Political Climate

Some of the most important news doesn’t make big, splashy headlines. That can be because developments unfold slowly or are super-wonky, or simply get overlooked in a busy news cycle. That’s why the Political Climate team is creating a new Newsflash series, a monthly episode in your Political Climate feed in which we’ll bring you a behind-the-scenes look at a news story you might have missed.In this inaugural episode, host Julia Pyper and producer Maria Virginia Olano bring you snippets from an interview with Lisa Garcia, a regional administrator at the EPA, about the work the agency is doing to deploy funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year. It’s a huge, important topic that’s gotten far too little media coverage. As Garcia put it, “The infusion of funding for infrastructure is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or pretty much wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading: Canary Media: Q&A with Lisa Garcia: Getting environmental justice right at the EPA EPA Fact Sheet: EPA & the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Electrek: Biden administration kicks off $5 billion electric Clean School Bus program The Hill: Congress needs to support EPA’s environmental protection infrastructure

Faced with record-high gas prices, more and more American consumers are looking to dump the pump. In the first three months of 2022, electric vehicle registrations shot up 60 percent, even as the overall car market shrunk. EVs have experienced steady sales growth over the past decade but are still far from being mainstream. Could the combination of expensive gasoline and exciting new plug-in models see the U.S. turn a corner on mass EV adoption?On this episode of Political Climate, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut, and Shane Skelton talk about the policies and innovations unlocking greater transportation electrification – as well as the challenges ahead. From manufacturing bottlenecks and raw material supplies to high up-front costs and political opposition, there are still bumps on the road mainstreaming EVs. Plus, the hosts make a new bet – and need your help!Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or pretty much wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading: Canary Media: EVs can be cheaper on a monthly basis than gas-powered cars Canary Media: Electric heavy-duty trucks are hitting the roads in California and beyond Axios: Ford F-150 Lightning review: A watershed moment for electric vehicles Politico: The gasoline price-gouging fight to nowhere Political Climate: Mineral Security and Implications for the Energy Transition Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org

A major push is underway to onshore energy production and manufacturing in America now that Russia’s attack on Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerabilities of global energy supply chains. But the undertaking is complicated by competing political priorities, as U.S. leaders seek to strengthen the country’s energy security while advancing its climate goals. On this episode of Political Climate, our hosts talk through efforts to boost American-made clean energy through executive action. They also check the status of Democrats’ budget reconciliation bill as the midterm election season approaches, and examine a new push to cut a bipartisan climate deal.Also on the show (33.30), a conversation with Abby Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, about a trade case launched in the name of boosting American clean energy manufacturing that threatens to derail U.S. solar deployment – putting jobs at risk and climate goals out of reach. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or pretty much wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading: Politico: Dems grimace at Manchin’s bipartisan energy detour Canary Media: Will the Biden administration let one company kill US solar? DOE Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Will Deliver For American Workers, Families and Usher in the Clean Energy Future Climate Solutions Lab: Mapping U.S. Military Dependence on Russian Fossil Fuels Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — a historic $1.2 trillion investment package, passed by Congress on a bipartisan basis — has received little fanfare since President Biden signed it into law last November. The bill contains more than $80 billion to advance the clean energy transition and respond to climate change, but where exactly will those dollars go?On this episode of Political Climate host Julia Pyper and producer Maria Virginia Olano speak with Leah Rubin Shen, who leads federal legislative and political engagement at Advanced Energy Economy, about how the rubber is hitting the road on infrastructure spending in states across the country. Plus, they discuss what’s next for President Biden’s climate agenda amid soaring gas prices and push for greater energy independence, which is fueling a national debate around increasing domestic fossil fuel production versus enhancing domestic clean energy manufacturing and deployment. We want to learn more about Political Climate listeners and how we can make this podcast better. Please take a couple of minutes to fill out this short survey and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card!Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading: AEE: Advanced Energy Infrastructure: A Roadmap for Implementation Utility Dive: Biden invokes Defense Production Act to bolster domestic battery manufacturing for EVs, energy storage Canary Media: Here’s where things stand with climate legislation in Congress Canary Media: How the infrastructure bill will fight climate change and advance clean energy Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org

The Paris Agreement of 2015 set the target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This week’s release of the latest climate assessment report from the U.N. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underlines, once again, the need for deep decarbonization as quickly as possible for that goal to be met — even as world leaders rethink their energy policies amid the ongoing Russia/Ukraine conflict. On this episode of Political Climate, Julia Pyper hosts a discussion between renowned climate policy experts Laurence Tubiana, Rachel Kyte, David Sandalow and Adnan Amin about the progress toward meeting the Paris goals. They also discuss how to achieve equitable climate solutions and mobilize more climate finance. This conversation was originally recorded for the Zayed Sustainability Prize’s Voices of Sustainability series and republished with approval. We want to learn more about Political Climate listeners and how we can make this podcast better. Please take a couple of minutes to fill out this short survey and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card!Recommended reading: The Guardian: IPCC report: ‘now or never’ if world is to stave off climate disaster Canary Media: COP26 finance pledges are not as great as they seem Zayed Sustainability Prize Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fis​chtankpr​.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mce​CleanEn​er​gy​.orgListen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

Minerals and metals have a critical role to play in a low-carbon future — and a potentially controversial one, too. Conversations around extractive industries are complicated by supply chain issues, social impacts and national security concerns. This is a particularly pressing issue right now as Russia, one of the world’s top suppliers of metals and minerals, continues to wage war on Ukraine.  The clean energy transition will require using a lot of raw materials, such as nickel, cobalt and uranium. And those materials will need to be mined and processed to make things like electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and power nuclear plants. While clean energy is currently responsible for only a small share of global mineral demand, it is projected to grow rapidly. Jael Holzman, mining reporter at E&E News, joins our hosts this week to discuss the hard conversations many are still avoiding on the social, environmental and security risks of mining for substances needed to build decarbonized economies.We want to learn more about Political Climate listeners and how we can make this podcast better. Please take a couple of minutes to fill out this short survey and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card!Recommended reading: Politico: Could Russian sanctions hobble U.S. clean energy push? E&E News: Cobalt poses human rights test for Biden on clean energy E&E News: Could Russia’s invasion of Ukraine revive U.S. uranium mining? Canary Media: What you need to know about minerals and the clean energy transition Canary Media: Here are the minerals we need for batteries, solar and other clean energy tech Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine has shone a spotlight on the complex web of energy, climate and geopolitical issues — and has arguably already changed the global energy landscape in profound and lasting ways.The crisis has resurfaced debates on energy security and how to achieve it, with some rushing to call for increased oil and gas extraction to make up for Russian supply, while many others underscore the urgent need for renewable energy build-outs as a way to achieve energy independence.On this episode of Political Climate, our hosts discuss President Biden's new ban on Russian oil and gas imports and what it means for the U.S. energy mix. Plus, we examine the energy security aspects of Biden's first State of the Union Address and renewed efforts to pass a reconciliation bill.Then in the second half of the show, we turn to an interview with Anca Gurzu, a Brussels-based correspondent for the news outlet Cipher, to discuss the European perspective on the Ukraine crisis and what it means for the future of clean energy in Europe. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading: Foreign Affairs: Green Upheaval: The New Geopolitics of Energy Canary Media: How fast can Europe wean itself off Russian gas? E&E News: Manchin outlines energy demands as Dems mull next steps Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org 

State legislatures around the country have a major impact on climate policy, and yet state political races often go unnoticed. Caroline Spears says that needs to change. Caroline created Climate Cabinet Action to help state leaders develop strong platforms and communication strategies that embrace climate as a priority. Recently, the group published a Climate Cabinet Scorecard — the first national tool to hold state legislators accountable for their climate votes. On this episode of Political Climate, our hosts speak with Caroline Spears about the scorecard and how voters and donors can help candidates run, win, and legislate on the climate crisis. Recommended reading: Climate Cabinet Scorecard Quartz: Which US state legislators have the best records on climate-change policy? Canary: The top 6 ambitious state climate laws passed in 2021 Political Climate: Electing Climate Candidates Political Climate is brought to you by FischTank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org 

Senator Alex Padilla recently wrapped up his first year in the U.S. Senate as the first Latino to represent the state of California. It's been an eventful year, to put it mildly. On this episode of Political Climate, Sen. Padilla sits down with Julia, Brandon and Shane to discuss energy equity, infrastructure, prospects for the Build Back Better bill, and the future of political discourse in the U.S. The senator outlines legislation he introduced to help address the growing threat from wildfires in the West and his work to expand domestic U.S. production of cleantech mineral resources. Plus, he shares his outlook on voting rights legislation, filibuster reform and the upcoming midterm election. When it comes to addressing top Democratic priorities, the Sen. Padilla's message: "We're not giving up that easily."Recommended reading: Padilla Bill to Improve Federal Wildfire Response Gains Momentum in the Senate Times of San Diego: California Senators Seek to Expand Federal Authority Over Threatened Salton Sea PV Magazine: Ossoff bill would address rooftop solar’s cost burden on LMI people Political Climate is brought to you by Fischtank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org

President Joe Biden campaigned for the White House on a number key climate promises. When he officially took office, hopes were high that bold climate action would be at the center of the Biden policy platform. One year later, where does his record stand? On this episode of Political Climate, our hosts look at what the Biden administration has achieved during the president’s first year in office.Of course, a big component of President Biden’s climate agenda is still in limbo. The Build Back Better Act would devote $555 billion to clean energy and climate measures, along with a suite of social programs. Prospects for passing the full bill in the Senate were quashed late last year. But now there’s talk of moving some provisions forward in a trimmed down version of BBB, one that could get the 50 Democrat votes needed to pass. To kick off the show, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton evaluate the odds of a climate focused Build Back Better Act making it across the finish line. Recommended reading: Politico: The climate kinks in BBB White House: President Biden Signs Executive Order Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability Nature: Has Biden followed the science? What researchers say Canary Media: How the infrastructure bill will fight climate change and advance clean energy Grist: Executive Reaction: Biden vowed to undo Trump’s toxic legacy. We’re tracking his progress.  Political Climate is brought to you by Fischtank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.comPolitical Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org