Jay S. Golden, Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance at the Maxwell School, has written “Dynamic Sustainability: Implications for Policy, Markets and National Security” (Cambridge University Press, 2023).

In the book, Golden provides new insights into the opportunities, risks and unintended consequences for the American economy, legacy industries, global multinational corporations, and financial institutions having pledged to transition to a net-zero carbon economy. He emphasizes the unprecedented pace needed for a sustainability transition while examining the implications of organizations purchasing voluntary carbon credits which are not regulated, insured, and often not scientifically validated.

Additionally, Golden scrutinizes how financial markets drive corporate sustainability while conservative policymakers seek to ban environmental social governance investments. And, he discusses national security as well as the growing rural-urban divide, seemingly widened by major automotive manufacturers looking to move towards zero-emission electric vehicles.

In the fall of 2021, Golden joined Maxwell’s Public Administration and International Affairs Department as the inaugural Pontarelli Professor. He also serves as director of the Dynamic Sustainability Lab, which is based in Maxwell and serves as a research hub for students across disciplines in Syracuse University’s 13 schools and colleges.

Since joining Syracuse University, Golden has been named principal investigator for multiple research grants including an interdisciplinary, multi-institution project that was awarded $60 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase supply and demand for climate-smart commodities produced and manufactured throughout the United States

From the Publisher:

This book provides new insights into the opportunities, risks, and unintended consequences for the American economy, legacy industries, global multinational corporations, and financial institutions having pledged to transition to a net-zero carbon economy. It places specific emphasis on 'systems analysis', as well as the unprecedented pace needed for our sustainability transition. It examines the implications of organizations purchasing voluntary carbon credits which are not regulated, insured, and often not scientifically validated. It scrutinizes how financial markets are driving corporate sustainability while at the same time conservative policymakers seek to ban Environmental Social Governance investments.

Golden discusses national security as well as the growing rural-urban divide, seemingly widened by major automotive manufacturers looking to move towards zero-emission electric vehicles. Using empirical evidence to chart the effect of our sustainability transition on the government, the military, and corporations, this book is an invaluable resource for researchers, graduate students, policymakers, and industry professionals.