Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins

Talking Permitting Reform, Trade, and More With Biden’s Top Climate Advisor

Oct 16, 2024

Ali Zaidi, National Climate Advisor to President Biden, discusses a bold future for U.S. climate policy. He delves into the complexities of permitting reform and the delicate balance between negotiating with Republicans and protecting environmental interests. Zaidi also highlights the need for bipartisan approaches to trade that address carbon emissions and emphasizes equitable job creation in the clean energy sector. With insights from current decarbonization efforts and investments in green hydrogen, the conversation underscores the ambition and challenges of sustainable economic development.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Advancing Climate Action and Economic Reform

02:56 • 17min

Navigating Trade and Emission Regulations for Sustainable Business

19:51 • 3min

Navigating U.S. Climate Policy Challenges

22:39 • 20min

Navigating Climate Narratives and Sector Challenges

42:16 • 4min

Investing in Green Hydrogen: Challenges and Opportunities

46:44 • 12min

Conference Highlights and Renewable Energy Insights

58:46 • 2min

What’s next for the Biden administration — and for climate policy in the United States? Should Democrats negotiate with Republicans over permitting reform, even if it means making concessions to fossil fuel interests? And how should the country’s trade policy handle the problem of carbon pollution?

On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob speaks with Ali Zaidi, the national climate advisor to President Joe Biden. Zaidi leads the White House Climate Policy Office, which coordinates domestic climate policy across federal agencies. Before joining the White House in 2021, Zaidi was the state of New York’s deputy secretary for energy and environment. This interview was recorded live on October 10 in New Haven, Connecticut, at the Yale Clean Energy Conference.

Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Jesse is out this week.

Mentioned:

Rob on housing policy as climate policy

Hydrogen Tax Credit Rules Will Be Done by the End of the Year

Rob’s upshift, and his other upshift.

This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by …

Watershed’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com.

As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com.

Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us.

Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow.

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