University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia — The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania proudly announces energy justice leader Jacqueline Patterson as the recipient of the 2024 Carnot Prize. This prestigious award recognizes Patterson’s exceptional contributions to advancing equitable energy policies in communities across the United States.
Patterson is the founder and executive director of The Chisholm Legacy Project, a resource hub for Black frontline climate justice leadership. Previously, Patterson served for more than a decade as senior director of NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program—a program she founded. During her tenure, she designed and implemented a robust portfolio, serving state and local leaders with constituencies that included hundreds of communities on the frontlines of environmental injustice.
Patterson’s work focuses on amplifying the voices of people disproportionately affected by our energy system, such as those with limited access to clean or affordable energy or those situated near hazardous fossil fuel sites. Early in her career at NAACP, she was a contributing researcher-author to Coal Blooded: Putting Profits Before People, a report demonstrating the environmental threats communities of color face when living next to coal extraction and coal-fired plants. More recently, she wrote Who Holds the Power, a report that sheds light on the vast decision-making authority of public utility commissions and the importance of community leadership in governance. Patterson continues to provide perspectives on everything from net metering to community-owned microgrids, while advocating for policies that promote clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address environmental injustices.
“What a privilege it is to follow in the footsteps of the impressive energy policy mavens who have received this award before me,” Patterson said in response to the award. “What a joy it is to be honored by the Kleinman Center, which holds such a critical place in the field of energy policy. I stand behind and in servanthood to the awe-inspiring frontline leaders throughout the country and world whose sacrifices are immense and whose vision, fortitude, spirit, and strategic acumen guide me every day.”
The Carnot Prize celebrates individuals who have significantly contributed to energy policy through scholarship or practice. Over the past eight years, the prize has become perhaps the most notable annual recognition of energy policy impact by leaders around the world and across all sectors.
Patterson is the ninth recipient of the Carnot Prize, and joins a distinguished list of past winners, including:
- Ramón Méndez Galain (2023)
- Nicholas Stern (2022)
- Sheila Oparaocha (2021)
- Cheryl LaFleur (2019)
- Piyush Goyal (2018)
- Gina McCarthy (2017)
- Fatih Birol (2016)
- Daniel Yergin (2015)
“Jacqui’s commitment to advocating for policies that improve people’s lives exemplifies the values behind the Carnot Prize,” said Sanya Carley, faculty director of the Kleinman Center. “She has proven outstanding leadership and dedication to advancing energy justice.”
“We are so pleased to recognize the great work of Jacqueline Patterson, who has spent her career shining a light on energy injustice and working tirelessly to correct it,” said Fritz Steiner, dean and Paley Professor at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, home of the Kleinman Center.
The Carnot Prize ceremony, which includes a lecture by Shelley Welton, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy, will take place on November 4 at 4:00 PM in the Energy Forum of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
About the Kleinman Center. As we move toward a more sustainable energy future, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design drives policy innovations that support this transition. The center convenes students, faculty, and practitioners from all disciplines to explore complex challenges through research, courses, events, and hands-on learning.
About the Weitzman School. The mission of the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design is to prepare students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. As a diverse community of scholars and practitioners, we are committed to advancing the public good—locally, nationally, and globally—through art, design, planning, and preservation.
For more information about the Carnot Prize and past recipients, visit the Kleinman Center website.
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