Emine Taha is a rising senior at Columbia, majoring in sustainable development with a concentration in economics. She is actively involved in the Columbia University Impact Investing Network (CUIIN) and the Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing. Beyond her academic pursuits, Taha loves pottery and open-water swimming, and will be taking on the challenge of the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim for the first time this year.
In this Q&A, Taha shares insights into her decision to study sustainable development, how the program has shaped her understanding of sustainability and her experiences as a climate finance summer analyst at Molecule Ventures.
What drew you to the sustainable development major?
I am interested in combating climate change through financial tools, so the sustainable development major seemed like the natural middle ground for my interests. It provides a well-rounded scientific background while also allowing students to take classes in areas they are interested in. There are so many paths you can take with the program, which is what makes it so special. Originally, I was doing a special concentration and then switched to the major because there were many more topics I wanted to learn about. The Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development also played a part in my decision to switch to the major because I felt very supported through the career and educational opportunities they shared.
How does the program shape your understanding of sustainability?
One of the key takeaways has been thinking about sustainability holistically. Decisions are not black and white. One thing that might be great for a certain sustainability goal could impact communities in a negative way. An eco-friendly product that reduces emissions may lead to increased consumption, which could defeat the purpose. Sustainability is a balance with multiple factors to consider, not just a simple two-sided scale. It requires a lot of thought and often involves difficult trade-offs.
Tell us about your recent internship.
This summer, I am a climate finance summer analyst at Molecule Ventures, a company based in New York that is driving decarbonization of key sectors through managing funds in compliance carbon markets. I have been researching supply–demand dynamics for certain markets, conducting policy reviews relating to cap-and-trade and overall climate policies, and evaluating the feasibility of decarbonization of key sectors. I found the internship on Handshake, and through interviewing with various team members, realized that it perfectly suited my interests in sustainability, finance and policy.
What skills from the sustainable development program are you using in your internship?
I took Economic and Financial Methods for Sustainable Development with Satyajit Bose, which allowed me to better understand the different ways climate and finance interact, and how finance can be a tool to push climate goals. I also took Michael Gerrard’s Climate Change Law and Energy Law courses, which helped me contextualize and read climate policy and international treaties. These classes were also my first in-depth introduction to cap-and-trade markets, which helped me immensely during the interview process. Challenges of Sustainable Development and Principles of Economics (a class I think every sustainable development major can benefit from) also helped me find a direction in my earlier years in college.
How does the internship relate to your studies and what you plan to do post-graduation?
My internship is helping me build a thorough understanding of how climate, finance and policy are intertwined. Building decarbonization scenarios through research, I am also learning about how various key sectors are cutting emissions in different countries. Learning about these decarbonization technologies—their cost, popularity, how much emissions reductions they lead to—has been particularly enlightening on where global emissions might be heading.
