Mia Beams

CFR Staff

Mia Beams

Research Associate, Climate and Energy

Mia Beams is a research associate for climate and energy at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Before joining CFR, she was an intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a climate policy research and teaching assistant at Princeton University. She holds a BA from the School of Public and International Affairs from Princeton University.

Climate Change

China’s Latest Climate Pledges Fall Short of What’s Needed at COP30

The latest nationally determined contributions (NDCs) from Beijing promises to reduce emissions for the first time, but the country’s commitments still far short of what experts say will be needed to keep global climate warming from rising above 1.5°C.

by Alice C. Hill and Mia Beams November 10, 2025 Energy Security and Climate Change Program
Climate Realism

The U.S. Interconnection Challenge: Why Renewables Are Stuck in Line

Rising electricity demand and climate goals have brought U.S. electrical grid efficiency to the forefront energy policy and infrastructure planning. But connecting new energy projects to the grid, known as interconnection, has become a major bottleneck, slowing the deployment of new renewable energy sources.

by Mia Beams October 2, 2025
Climate Realism

Congress’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” Will Shrink Renewable Energy Investments—Yet Some Technologies Are Preserved

The bill eliminates several tax credits for low-carbon energy sources that received a boost under the Inflation Reduction Act, but some industries—such as nuclear and geothermal energy—will keep many of their existing incentives.

by Mia Beams and Akkshath Subrahmanian August 4, 2025 Climate Realism
Nuclear Energy

Despite Bipartisan Backing, Nuclear’s Future Is Uncertain Under Trump

As President Trump seeks to cut clean energy funding across the country, nuclear energy emerges as a rare area of bipartisan alignment and a priority for the administration. Yet inconsistent and conflicting federal policies threaten to impede efforts to promote nuclear energy production.

by Mia Beams July 14, 2025 Climate Realism
Energy and Climate Policy

Global Energy Innovation Index

To meet growing energy demands while averting climate change, the world must accelerate innovation. European nations are the leading contributors to global energy innovation, with Canada the only non-European country in the index’s top ten. The United States ranks thirteenth.

Report by David M. Hart, Colin Cunliff, Mia Beams and Akkshath Subrahmanian November 17, 2025 Climate Realism

Iran

The Islamic Republic’s Power Centers

Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform? A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.

by CFR Editors January 9, 2026

Climate Change

Paris to Kyoto: The History of UN Climate Agreements

International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But experts say countries aren’t doing enough to limit dangerous global warming.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong January 9, 2026 Renewing America

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Freedoms: What China Promised and How It’s Cracking Down

Beijing has tightened its grip on Hong Kong in recent years, dimming hopes that the financial center will ever become a full democracy.

by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong December 15, 2025

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