

Inevitable
an MCJ podcast
Join Cody Simms each week as he engages with experts across disciplines to explore innovations driving the transition of energy and industry. Inevitable is an MCJ podcast. This show was formerly known as 'My Climate Journey.'
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 2, 2020 • 47min
Ep 95: Jacqueline Patterson, Senior Director of Environmental & Climate Justice Program at the NAACP
In today’s episode, we cover:The NAACP, its history and missionWhy climate is integral to promoting civil justice and equityClimate change’s disproportionate impact on communities of colorExamples of how the NAACP is taking action from a climate perspectiveJacqueline’s journey that led her to climate justiceHer role at the NAACP in addressing climate issues that affect vulnerable groupsThe intersectionality of the issues posed by climate changeNAACP’s climate prioritiesLinks to topics discussed in this episode:NAACP’s Environmental & Climate Justice Program: https://www.naacp.org/issues/environmental-justice/“Waxman Markey Bill”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Clean_Energy_and_Security_ActCancer Alley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_AlleyDemocracy Initiative: http://www.democracyinitiative.org/Democracy Collaborative: https://democracycollaborative.org/Move To Amend: http://www.movetoamend.org/Citizens United: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 30, 2020 • 45min
Ep 94: Robyn Beavers, Co-Founder & CEO of Blueprint Power
In today’s episode, we cover:What is Blueprint Power and how its unique business model worksWho’s its customers and what is their needHow her early-career at Google was a springboard into a career in energyThe genesis and inspiration behind Blueprint PowerThe current state of the renewable energy sectorThe role of the energy grid and its stakeholdersHow Robyn initially validated market demand for Blueprint PowerBlueprint’s current geographic footprint and market focusHow recent regulatory developments have served as a tailwind for the businessThe perspective of executives at commercial property firms with respect to renewable energyThe current role of incumbent utility companiesBlueprint’s customer traction to dateThe contributions Blueprint is making in combatting climate changeThe challenges and evolution of raising venture capital as an energy startupSquaring both impact and profit motivesAspects of Blueprint’s business that appealed to traditional VCsHow Robyn sees a significant opportunity in clean waterHow regulatory speed remains one of the biggest bottlenecksRobyn’s thoughts on those seeking to transition their career to the climate space
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 26, 2020 • 48min
Ep 93: Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University
In today’s episode, we cover:Her journey from Geologist to Historian of ScienceThe genesis of her climate change awakeningWhat led to her seminal book on climate change, “Merchants of Doubt”How the science showing fossil fuels impact on climate change go way backHer work inspiring the movie, "An Inconvenient Truth"The foundational work of Prof. Ben Santer, proving climate changeHow the fossil fuel industry led a disinformation campaign, intent on discrediting climate scientistsHer views on how the fossil fuel industry is not a reliable partner in combatting climate change in this dayWhy science should be trusted by the publicThe significance of consensus in scienceRemaining topics of climate change debate within the scientific communityHow public policy changes is not in the domain of scienceHow the challenges with climate change are not within the science or technology but within policy and politicsWhy nuclear is not a viable solution to climate changeLinks to topics discussed in this episode:“Merchants of Doubt”: https://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/“Why Trust Science”: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691179001/why-trust-scienceRoger Revelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_RevelleCharles David Keeling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_David_KeelingProf. Ben Santer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_D._SanterJames Hansen's 1988 Congressional Testimony on Climate Change: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hansen#US_Senate_committee_testimony
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 23, 2020 • 51min
Ep 92: Dawn Lippert, CEO of Elemental Excelerator
In today’s episode, we cover:What is Elemental ExceleratorDawn’s journey to climate changeHawaii Clean Energy InitiativeApplying the startup accelerator model to energy and clean techInvesting focus and criteriaHolistic support for portfolio companiesGeographic focus for its projectsSources of funding for Elemental ExceleratorPurpose of pilotsCoaching supportLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Elemental Excelerator: https://elementalexcelerator.com/Emerson Collective: https://www.emersoncollective.com/Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative: http://www.hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org/CarbonCure Technologies: https://www.carboncure.com/Zero Mass Water: https://www.zeromasswater.com/Cyclotron Road: https://www.cyclotronroad.org/Trove (f.k.a. Yerdle): https://www.trove.co/
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 19, 2020 • 42min
Ep 91: Kingsmill Bond, Energy Strategist at Carbon Tracker
In today’s episode, we cover:What is Carbon Tracker and what’s it role in the financial markets?How fossil fuels and carbon emissions play into the valuation of stocks, etc.How Carbon Tracker influence investors and their strategiesThe investment risk associated with not factoring in climate changeThe meaning and examples of a “stranded asset”How the energy transition to cleaner technologies can disrupt incumbent industries to the detriment of investorsHow inertia continues to drive the construction of fossil fuel infrastructureAsset reallocation as the primary lever in Carbon Tracker’s strategiesKingsmill’s prognosis of the fossil fuel industryAllocating out of the “losers” than allocating into the “winners”Kingsmill’s journey to working on energy-transition financial strategyFossil fuel incumbents, friend or foe to the climate change movement?Links to topics discussed in this episode:Carbon Tracker: https://www.carbontracker.org/Carbon bubble: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_bubbleUnburnable carbon: https://www.carbontracker.org/terms/unburnable-carbon/Stranded assets: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranded_asset
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 16, 2020 • 47min
Ep 90: Rich Sorkin, Co-Founder & CEO of Jupiter Intelligence
In today’s episode, we cover:Jupiter and its missionRich’s journey from data analytics to climate changeParallels between the opportunity around cybersecurity and climate changeThe importance of physical climate riskHow Jupiter initially narrowed its focus on flood riskHow Jupiter develops a “peril model” to assess the risk of flooding and firesProfile of Jupiter’s customersHow critical infrastructure companies represent a major customerWhy insurers are not the ones who bear the financial risk of worsening climate disastersCorporate indictments as a symptom of unaddressed climate riskThe U.S.’ “armed lifeboat diplomacy”Jupiter’s nonprofit workResilience planning in the face of climate-related catastrophesThe need to restrict land use in at-risk areasLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Jupiter Intelligence: https://jupiterintel.com/PG&E bankruptcy: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/business/energy-environment/pge-bankruptcy-newsom.html
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 12, 2020 • 55min
Ep 89: Jeffrey Schub, Executive Director at the Coalition for Green Capital
In today’s episode, we cover:What is CGC and its mission as a nonprofit?Why “green bank” is somewhat of a misnomerThe history of green banks in the U.S. both on the federal and state levelWhere the CGC adds value in the clean tech financing ecosystemCustomers served by green banksThe role green banks have played in jump starting new markets for clean techComparing green banks with for-profit investment firms (e.g. Ultra Capital, Generate Capital)Sources of funding for CGCOpportunities in the U.S. for green banksHow the U.S. Department of Energy loan program aids companies in getting through the commercialization gapJeffrey’s perspective on putting a price on carbonViews on the impact of the 2020 presidential elections and the various positions of candidatesLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Coalition for green Capital: http://coalitionforgreencapital.com/NY green bank: https://greenbank.ny.gov/Generate Capital: https://generatecapital.com/Ultra Capital: https://www.ultracapital.com/Prime Coalition: https://primecoalition.org/National Climate Bank Act: https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-and-van-hollen-introduce-legislation-to-create-a-national-climate-bank
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 9, 2020 • 47min
Ep 88: Daniel Huppmann, Energy Research Scholar at IIASA
In today’s episode, we cover:Role, function and mission of IIASAThe context around SR15UN Sustainable Development GoalsDr. Huppmann’s work on the message integrated assessment model for environmental scenario planningSignificance of selecting a decade as the timeframe for actionUnpacking the meaning of publicly stated thresholdsImplications of Dr. Huppmann’s modeling on humanityHow new research affects older predictive modelsDr. Huppmann’s view on carbon storageDelivering sustainability via initiatives that improve quality of lifeThe important role of carbon taxesOpen-source climate change data movementLinks to topics discussed in this episode:IIASA:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Institute_for_Applied_Systems_AnalysisSR15:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Report_on_Global_Warming_of_1.5_%C2%B0CMessage IX: https://message.iiasa.ac.at/en/stable/UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300European Green Deal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_enFridays For Future: https://fridaysforfuture.org/Young Summer Scientists Program: https://www.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/education/yssp/Young_Scientists_Summer_Program.htmlYou can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Enjoy the show!
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 5, 2020 • 42min
Ep 87: Alessandra Biaggi, New York State Senator
In today’s episode, we cover:Her journey to elected office and the challenges she faced in her campaignHer inspiration to run for state officeWhat she discovered about the state of Albany politicsHow the campaign for state senator felt like a street fightHer upbringing in a politically-minded familyHow the existential problem of climate change underpins all other issuesWhat other actions concerned citizens can take beyond voting to combat climate changeThe viability of bipartisan collaborationHow she would allocate $100 billion in the fight against climate changeResources for elected officials to remain informed and develop onions about climate changeThe opportunity to introduce CLCPA-inspired bills in states that don’t have climate-focused legislationLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Senator Biaggi: https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/alessandra-biaggiClimate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s6599
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Mar 2, 2020 • 46min
Ep 86: Zahra Hirji, Energy and Climate Reporter at Buzzfeed News
In today’s episode, we cover:How Zahra landed at Buzzfeed covering climateThe Trump Administration and how its policies have affected climateHer audience and readershipThe positioning of her news room and editorsJournalism’s roleHer journey from studying geology at Brown to the world of climate journalismWhat she learned at Inside Climate NewsHow climate change has become increasingly topical and relevantEditorial decisions around what stories to coverDelivering impact vs. ad revenueJournalism’s shifting focusChallenges faced by journalism and the rise of disinformationLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Zahra Hirji at Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/zahrahirjiInside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/George Luber, “How A Bad Boss Remade Himself As a Climate Hero”: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/cdc-whistleblower-george-luber-investigation“New York Loses Climate Change Fraud Case Against Exxon Mobil”:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/climate/exxon-climate-lawsuit-new-york.htmlYale Program on Climate Change Communication: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/
Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant


