By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer.— SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (April 25, 2025) — Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Joseph “Joe” Nation of South Lake Tahoe to the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee (IEMAC), a key body overseeing California’s cap-and-trade program and climate policy effectiveness. Nation, a Democrat, brings over three decades of experience in public policy, economics, and environmental analysis to the role.
Established by Assembly Bill 398 in 2017, IEMAC evaluates the environmental and economic performance of California’s cap-and-trade program and other climate policies. The committee reports its findings to the California Air Resources Board and the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change. It comprises five experts in emissions trading market design, including three appointed by the Governor, one by the California State Senate’s Senate Rules Committee, and one by the Speaker of the California State Assembly. Additionally, a representative from the Legislative Analyst’s Office participates as an observer.
Nation’s extensive background includes serving as a Senior Advisor to the President at the RAND Corporation from 1991 to 2024 and as a member of the Economic Advisory Board at the Bay Area Council and Climate Cabinet Action. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School, a Master of Science in Diplomacy and Security from Georgetown University, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics, German, and French from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Since 2007, Nation has been a Professor of the Practice in the Public Policy and Human Biology Programs at Stanford University. He was also the Principal at Joe Nation Consulting from 1992 to 2024 and an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of San Francisco from 1992 to 2000.
This appointment does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation associated with the position. Nation’s expertise is expected to contribute significantly to California’s ongoing efforts to refine and enhance its climate policies and emissions trading mechanisms.
For more information on the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee and its activities, visit the California Environmental Protection Agency’s official website.
calepa.ca.gov
