Skip to main content

Brian Murray

Research Professor in the Division of Environmental Sciences and Policy
Environmental Sciences and Policy
Box 90467, Durham, NC 27708
140 Science Drive, Gross Hall, Ste 101 Box 90467, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Dr. Brian C. Murray is Director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Research Professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment (primary) and Sanford School of Public Policy (secondary), and Faculty Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society. In 2015 he was Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Environment and Economy at University of Ottawa’s Institute of the Environment.  He is widely recognized for his work on the economics of energy and climate change policy, including the design of market based mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gases and deploy low-carbon energy. Members of the United States Congress, state legislators and regulators have sought the counsel of Dr. Murray and colleagues in developing energy and climate legislative proposals and regulatory options.  Their development of the cost containment reserve mechanism is now in use in several greenhouse cap-and-trade programs in North America.  Dr. Murray has been invited as a co-author of several national and international assessments of natural resources, especially related to energy and climate change. Of particular note, he serves on a National Academy of Sciences panel on greenhouse gases and the tax code, where he led the panel’s efforts on biofuel subsidies.  He was a convening lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry. He has convened several forums of economic modeling experts to examine and communicate the results of their climate, energy and land use policy efforts to the public and private sectors.  His research has examined the economic effects of traditional command-based regulatory strategies for pollution control and more market-oriented approaches such as cap-and-trade programs and emission taxes.  He has been a consultant to a wide range of clientele in the public and private sector, including numerous federal government agencies, members of Congress and their staff, state regulatory agencies, CEOs and senior staff from Fortune 500 companies, trade groups, nongovernmental organizations, and other academic institutions.   He has authored or co-authored over 100 publications in books, edited volumes, and professional journals across a range od disciplines.  From 2017-21 he was a regular contributor to Forbes. Prior to coming to the Nicholas Institute in 2006, Dr. Murray was Director of the Center for Regulatory Economics and Policy Research at RTI International, a university-affiliated not-for-profit research institution. 

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Research Professor in the Division of Environmental Sciences and Policy · 2007 - Present Environmental Sciences and Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment
Director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability · 2024 - Present Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, University Institutes and Centers
Research Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy · 2019 - Present Sanford School of Public Policy
Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society · 2017 - Present Duke Science & Society, University Initiatives & Academic Support Units

In the News


Published August 5, 2024
Search Committee Named for Next Social Science Research Institute Director
Published July 8, 2024
A Call to Build More Heat Resilient Communities
Published May 13, 2024
Brian Murray Named Director of Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability

View All News

Recent Publications


Planning for Growing Electricity Demand During an Era of Uncertain Renewables and Climate Policy

Report · November 15, 2024 Electricity demand growth has accelerated significantly, a trend that is expected to continue for at least the next 5 to 10 years and is driven by new technologies such as data centers and the expansion of the manufacturing and industrial base in the Unite ... Open Access Link to item Cite

Carrots, Sticks, and the Evolution of U.S. Climate Policy

Journal Article Texas A&M Law Review · May 2024 The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted by Congress in 2022, is the most significant federal investment in decarbonization in U.S. history. The law makes hundreds of billions of dollars available for clean energy tax credits, grants to state and ... Full text Open Access Cite

Projecting Electricity-Sector Investments Under the Inflation Reduction Act: New Cost Assumptions and Interactions with EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Proposal

Report · December 4, 2023 Energy Pathways USA, an initiative of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, has released a report that offers new insights into US energy transition investments. This report comprehensively models the intersect ... Open Access Link to item Cite
View All Publications

Recent Grants


Advancing Southeast transportation electrification

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Energy Foundation · 2022 - 2025

RTOGov: An Electricity Governance Research Network for a Changing Power Grid

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Pennsylvania State University · 2022 - 2025

Interdisciplinary Energy Data Analytics Ph.D. Fellows Program Phase II: Training the Next generation of Energy Data Scholars

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation · 2020 - 2024

View All Grants

Education, Training & Certifications


Duke University · 1992 Ph.D.
Duke University · 1987 M.S.
University of Delaware · 1983 B.S.