Spotlight on Principal Economist Brendan Cox

We recently interviewed Principal Economist Brendan Cox about his areas of expertise, career highlights and what he is most looking forward to about his new role at Cambridge Econometrics.

Tell us about your role at Cambridge Econometrics.

I am a Principal Economist on the Environment team based in the U.S. office. My work focuses primarily on interactions between the economy and environmental, natural resources, energy, and climate change considerations.

What are your areas of expertise?

I have more than ten years of economic consulting experience, nearly entirely in the realm of environmental policy analysis. Within this domain, my expertise includes economic impact and cost-benefit analysis, and extracting insights from large, complex data (either with advanced Excel formulas or using programming languages, including Python and R).

What has been a career highlight for you?

Rather than a single project, a high point in my career has been the breadth of subject areas I have had the opportunity to work in. I have conducted economic analyses of the interactions between marine natural resources and offshore wind energy development, the impact of prolonged power outages on regional economic activity, and the macroeconomic impact of multi-sector decarbonization initiatives, among many other topics.

Tell us about a project you are currently working on.

I am currently working on an economic analysis of two decarbonization scenarios for the state of Florida, including a scenario in which electric power generation is decarbonized by 2035 and a scenario in which the state economy is net zero by 2050. Demonstrating that broad decarbonization initiatives have both environmental and economic benefits is critical in advancing policies to address climate change.

What are you looking forward to most about your new role?

I am looking forward to being part of a global team using economic analysis to advance policies that are good for both the economy and the planet.

I am excited to help grow Cambridge Econometrics’ environment-themed work in North America, and to continue to work at the forefront of pressing environmental and economic concerns.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like to spend time in nature, hiking, camping, and exploring new areas close to home or further afield. I am also a keen fly fisherman and enjoy tying my own flies.

Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn