Political Climate

Late last year, the European Union introduced a $1 trillion plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and achieve a just transition away from polluting technologies.Europe’s Green Deal enjoys strong backing from many of the EU’s top political figures. But it faces pushback from coal-heavy member states. Implementation of the Green Deal has now been further complicated by the urgent need for governments to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.On this episode, we bring you a conversation with EU Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis about the implications of COVID-19 for Europe’s energy and climate agenda.Not only that — we also discuss the fallout from plummeting oil prices, what to do with stranded fossil fuel assets, the outlook for a U.S. green recovery plan, and corporate clean energy commitments amid coronavirus with a stellar panel of experts from Google, The Aspen Institute and elsewhere. This episode you'll also hear from: Nikos Tsafos, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Kevin Book, managing director of research at Clearview Energy Partners Marsden Hanna, head of sustainability and climate policy for the government affairs team at Google Greg Gershuny, executive director of the Aspen Institute's energy and environment program Political Climate host Julia Pyper moderates this conversation, which originally took place as a virtual event hosted by the EU Delegation to the U.S.Recommended reading: GTM: Moonshot Moment: Europe Announces Green Deal GTM: EU Green Deal Should Be Canceled Because of Coronavirus, Czech PM Says Euractiv: EU leaders back ‘green transition’ in pandemic recovery plan Virtual event: How COVID-19 affects the climate and energy agenda Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Eavor, the first truly scalable form of clean baseload power. Learn more at eavor.com.

Are progressive ideas on how to tackle climate change a political poison pill? New opinion polling challenges this commonly held assumption.On this week's episode of Political Climate, we discuss how data is helping decode where the American public stands on progressive issues with Julian Brave NoiseCat, vice president of policy and strategy at the left-wing think tank Data for Progress.We dig into new polling on the Green New Deal and passing a green stimulus bill in response to COVID-19. We also look at public views on nationalizing the U.S. oil and gas industry and potential Democratic picks for vice president.Plus, Julian puts a question to co-host Shane Skelton about the Republican response to climate change. As always, we end with our segment “Say Something Nice.”Recommended reading: Politico: What AOC Gets that Bernie Didn’t Data for Progress: Voters Want a Green Stimulus Data for Progress: The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Made Voters More Supportive of the Green New Deal Data for Progress: Nationalize the Fossil Fuel Industry No Place Like Home Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate! Tweet at our hosts at @JMPyper @BrandonHurlbut @ShaneSkelton.Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

African Americans are struggling with a disproportionate death toll from COVID-19 and severe financial strain from the economic downturn. This crisis has exposed preexisting racial disparities created by deep-seated social, economic and political factors. These same underlying issues make African Americans more vulnerable to health damage from pollution, as well as from heat waves, storms and other effects of climate change. Meanwhile, African Americans are missing out on wealth creation opportunities in the clean energy economy, which could be an effective solution to some of these underlying issues — bringing jobs and environmental benefits to communities that need it the most.In this episode of Political Climate, the fifth in our "Path to Zero" series with Third Way, we look at how COVID-19 and climate change are affecting Black communities, and how these issues can be tackled in tandem. We speak to Jared DeWese and Akunna Cook at Third Way about the multiple crises facing Black Americans today. We also hear from Naomi Davis, a grassroots leader and green village builder in Chicago’s Southside, who succeeded in shaping a landmark clean energy bill in Illinois. Finally, we speak to Tony Reames, assistant professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, about the issue of “energy injustice.” We also discuss takeaways from preliminary research on how African Americans are thinking about climate and energy issues in 2020.Recommended reading: National Geographic: African Americans struggle with disproportionate COVID death toll NYT: New Research Links Air Pollution to Higher Coronavirus Death Rates Quartz: The overwhelming whiteness of US environmentalism is hobbling the fight against climate change ISEA: Future Energy Jobs Act Workforce Development Programs HuffPost: Solar Power Has A Diversity Problem Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

John Kerry isn’t pleased. As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the former senator and secretary of state says a profound lack of leadership is causing the United States to fall behind on climate action and clean energy innovation.In this episode of Political Climate, we speak to Secretary Kerry about his outlook on combatting climate change. We get his views on abolishing the Senate filibuster, decarbonizing the power grid, the future role of fossil fuels, American leadership (or lack thereof) on the international stage, and more.We also get an update on Kerry’s World War Zero coalition. The initiative was launched last year with a high-profile cast of founding members to mobilize mass action to combat the climate crisis. The coalition's main goal is to host more than ten million “climate conversations” in 2020 with citizens from across the political spectrum. Has the star-studded effort been successful so far?Finally, we turn to a brief interview with Tia Nelson, environmental leader, climate program director at the Outrider Foundation and daughter of former Senator and Governor Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.Nelson was 13 years old on April 22, 1970 — the first Earth Day ever. We get her thoughts on how the environmental movement has evolved over time. Recommended reading: WaPo: John Kerry: Why I’m an optimist this Earth Day WBNS: Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Kerry, John Kasich hold town hall on climate change at Otterbein Heated: A conversation with John Kerry Isthmus: Earth Day turns 50 When the Earth Moves Film Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival is being held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

The 2020 election is crawling forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. Former Vice President Joe Biden has become the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party, with Senator Bernie Sanders announcing his withdrawal from the race.With the primary settled, the next question is: can Biden win over Bernie’s climate supporters? And how much do these supporters matter?Speaking of support, clean energy stakeholders say they're in dire need of government help. Industry researchers project that the clean energy sector could lose more than a half million jobs — or 15 percent of its total workforce — in the coming months if no additional policy actions are taken by Congress.More than 106,000 workers already lost their jobs in the month of March alone, according to a new analysis by Environmental Entrepreneurs, the American Council on Renewable Energy, E4TheFuture and BW Research. In light of these numbers, will a Republican-led Senate step in to save the clean energy workforce?We discuss on this week’s episode of Political Climate.Recommended reading: Axios: Biden and Sanders vow joint climate work as part of endorsement NYT: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Never Spoken to Joe Biden. Here’s What She Would Say GTM: Virginia Mandates 100% Clean Power by 2045 The Atlantic: Coronavirus Killed the Policy Primary E2: 106,000 Jobs in Clean Energy Lost in March Due to COVID-19 Economic Crisis Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

The coronavirus outbreak continues to loom large over the world. Across the globe, countries face major challenges as consumer demand contracts, employee payroll is cut, and capital shrinks as billions of people remain in quarantine. The combination of an economic downturn, cheap oil and gas, and global supply chain disruptions will have big consequences for clean energy markets and climate action in the U.S and abroad. But is it all bad news?In this episode, we bring you a conversation on the implications of COVID-19 for climate and clean energy with four expert voices. Drawing on data and experience, speakers weigh in on the future of sustainable finance, low-carbon technology deployment, and government stimulus efforts.This discussion was recorded earlier in the week at virtual event presented by the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center and moderated by podcast host Julia Pyper.Joining her this episode are: Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas at Bloomberg New Energy Finance Rachel Kyte, former CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University Rich Powell, executive director of the ClearPath Foundation Adnan Amin, former Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency and Distinguished Fellow and the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center Recommended reading: GTM: Coronavirus Derailed COP26 Talks, But Not Europe’s Appetite for Climate Action Vox: How the Covid-19 recession could become a depression CNN: Here's what America's oil CEOs discussed with Trump Atlantic Council: COVID-19: Clean energy and climate impacts Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

Climate change didn’t stop while the world turned its attention to combating the coronavirus. Will leaders seize the moment to tackle more than one crisis?The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act offered no explicit support for the energy sector. Will Congress use the next stimulus bill to accelerate the green economy as part of the COVID-19 recovery? If so, when and how? Or will climate friendly stimulus measures fall by the wayside for now?Plus, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will allow companies to break pollution laws during the pandemic and did not set a timeline to start implementing the laws again. We discuss how this compares to the crisis response of past administrations.. We end with some tips on how to weather through COVID-19 and related economic troubles, including a breakdown of the financial support available to cleantech startups under the recently passed CARES Act.Recommended reading: E&E News: Does climate change still matter in the election? The Guardian: Trump administration allows companies to break pollution laws during coronavirus pandemic Medium: A Green Stimulus to Rebuild Our Economy Wired: The Analogy Between Covid-19 and Climate Change Is Eerily Precise The Guardian: Polar ice caps melting six times faster than in 1990s Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

Labor groups and environmentalists have a complicated relationship.Efforts to mitigate climate change stand to create new employment opportunities in a thriving, low-carbon economy. But they also stand to eliminate many unionized jobs, particularly in the fossil fuel industry.So how can organized labor and the environmental movement work together to promote a just and sustainable society? We discuss in a candid conversation with Lee Anderson, director of government affairs at the Utility Workers Union of America, and Anna Fendley, director of regulatory and state policy at the United Steelworkers.We also explore how policymakers can support blue collar workers and expand job prospects, while dramatically cutting down carbon emissions. Does the prospect of another economic stimulus bill in response to COVID-19 present an opportunity to accelerate America's blue-green economy?This is the fourth episode of Political Climate’s monthly “Path to Zero” series, brought to you by the public policy think tank Third Way. The series explore how people are being affected by the transition to cleaner energy resources, and the economic challenges and opportunities created in the process. It examines the technologies and policies we will need to implement to drive down carbon emissions, and the politics driving this dialogue. Listen and subscribe to all “Path to Zero” episodes here!Recommended reading: Solidarity for Climate Action Politico: Energy Issues in Stimulus Limbo A Green Stimulus to Rebuild Our Economy Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

With cases recorded in more than 140 countries, the novel coronavirus has become a global health crisis. In the U.S., bars and offices have been closed, conferences cancelled and kids kept home from school in an attempt to slow the spread. President Trump has declared a national emergency and invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate the virus response.So why aren’t we reacting as swiftly to climate change -- another human-propelled global catastrophe that could harm human health and wellbeing for generations to come?These threats are not the same, but they do share certain attributes. We discuss with risk and behavioral scientist Sweta Chakraborty, founder of Adapt to Thrive and co-host the live weekly radio show “Risky Behavior.”Recommended reading: NBC: Me, worry? For coronavirus, it depends on your politics GTM: For Wind and Solar Sectors, Biggest Coronavirus Risk May Be a Damaged Economy GreenBiz: COVID-19 and climate change: A healthy dose of reality London Real: Jonathan Haidt - Climate Change Ideology Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. Looking for a new activity? Challenge yourself to take on the 50 for 50 Challenge — 5 Pledges x 10 Actions = 50 Ways to Protect our Planet in honor of Earth Day's 50th anniversary. Sign up at www.earthx.org!

It's been pretty hard to miss the latest news. Coronavirus spreads! Oil prices plummet! Stock market crashes!What does all of this have to do with climate and clean energy? A lot, actually.On Monday, oil prices had their worst day since the 1991 Gulf War, falling 24 percent to around $34 per barrel. So how did we get here? And what does the combination of rock bottom oil prices and the coronavirus mean for clean energy?We break it down on this episode of Political Climate in an interview with David Livingston, senior analyst at the political risk consultancy Eurasia Group with a focus on energy and global macroeconomics.Recommended reading: E&E News: EVs, shale and Trump: 5 takeaways from the oil crash WaPo: White House likely to pursue federal aid for shale companies hit by oil shock, coronavirus downturn GTM: Coronavirus May Challenge Solar Industry’s Tax Credit Strategy Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the EarthX Expo, Conference and Film Festival in Dallas, Texas. This event is for everyone, including you! Visit earthx.org to learn more and register.