Ministers have appointed Steven Fries as a member to the Committee, following a competitive process.
Steven is a distinguished economist at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School and Peterson Institute for International Economics. He specialises in the economics of transforming energy systems and brings the Committee deep expertise in the economics of energy, climate change and sustainable finance.
He was previously Chief Economist at the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change and Group Chief Economist at Shell. His earlier career also included several senior roles at the European Bank for Reconstruction.
He is taking up his role for a five-year term.
Steven Fries said:
“It is a great honour to join the Climate Change Committee. I have long been an admirer of the CCC’s exemplary analysis and I’m delighted to help steer the Committee’s advice as the UK enters a critical period for its low-carbon energy transition.”
Farewell to Lord Deben
The Climate Change Committee and the secretariat would like to thank Lord Deben for his exceptional leadership since 2012, a period over which the UK made ambitious new climate commitments and policies and raised its sights to Net Zero by 2050. We thank Lord Deben for his service and his commitment to the highest standards of robust analysis and advice.
Professor Piers Forster is now interim Chair of the Climate Change Committee. Piers has been a committee member since 2018. The appointment of the permanent Chair of the CCC is a public appointment, led by the UK Government together with the devolved administrations. The appointment campaign is underway.
Notes to editors
- Steven Fries – Steven Fries is a Senior Associate Fellow at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He was group chief economist at Shell (2006–11; 2016–21) and chief economist at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (2011–16). He also previously served in a series of senior roles at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (1993–2006), including Deputy Chief Economist and Director of Policy Studies. He began his career as a professional economist at the International Monetary Fund.
- Appointments have been made in line with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Governance Code for Public Appointments and the Climate Change Act 2008.
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