Political Climate

This is a pivotal moment in the fight against climate change. There is a need to act now and there are a lot of open questions on how to do that.Net zero emissions by 2050 has emerged as the target that the world must hit in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Policymakers and activists in the U.S. are working to put the net zero goal into law, and multiple major companies have already pledged to achieve carbon neutrality. But what will it really take to reach zero?That’s what Political Climate will explore in the coming months in a new podcast series called “Path to Zero,” presented in partnership with Third Way. This series will look at how people are being affected by the transition to cleaner energy resources, and the economic challenges and opportunities created in the process. It will examine the technologies and policies we need to drive down carbon emissions, and the politics influencing this activity.In this first episode of the series — introduced by Josh Freed, senior vice president of the climate and energy program at Third Way — we discuss why we’re talking about net zero emissions by 2050 to begin with. What is the climate science underpinning this goal? What does “net zero” mean? And what will the future look like if this goal isn’t met? We get the answers from scientist and climate strategist Dr. Jane Long, former associate director for energy and environment at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.“Path to Zero” episodes will air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed, after the first two episodes air in January. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!Recommended reading: The Hill: Democrats outline sweeping legislation to make U.S. carbon neutral by 2050 GTM: Spanish Oil Giant Repsol Sets Net-Zero Emissions Target for 2050 Climate Home: Net zero: the story of the target that will shape our future Third Way: Zero by 2050: Understanding the Challenge Before Us Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Listen and subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast or any of these other services.

Hello and happy new year! It’s January, so we can still say that — right?Between devastating wildfires in Australia, conflict in the Middle East, and a rapidly approaching Democratic presidential primary there’s been no shortage of news since 2020 began. In this week's episode, we discuss what the latest headlines mean for climate and energy policy. Plus, we bring you a sit-down interview with former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who put in place many of the state’s foundational climate and clean energy policies (in addition to being an actor, businessman and bodybuilder, of course).We get the governor's reflections on 2019, including why he decided to support teen climate activist Greta Thunberg in her journey across North America last fall. And why he's also backing former Secretary of State John Kerry's star-studded and bipartisan World War Zero climate initiative, which some argue is at odds with the youth climate movement.Schwarzenegger also weighs in on Congress' failure to extend clean energy tax credits last legislative session and the Trump administration's lawsuit against California's cap-and-trade program.Recommended reading: Verge: John Kerry, Arnold Schwarzenegger wage ‘World War Zero’ on climate change Vox: John Kerry and the climate kids: a tale of 2 new strategies to fight climate change GTM: How the White House Killed Clean Energy Tax Credits CNN: Australia's deadly wildfires are showing no signs of stopping. Here's what you need to know Recharge: French solar power charity wins Zayed Sustainability Prize Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

We're technically on break this week, but couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring you our full interview with Emily Atkin, author of the popular climate newsletter HEATED.Emily came on Political Climate in early December to talk about the fossil fuel industry’s climate change disinformation campaign in our episode “Big Oil on Trial.” We had a lot to cover on that show, so we weren’t able to share the entire conversation between Emily and podcast host Julia Pyper.But there was lot of great content, so we wanted to share this extended interview. It goes deeper into the fossil fuel sector, looks at the controversy over Pete Buttigieg’s climate advisor David Victor, and explores shifting dynamics in the media industry and how to be a responsible climate journalist.Political Climate will be back soon with our Democratic and Republican co-hosts, Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton. In the meantime, as you pack up your holiday decorations or prep for a New Year’s Eve party, we hope that you enjoy this bonus episode.And while you’re here, please give us a rating and leave a review! Let us know what we’re doing well and what we can improve on in 2020. Thank you!Recommended reading: HEATED: Is Pete Buttigieg's climate adviser a fossil fuel shill? GTM: How Oil and Gas Giants Are ‘Buying Options’ for an Uncertain Future Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Is radical reform needed to remake the U.S. electricity grid? What’s the role of nuclear power in the U.S. energy mix? Which Democratic presidential candidate has the best climate plan? What’s the most effective approach to climate advocacy? And how should journalists be covering highly politicized issues in today’s highly polarized information landscape?On this week's episode on Political Climate, we put these and other questions to David Roberts, acclaimed energy and politics reporter for Vox.  As a leading voice in the space, he has helped tens of thousands of readers better understand wonky topics like performance-based utility regulation and how batteries can benefit the power grid. He has also waded into covering broader political issues, like how the impeachment of President Trump is feeding into a bifurcated information ecosystem and may be fueling an epistemic crisis for the country.We thought it would be enlightening to end the 2019 season of Political Climate by asking Roberts a wide range of questions on American politics and how to save the planet. We hope you enjoy the interview, and we will be back with new episodes in the New Year!Recommended reading: Vox: The radical reform necessary to prepare California’s power system for the 21st century Vox: John Kerry and the climate kids: a tale of 2 new strategies to fight climate change Vox: Donald Trump and the rise of tribal epistemology Vox: With impeachment, America’s epistemic crisis has arrived Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

It’s week two of the United Nations COP25 climate summit, and it’s the last few days of Congress before the winter recess. What have American policymakers accomplished? We get an update from the U.S. Climate Action Center on site at the UN climate talks. We look at wildfire victim relief in California. And we discuss 12 pieces of clean energy legislation that House Republicans are calling on Democrats to support. What's the political strategy at play?Plus, a prominent former senator weighs in on the climate, energy and security nexus and how to avoid the game of “political football” that climate policy has become today.Later in this show, we speak to former Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire about what she calls “common-sense” solutions to combat climate change.Recommended reading: Al Jazeera: As Trump walks away from climate pact, America's Pledge steps up Vox: The future of the Paris climate agreement is being decided this week NYT: PG&E Reaches $13.5 Billion Deal With Wildfire Victims E&C: Bipartisan Solutions to Protect the Environment and the Economy Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Fossil fuel companies could be facing a Big Tobacco moment.This fall, Exxon Mobil went to court, facing charges that the oil giant lied to shareholders and to the public about the costs and consequences of climate change. And that’s just one of several legal cases seeking to hold oil and gas firms responsible for their contribution to global warming.As we discuss with UCLA environmental law professor Ann Carlson in this episode of Political Climate, the litigation could cost fossil fuel companies billions of dollars and fundamentally change the way the world approaches energy production. But lawsuits aren’t the only venue for challenging the fossil fuel industry. This battle is also being waged in the court of public opinion, which has put a spotlight on how oil companies can promote their positions on social media. In this episode, we also hear from journalist Emily Atkin, author of the newsletter Heated, about why she and others are angry about the oil industry’s political ads.With the United Nations COP25 climate summit also taking place this week, fossil fuels are in the crosshairs.Recommended reading: Inside Climate: Where the Major Climate Change Lawsuits Stand Today Heated: Exxon climate ads aren’t "political," according to Twitter Axios: To tackle climate change, clean energy isn’t enough NYT: ‘Bleak’ U.N. Report on a Planet in Peril Looms Over New Climate Talks GTM: Spanish Oil Giant Repsol Sets Net-Zero Emissions Target for 2050 Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

The holidays can be difficult. It can be tough to get along in these polarized times. Family conversations on climate change can get heated. We get it.Sometimes we have those heated conversations on this show. But it’s all in the interest of breaking out of our self-contained opinion bubbles.So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, on this episode of Political Climate we say thank you to our listeners for engaging with this podcast — even when the feedback comes in the form of a mean Tweet.Then we cheers to the climate action happening on both sides of the aisle in an extended edition of our “Say Something Nice” segment of the show, where our Democrat and Republican co-hosts have to say something redeeming about the opposing political party.Gobble. Gobble.Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

In the shadow of public impeachment hearings, a group of House Democrats is attempting to advance a bold climate action plan that the entire party can rally around. On Thursday, House members introduced legislation that would set a nationwide goal of achieving a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050. The bill was announced with more than 150 co-sponsors.In this episode of Political Climate, we conduct an exclusive in-depth interview with one of the bill’s authors, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY). Tonko serves as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's environment and climate change subcommittee, where he’s been holding hearings for several weeks to flesh out what a 100 percent clean economy would look like. "There is a lot going on beyond the impeachment inquiries that have begun, and the people need to know that," Tonko said.We ask Rep. Tonko about the newly introduced 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019 and get his outlook on how to get the bill to the president's desk. Plus, we get his thoughts on extending clean energy tax credits and what he makes of the Republican stance on climate policy. (Interview segment begins 13:50)This week’s show opens with a first-hand account of what happened at the California Democratic State Convention, and with takeaways from a lunch with Southern Republican lawmakers touring California for tips on how to grow their local clean energy sectors. Recommended reading: McEachin, Haaland, Dingell, Blumenauer, Tonko & Pingree Introduce 100% Clean Legislation Washington Examiner: House Democrats Plan 100% Clean Economy Bill Thursday to Unite Party  GTM: Renewable Tax Credits Get Another Shot in Congress NYT: Obama Says Average American Doesn’t Want to ‘Tear Down System’ Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

We’re officially less than one year away from the 2020 election.What do the latest polls tell us about how the presidential candidates are stacking up? What do the 2019 elections tell us about how this could play out? And what does all of this mean for climate and energy policy?In this episode of Political Climate, we look at Democrat wins in Virginia and Kentucky. We also discuss the results of a New York Times/Siena College poll that offers a mixed bag for Democratic candidates.Plus, billionaire climate-action champion Michael Bloomberg flirts (once again) with entering the 2020 race. Does his campaign stand a chance?Finally, we discuss a rift between Democrats and Republicans over climate language included in a defense bill. Are Democrats stalling on this climate measure in hopes for a bigger legislative win?Recommended reading: GTM: Virginia’s Democratic Sweep and Its Implications for Dominion Energy’s Future NYT: Recent Polls Show Trump’s Support Is Flagging in the Suburbs — and Beyond CS Monitor: Why these Kentucky Democrats still love President Trump Cook Political: Democrats Need to Mind the Gap Between Their Base and Swing Voters BBC: US election 2020: Michael Bloomberg mulls presidential bid Washington Examiner: Why a key Democrat is holding back a bipartisan climate bill Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

If you’re following political news then you’ve probably heard of The Squad, a group of four newly elected congresswomen advocating for progressive policies like the Green New Deal.But have you heard of the New Democrat Coalition and its plans for dealing with climate change? In this episode of Political Climate, we hear from a lawmaker who is leading that charge.Last year, Sean Casten ran one of the most overtly pro-climate action campaigns of the 2018 midterms, in a historically Republican district. In the end, Casten, a biochemical engineer and a clean energy entrepreneur, beat out six-term Republican Rep. Peter Roskam.Rep. Casten’s race in the Illinois 6th District was identified as a 2018 battleground that could have determined whether or not Democrats took control of the House. And it’s a moderate, suburban district that Democrats will want to keep in 2020.As you’ll hear in this interview, Rep. Casten is intent on finding solutions to climate change and doesn’t shy away from getting wonky on topics like energy storage and attracting capital to the solar sector. But he also has a critical view of some of the policies his fellow Democrats have put forward.Recommended reading: New Democrat Coalition Climate Principles ThinkProgress: Newly elected Democratic congressman casts doubt on Green New Deal GTM: A Green Wave? How Climate and Clean Energy Are Playing Into the 2018 Midterms Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.