Fossil fuels -- coal, natural gas, and oil -- provide the large majority of our power in the United States and around the world. In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), John Reilly of the MIT Sloan School of Management joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to demystify fossil fuels: what are the different kinds of fossil fuels, and how do they compare to each other? What is “fracking” and how did impact energy use and CO2 emissions in the United States? What kinds of decisions do we need to make to transition to clean energy, while providing electricity to a growing number of people?John Reilly is a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Co-Director of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change. An economist, he researches economic models that connect human activity with natural systems like the ocean, atmosphere, and vegetation.Season two of TILclimate focuses on our global energy system, its relationship to climate change, and what our options are for keeping the lights on while creating a clean energy future. We’re partnering with the MIT Energy Initiative, which will air longer interviews with each guest to take a deeper dive into these topics. For more episodes of TILclimate, visit: tilclimate.mit.eduTo listen to the MIT Energy Initiative podcast, visit: energy.mit.edu/podcastFor in-depth analyses on energy technologies, check out the MIT Energy’s “Future of” report series: energy.mit.edu/research-type/future-of/For the full break-down of where U.S. gets its energy: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerRachel Fritts, Graduate Student WriterOlivia Burek, Student Production AssistantMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron KrolProduced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The electric grid are networks that carry electricity from central power plants to our homes. But how exactly is electricity generated and brought to our door? And what needs to change if we’re going to transition to generating “clean” electricity? In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), Harvey Michaels, lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to explain the history and perhaps surprising features of the electric grid, and what changes are in store for the future.This episode launches a new season of TILclimate that will explain our global energy system, its relationship to climate change, and what our options are for keeping the lights on while creating a clean energy future. For this season, TILclimate is partnering with the MIT Energy Initiative, which will air longer interviews with each guest to take a deeper dive into these topics.Harvey Michaels, an MIT alumnus now lecturing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, researches energy management and efficiency and smart-grid-related opportunities to mitigate climate change. He is a member of Future of the Grid at the MIT Energy Initiative, Efficiency Forward at the Sloan Sustainability Initiative, and Project Faculty for Energy Democracy at the MIT Media Lab. Prior to joining MIT, Harvey Michaels worked at energy efficiency companies Xenergy and Aclara Software.For more episodes of TILclimate, visit: tilclimate.mit.eduTo listen to the MIT Energy Initiative podcast, visit: energy.mit.edu/podcastFor in-depth analyses on energy technologies, check out the MIT Energy’s “Future of” report series: energy.mit.edu/research-type/future-of/ Credits·     Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer·     David Lishansky, Editor and Producer·     Rachel Fritts, Graduate Student Writer·     Olivia Burek, Student Production Assistant·     Music by Blue Dot Sessions·     Artwork by Aaron KrolProduced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Here at TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), there’s one question we get from our listeners more than any other: “What can I do to make a difference on climate change?” In this special episode of the podcast, three guests who have made acting on climate a big part of their lives join interim host Aaron Krol to share their stories and their advice for those who want to do more. Together, we discuss how to mobilize and inspire others, how small individual actions can lead to large societal ones, and why your contributions to a cooler, more resilient future can have benefits that aren’t just about rising seas or mounting heat waves.Emily Her is a student at Boise State University, previously at Timberline High School, and a regular volunteer for the Sierra Club. While still in high school, she co-organized a campaign in favor of climate change education in Idaho schools and participated in the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign, petitioning the City of Boise to commit to a 100% clean energy mandate for sourcing its electricity.Linda Cheung, an alumna of the MIT Sloan School of Business and the Sloan Sustainability Certificate program, is the founder and CEO of Before It’s Too Late, a Miami-based nonprofit that uses art and technology to educate and inspire on climate issues. Her projects at Before It’s Too Late include interactive murals, live games, hackathons, and personal challenges. She previously worked in the finance and renewable energy industries.The Reverend Mariama White-Hammond is the pastor of New Roots AME Church in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, and serves in leadership positions with a number of environmental and social justice organizations, among them the Green Justice Coalition. Previously the Executive Director of Project HIP-HOP, the Reverend White-Hammond focuses on the intersection of the climate crisis with other social justice issues, especially where climate change will contribute to problems afflicting vulnerable minority communities.For more short climate change explainers, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu.CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Interim HostCecelia Bolon, Olivia Burek, and Alyssa Farkas, Student Production AssistantsMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron KrolSpecial thanks to Tom Kiley and MIT Open Learning.Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.More InfoFor more information and inspiration on climate action, check out:More from Emily Her and Ready for 100:The Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaignI experienced a backlash for using two words—climate change. Still, I speak. (Idaho Statesman)The lightbulb is turning on for Boise leaders: Clean, renewable energy is our future (Idaho Statesman)More from Linda Cheung:Before It’s Too LateThe 7-Day ChallengeSpotlight: MIT Alum Linda Cheung, Founder, Before It's Too Late (MIT Climate Portal)In Miami, how art intersects with technology and climate change (PBS News Hour)Grist 50 List, 2019 (Grist)More from the Reverend Mariama White-Hammond:TILclimate’s full interview with the ReverendNew Roots AME ChurchThe Green Justice CoalitionClimate Change and Community: An Interview with Reverend Mariama White-Hammond (ClimateX)One Faith Leader Says Love Is The Key To Climate Action (WGBH)Climate Justice: What It Requires of Us All (Beacon Hill Friends House)Three Boston Congregations Team Up for Community Solar Project (Barr Foundation)Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley & Rev. Mariama White-Hammond: Green New Deal Town Hall (Jamaica Plain Forum)National climate action organizations:Sunrise MovementEnvironmental Voter ProjectClimate Justice AllianceMothers Out Front350.org

When talking about climate change solutions, we often hear about reducing emissions and adapting to climate impacts, but a third option is starting to get more attention: altering the atmosphere. In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT alumnus Janos Pasztor joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to explain geoengineering: what it is and the different technologies that are being researched. They also dive into the opportunities and challenges presented by geoengineering, and what difficult decisions we might need to make as a society. Janos Pasztor, an MIT alum, is the Executive Director of the Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative (C2G2), which seeks to create effective governance for geoengineering; it aims to expand the conversation from the scientific and research community to global policy-making, and to encourage a society-wide discussion about the risks, potential benefits, ethical and governance challenges. Before his current position, Mr. Pasztor was the UN Assistant Secretary General for Climate Change and the Policy and Science Director of the WWF (2012-2015). From 1993–2006, he worked at the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. For more short climate change explainers, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Links To learn more, check out: Mr. Pasztor’s work: Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative Website Video - Global Ethics Forum: The Ethics and Governance of Geoengineering (Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs) For more information on geoengineering: What is geoengineering? (Oxford Geoengineering Programme) Geoengineering overview (Global Challenges) Rules for geoengineering the planet (MIT Technology Review) Excerpt from “Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration (Holly Jean Buck, published in MIT Technology Review) More on absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (carbon dioxide removal): Nature-based solutions (World Resources Institute) Direct air capture (DAC) (Fortune) * Biomass Energy Carbon Capture & Storage (BECCS) (Carbon Brief) More on solar radiation management: Stratospheric aerosol injection (CBS) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Cecelia Bolon, Student Production Assistant Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and MIT Open Learning. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

What exactly is a carbon price, and how does it work? What would it look like and how would it change everyday life? In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT economics professor Christopher Knittel joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to break down the complexities of carbon pricing. Together, they explain different types of programs, give us a sense of how much it would cost, and explore how countries and U.S. states are experimenting with carbon pricing now. Christopher Knittel is a professor of applied economics at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, director of the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR), and co-director of the MIT Electric Power Systems Low Carbon Energy Center. Prof. Knittel’s research focuses on energy and environmental economics, and he works to compare the efficiency and costs of different programs and policies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more climate explainers, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Links For more information on carbon pricing, check out: The work of Prof. Knittel: Prof. Knittel’s website Overviews of carbon pricing: About Carbon Pricing (UNFCCC) Map - Carbon pricing programs around the world (World Bank) Map - U.S. state carbon pricing policies (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions) Examples of carbon pricing policies outside of the U.S.: British Columbia’s Carbon Tax (British Columbia) Canada’s Carbon Pricing Plan (Government of Canada) European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU) China will start the world’s largest carbon trading market (Scientific American) Examples of carbon pricing policies in the U.S.: California’s Current Cap and Trade System (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions) The existing Northeast US Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Federal carbon pricing proposals introduced 2017–2018 (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions) Citizens of Washington state voted against a carbon tax in 2018 (NBC) About the US sulfur dioxide (SO2) cap and trade program Acid Rain Program (EPA) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Cecelia Bolon, Student Production Assistant Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and MIT Open Learning. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

With climate change, some parts of the world will get more water, but others will experience droughts. Some will start seeing more mosquitoes, but some fewer. And some regions might actually benefit economically. What’s the deal? In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Elfatih Eltahir joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to talk about how climate impacts will differ across the globe. Together, they do a quick world tour, exploring how climate change will affect malaria in Africa, water availability in the Nile, and heat waves in Southern Asia. Elfatih Eltahir is a professor of Hydrology and Climate in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and he has taught at MIT since 1994. Prof. Eltahir is interested in understanding how regional land use/land cover change, as well as global climate change, may impact society through changes in the patterns of water availability, extreme weather, and spread of vector-borne diseases. Working with his students, he develops numerical models that are used for predicting these impacts at regional scales. For more short climate change explainers, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Links For more information on regional climate impacts, check out: The work of Prof. Eltahir: Prof. Eltahir’s website China could face deadly heat waves due to climate change (MIT News) Parts of Asia might be too hot for people by 2100 (National Geographic) Nile faces greater variability (MIT News) 3Q: Elfatih Eltahir on what Malaria and Dengue can tell us about Zika (MIT News) The New York Times graphic that Prof. Eltahir mentions at 9:10: How Americans Think About Climate Change, in Six Maps (New York Times) Large-scale climate: Climate change and vector-borne diseases (UCAR) Sand from Greenland’s Melting Ice Sheet Could Bring in Business (American Geophysical Union) Does global warming mean it’s warming everywhere? (NOAA) More Floods and More Droughts: Climate Change Delivers Both (New York Times) Climate impacts in the US: National Climate Assessment Overview (U.S. Global Change Research Program) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer [David Lishansky]((https://twitter.com/DaveResonates), Editor and Producer Cecelia Bolon, Student Production Assistant Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and MIT Open Learning. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

How do we make choices in the face of uncertainty? In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Kerry Emanuel joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to talk about climate risk. Together, they break down why the climate system is so hard to predict, what exactly scientists mean when they talk about “uncertainty”, and how scientists quantify and assess the risks associated with climate change. Although this uncertainty shrinks every day — as researchers refine their work, computing power grows, and models improve — what we do and how quickly we act will ultimately come down to how much risk we are willing to accept. Kerry Emanuel is an MIT Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and the co-founder and co-director of the MIT Lorenz Center. In 2006, he was included in Time Magazine’s “100 People who Shape Our World”. Through his decades of experience studying the atmosphere and earth’s climate, Prof. Emanuel focuses on trying to quantify the risks of these anthropogenic (human-caused) changes, especially focusing on hurricanes. For more short climate change explainers, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Links For more information on climate risk, check out: The work of Prof. Emanuel: Prof. Emanuel’s website Video lecture on climate risks Information about predicted levels of warming and impacts of that warming: Summary of the impacts of 1.5 degrees of warming (MIT Climate Portal) 2100 warming projections (climateactiontracker.org) Climate action ratings by country (climateactiontracker.org) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Cecelia Bolon, Student Production Assistant Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and Laura Howells. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Scientists predict that hurricanes will hit us harder in the future — but why? And what can we expect to see? In this episode of #TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Kerry Emanuel joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to break down how these “heat engines” work and how a changing climate will increase hurricane intensity, storm surges, and flooding. They also explore how people around the world are adapting to growing hurricane risks. Prof. Emanuel is the Cecil & Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science at the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and co-director of the MIT Lorenz Center. He is a prominent meteorologist and climate scientist who studies tropical cyclones. In 2006, he was named by Time Magazine as one of the “100 People Who Shape Our World”. An educator guide for this episode can be found here: https://climate.mit.edu/educator-guide-til-about-hurricanes For other climate explanations, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Learn more about: The work of Prof. Emanuel and other hurricane researchers: Prof. Kerry Emanuel’s website Kerry Emanuel: This year’s hurricanes are a taste of the future (MIT News) Does climate change affect hurricanes? What we do — and don’t — know (CBS News) Video footage of storm surges (as mentioned by Prof. Emanuel 5:59) Hurricane storm surge (NOAA Ocean Today) Kerry Emanuel’s explanation for natural sea level rise in New York (As mentioned by Prof. Emanuel 6:30): “During the peak of the glaciation, the weight of the ice deformed the earth's crust much as a rock deforms a pillow it is placed on. The pillow sinks under the weight of the rock but bulges upward just outside the perimeter of the rock. When the rock is lifted, the depression in the pillow rebounds upward while the bulge around it collapses. New York was near the center of the bulge caused by the ice sheet, and when it melted, the bulge relaxed downward...equivalent to a rise in sea level. That is still happening.” Examples of how communities are adapting to hurricanes: Partnerships to advance climate risk insurance approaches in Grenada, Jamaica, and Saint Lucia (UNFCCC) Connected mangroves in Malaysia (UNFCCC) National resettlement plan in Uruguay (UNFCCC) Public private people partnerships for climate compatible development (4PCCD) in Mozambique (UNFCCC) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher Cecelia Bolon, Student Coordinator Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and Laura Howells. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Humans use around 90 billion metric tons of materials every year, creating about ⅓ of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Which materials produce the most emissions? You might be surprised. In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Elsa Olivetti joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to talk about materials, or as Prof. Olivetti calls it, “the study of stuff”. Prof. Olivetti explains where these emissions come from and how to reduce emissions and waste in our manufacturing. Prof. Olivetti is the Atlantic Richfield Associate Professor of Energy Studies in the Material Science and Engineering Department at MIT. Prof. Olivetti focuses her research on developing strategies to make materials and manufacturing more efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly. For other climate explanations, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu. Read more about: Prof. Olivetti’s projects: Brick made out of industrial waste Faculty Highlight: Elsa Olivetti (MIT News) Solutions developed at MIT & beyond: A company founded by MIT alumni recently developed a new way to process steel, that could cut 5% of CO2 emissions MIT students found that plastic from disposable water bottles can be used to make concrete that is up to 15% stronger (MIT News) An MIT Climate CoLab winner designed concrete made from hemp An MIT research group focused on sustainable concrete Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher Cecelia Bolon, Student Coordinator Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and Laura Howells. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Wrap your head around this: humans have changed clouds. In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Dan Cziczo joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to spell out why this is, and what this has to do with climate change. They explore how clouds form in the first place, how human activity has impacted cloud formation and rainfall, and what scientists are still trying to understand. They touch upon the emerging field of geoengineering and how humans could create more clouds to cool the planet — but we’ll have full episode on that coming out soon. Prof. Cziczo is a professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and has been an MIT faculty member since 2011. Prof. Cziczo is interested in the relationship between particulate matter and cloud formation, and his research focuses on how human activities are changing clouds and particles, and what those changes mean for atmospheric science. For other short, climate-explainer podcasts, see: www.tilclimate.mit.edu on MIT’s Climate portal. Read more about: Prof. Cziczo and his research: Cziczo Research Group website Can rain clean the atmosphere? Study explains how rain droplets attract aerosols out of the atmosphere. (MIT News) Dust in the Clouds (MIT News) Scientific uncertainty and geoengineering: Certainty vs. Uncertainty: Understanding Scientific Terms about Climate Change (Union of Concerned Scientists) The Future of Geoengineering is Far from Settled (MIT News) An overview of climate change: Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer (MIT’s Kerry Emanuel) Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher Cecelia Bolon, Student Coordinator Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Tom Kiley and Laura Howells. Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.