Professional Affiliation

Practice Professor of Political Science and Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania

Expert Bio

Scott Moore is Practice Professor of Political Science, Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives, and Senior Advisor to The Water Center at Penn at the University of Pennsylvania. His primary research interests center on climate change, China, and water security. His latest book, China’s Next Act: How Sustainability and Technology are Reshaping China’s Rise and the World’s Future (Oxford University Press, 2022), explores China’s role in global public goods provision against the backdrop of geopolitical rivalry and competition and what it means for action on climate change and other shared global challenges. His current research and book project focuses on how the return of great power rivalry between major economies and emitters shapes prospects for climate action at the international level. Prior to joining Penn, Dr. Moore worked at the World Bank and the U.S. Department of State, where he worked extensively on the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Wilson Center Project

Competing for the Climate: The Future of Climate Action in a World Without US-China Cooperation

Project Summary

It has long been an article of faith among climate policy experts that U.S. – China cooperation is essential to tackling the world’s climate crisis. Yet following the 2024 U.S. election, there is little prospect of such cooperation in the near term, at least at the national level. How can efforts to address the world’s climate crisis be advanced in a world defined by Sino-American geopolitical competition rather than cooperation? This project aims to answer that question by identifying opportunities to advance U.S. and global climate action even without U.S. – China cooperation, including through investment in next-generation energy technologies, border carbon adjustments, and other mechanisms.