical guidance for taking meaningful action in a complex policy landscape.

Returning to the Whistler Institute after his popular 2021 conversation on citizen-led climate action, Dr. Jaccard builds on that dialogue to offer a globally informed, locally relevant discussion that empowers newcomers to seasoned advocates to make informed choices and contribute to real change.

About the Speaker

Dr. Mark Jaccard

Dr. Jaccard was appointed as Chair and CEO of the British Columbia Utilities Commission in 2023, a position he previously held from 1992-1997. He is currently on a leave of absence from his position as a Distinguished Professor at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Jaccard holds a PhD in energy economics from the University of Grenoble. His research focus is the design and application of energy-economy models for assessing climate policies. He has served on many international processes, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and the Global Energy Assessment. Domestically, he has served on the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, the C.D. Howe Institute, the Canadian Climate Institute, and the British Columbia Climate Solutions Council. In 2009, he was appointed to the Royal Society of Canada and named British Columbia Academic of the Year. Three of his books have been shortlisted for the Donner Prize, with Sustainable Fossil Fuels winning in 2006. His latest book is The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success. In 2025, Dr. Jaccard was awarded the King Charles Coronation Medal and named to the Order of British Columbia.