Ajay Gambhir

Dr. Ajay Gambhir currently serves as Director of Systemic Risk Assessment at the Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment (ASRA), following his role as Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London's Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment from 2010 to 2023. His distinguished career spans academia and government service, including positions as Team Leader for EU and International Climate Change Economics at the UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change and contributions to the UK's Climate Change Act 2008. After earning his PhD in Energy Economics from Imperial College London, MEng in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University, and MSc in Development Economics from SOAS University of London, he has established himself as a leading expert in low-carbon transitions and climate change mitigation. His research portfolio includes leading scientific studies for the UK government's AVOIDing dangerous climate change programme, ESRC and EPSRC studies on manufacturing innovation for low-cost solar PV modules, energy storage innovation, and rural electrification. His recent work focuses on the political economy of low-carbon pathways, equitable transition policies, and emerging technologies for climate change mitigation, with significant contributions to understanding the economics and deployment of carbon dioxide removal technologies. Through his extensive publications in prestigious journals and his role in shaping climate policy, he continues to influence global discussions on transitioning to a low-carbon economy while ensuring social equity in climate action.