Climate change is an important issue for the world and for the United States (US). Given its size and global economic power, the US has the potential to be a world-leader in tackling the climate change crisis.
In February 2023 the Phelan US Centre issued a call for entries from LSE Master's students to write a 1000-word essay on climate change and the United States with the prompt: What responsibility does the US have to the rest of the world on climate change? Students were encouraged to interpret this prompt from a variety of perspectives, and with an interdisciplinary focus.
Submitted essays were judged by a panel of Phelan US Centre staff and LSE academics.
The winning entry and runners up were published on the LSE United States Politics and Policy Blog (USAPP). With over 1.2 million pageviews readers every year this is an excellent chance for LSE students to publish their original work on the United States to a wider audience.
Essay competition winner
The US must do more to combat carbon inequality in the global economy. - Oscar Parry - LSE Anthropology
Essay competition runners-up
The Decarbonisation Dilemma: the US must tread the fine line between domestic net zero and international development objectives. - Alia Yusuf - LSE School of Public Policy
The United States bears the greatest responsibility in the fight against climate change – but policy ought to be securitised and coloured in the language of self-interest. - Jibran Raja - LSE International Relations
Presentation to the British-American Parliamentary Group in the UK Parliament
In April 2023, the winning student presented their essay to members of the British-American Parliamentary Group and other UK Members of Parliament (MPs) with an interest in climate change policy.
Thanks to all those who entered. For more information about future competitions and Centre events, please subscribe to our termly newsletter.
Watch the Phelan US Centre video featuring the climate change essay competition winner and runners-up
LSE master’s students work with MPs to tackle the climate crisis