David Yellen

About

David W. Yellen is the Director of Climate Policy Innovation at CATF. He leads CATF’s work analyzing the global impacts of new and emerging climate policies, and how energy transition strategies intersect with geopolitical and economic imperatives across regions. David investigates and advocates for solutions to critical issues at this intersection, such as climate and trade, industrial policy and competition, and maintaining climate and technology collaboration in an era of geopolitical fragmentation. In this role, he works closely with CATF’s regional teams to identify cross-cutting issues, provide industrial and geopolitical analysis for guiding strategy, and develop opportunities for international coordination that would advance decarbonization and development.

Previously, David was an associate director at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, where he was responsible for Asia-Pacific research and programming, as well as the Center’s hydrogen work, and he contributed to energy security and markets research. His work has focused on China’s industrial strategies and policies in energy industries, hydrogen markets and deployment policies, energy innovation infrastructure and competition, and energy transition policies in developing countries. David also previously worked at the Council on Foreign Relations on clean energy economics and in Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office, and he has contributed pieces to Scientific American and the Economist, among other publications.

David has a Master of Science degree in Environment and Sustainability Management from Georgetown University, from which he also graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Government, with a focus on energy markets and policy and a minor in economics. He is also a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center.