Resources Radio

Host Daniel Raimi talks with Dr. Sue Lieberman, vice president for International Policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society. They discuss a major new report that synthesizes the literature on the global state of biodiversity. The report warns about a variety of risks, including species extinction, habitat degradation, food insecurity, and much more. Sue describes the scale of some of these risks, and shares her views on how policymakers can respond to prevent them. References and recommendations: IPBES Summary; https://www.ipbes.net/news/ipbes-global-assessment-preview "The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming" by David Wallace-Wells; https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41552709-the-uninhabitable-earth "Our Planet;" https://www.netflix.com/title/80049832 "Why the Guardian is Changing the Language it Uses about the Environment;" https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/17/why-the-guardian-is-changing-the-language-it-uses-about-the-environment

Host Daniel Raimi talks with RFF Research Associate Amelia Keyes about her recent research on the Trump administration's Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. Amelia and several colleagues have estimated the effect of the rule on emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide, finding that ACE could actually increase these emissions rather than reduce them. References and recommendations: "Mapping America’s Wicked Weather and Deadly Disasters"; https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/mapping-disasters/?utm_term=.db65dd6f46e3 "Mothers of Invention"; https://www.mothersofinvention.online/

Host Daniel Raimi talks with Sarah Propst, the Cabinet Secretary of the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department for the state of New Mexico. New Mexico recently enacted legislation to transition to 100 percent zero carbon electricity by the year 2050, and to provide transition assistance to workers and communities affected by the changing energy landscape. Daniel and Sarah discuss how the bill was developed, how much it's going to cost, and what other steps New Mexico is taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. References and recommendations: "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" by Steve Brusatte; https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/steve-brusatte/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-dinosaurs/9781509830091

Host Kristin Hayes talks with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) about the reintroduction of the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act. Sponsored by the senator and several colleagues, the legislation would impose a carbon fee on fossil fuels, starting at $52 per metric ton of CO2 emitted. They also discuss the challenges facing our planet’s oceans—a topic of great importance to the senator from the Ocean State. Top of the Stack: "Our Planet"; https://www.netflix.com/title/80049832

Host Kristin Hayes talks with Dr. Denise Reed, an internationally recognized expert in coastal marsh sustainability and the role of human activities in modifying coastal systems. They discuss Louisiana's coastal master plan, on which Denise has be an adviser to state officials leading the plan development. This ambitious, long-term planning process has grown even more important in the face of rising sea levels. References and recommendations: Richard Campanella books on New Orleans; http://www.richcampanella.com/index.php "Do Renewable Portfolio Standards Deliver?" by Michael Greenstone and Ishan Nath; https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/do-renewable-portfolio-standards-deliver/

Host Daniel Raimi talks with Dr. Todd Moss, Executive Director of the Energy for Growth Hub. Todd has worked for years at the intersection of energy and economic development, with a focus on developing economies in Africa and elsewhere. They cover two major topics: avoiding the so-called "oil curse" in the nation of Guyana, and supporting economic growth in the developing world by improving energy access for businesses and industries. References and recommendations: "Amity and Prosperity" by Eliza Griswold; https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374103118 "Rising" by Elizabeth Rush; https://milkweed.org/book/rising IEA Report on Air Conditioners; https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2018/may/air-conditioning-use-emerges-as-one-of-the-key-drivers-of-global-electricity-dema.html

Host Daniel Raimi talks with Professor Barry Rabe of the University of Michigan about his new book, "Can We Price Carbon?" Barry shares his insights on some of the real-world challenges for implementing policies that price carbon, and describes some of the key features that might help make them stick. They talk about how experience from previous efforts to price carbon can inform discussions on the Green New Deal, and much more. References and recommendations: "Can We Price Carbon?" by Barry G. Rabe; https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/can-we-price-carbon Senate Bill 181: Protect Public Welfare Oil And Gas Operations; https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-181 Elections in Canada; https://twitter.com/ElectionsCan_E?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor "Blood Oil" by Leif Wenar; http://www.wenar.info/books#new-page

Host Daniel Raimi talks with RFF Vice President for Land, Water, and Nature Ann M. Bartuska about the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation, so Daniel and Ann discuss some key topics related to land conservation and agricultural research. Ann shares her expertise on those topics, along with the connection between the Farm Bill and forest management, climate change, meatless hamburgers, and more. References and recommendations: Burger King Impossible Burger: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/01/business/burger-king-impossible-whoppers/index.html USGS Water Data: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt

Host Kristin Hayes talks with Greg Nemet, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Nelson Institute's Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. They discuss the future of carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere, with a particular focus on negative emissions technologies. References and recommendations: "How Solar Energy Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation" by Greg Nemet; https://www.routledge.com/How-Solar-Energy-Became-Cheap-A-Model-for-Low-Carbon-Innovation-1st-Edition/Nemet/p/book/9780367136598

Host Daniel Raimi talks with Arvind Ravikumar, assistant professor of Energy Engineering at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania. They discuss methane emissions from oil and natural gas systems, their effect on climate change, new technologies, which can detect and reduce those emissions, and what governments are doing to encourage the deployment of those new technologies. Plus, Arvind will give an update on how climate change is affecting the annual Iditarod race in Alaska. References and recommendations: Cows actually burp methane; https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150803-cows-burp-methane-climate-science/ Melting snow and the Iditarod; https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/sports/iditarod-climate-change-warming.html "Three Considerations for Modeling Natural Gas System Methane Emissions in Life Cycle Assessment" by Emily A. Grubert and Adam R. Brandt; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652619307875?dgcid=author