The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions launched in 2011 as the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. This transition marked a new chapter for an organization based in Arlington, Virginia.
Nathaniel Keohane took office as president of C2ES in July 2021 after serving as Senior Vice President for Climate at the Environmental Defense Fund. He previously served as Special Assistant to the President for Energy and Environment under Barack Obama.
In 2021, the council counted 38 mainly Fortune 500 companies with nearly $3 trillion in revenue. This group represents the largest U.S.-based association committed to climate solutions.
In 2021, it ranked No. 43 for think tanks in the United States and placed No. 5 for top environment policy think tanks worldwide that same year. The University of Pennsylvania conducts this annual assessment.
In September 2021, C2ES formed the Executive Secretariat of the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets. This new body oversees carbon offsets and accelerates the transition to net-zero.