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In the growing conflict between Israel and Iran, many questions now loom, including the extent of US involvement, the potential for regime change, and the status of Iran's nuclear program. All this uncertainty and speculation is having some impact on energy markets and potentially much more in the weeks to come. While there have been some attacks on energy infrastructure, there has not been a significant disruption in oil or gas supply to the global market. Some energy traders are seemingly anticipating that the conflict will remain contained in the months to come, but this is far from certain. How is the conflict evolving? What are the paths for a ceasefire or diplomatic resolution to end the conflict? How is all of this impacting energy markets? In response to the events on June 12, we pulled in Daniel Sternoff and Richard Nephew, two leading experts at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA to discuss what we know about Israel's attack on Iran, the backdrop of a volatile energy market, and what could happen in the coming days and weeks. Daniel is non-resident fellow at CGEP. He is also the Head of Energy Aspects' Executive Briefing Service. Richard is a senior research scholar at CGEP. He formerly served as the US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran under the Biden administration where he played a key role in negotiations over the Iran deal. Daniel and Richard joined Jason Bordoff on the afternoon of June 18 to unpack the escalating conflict in the region. They discussed the current state of Iran's nuclear program, the scenarios for conflict escalating in the Middle East and how oil prices fit into and might be affected by all of this. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Gregory Vilfranc of Franc Village Studios engineered this show.
Climate imperatives, national security, and the need for reliable, carbon-free, dispatchable power to meet rising electricity demand are all contributing to a resurgence in nuclear energy. The United States is taking a leading role in this industry's growth. Tech companies are signing major deals for nuclear energy to meet their growing energy needs. And President Trump recently signed four executive orders aimed at dramatically increasing nuclear power generation — an issue with rare bipartisan support. But significant challenges remain. Cost overruns and delays, as seen with the troubled Vogtle project in Georgia, are hampering power plant construction in the US. Meanwhile, China and Russia are dominating global nuclear construction and fuel, raising questions about American competitiveness and national security. So can the United States become a leader in nuclear energy deployment, without sacrificing safety? What role will new technologies and policy play in changing the trajectory? And what part should the US government play in financing, regulating, and promoting nuclear energy both domestically and internationally? This week, Jason Bordoff speaks with Ashley Finan and Matt Bowen about the drivers behind this nuclear resurgence and why, as they argue in a recent Foreign Policy article, it is vital to meet rising electricity demand. Ashley recently joined the Center on Global Energy Policy as a global fellow after serving in senior leadership roles at Idaho National Laboratory, where she worked on nuclear energy and national security issues. Matt is a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy, where he focuses on nuclear energy policy, economics, and regulation. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
On June 12th, Israel carried out overnight airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military infrastructure, military leaders, and nuclear scientists. While the full scope and implications of the attack are still emerging, energy markets responded immediately. Oil prices spiked in the aftermath, although they subsequently eased. What are the regional implications of this conflict? How might Iran retaliate and how might the US respond? How will this impact ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran over Iran's nuclear program? And what are the possible impacts on energy markets? For this special episode, we pulled in two leading experts from the Center on Global Energy Policy to discuss what we know so far about Israel's attack on Iran and what could happen in the coming days and weeks. Richard Nephew is a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He formerly served as the US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran under the Biden administration where he played a key role in negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal. Karen Young is a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy and a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, where she focuses on the political economy of the Gulf states and energy policy. Karen and Richard joined host Jason Bordoff to unpack the escalating conflict in the region. They discussed the current state of Iran's nuclear program, the potential consequences of the unfolding crisis, and what key developments to watch for. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Gregory Vilfranc of Franc Village Studios engineered today's show.
The U.S. just became the world's largest exporter of LNG—but is that a blessing or a burden? In this global-scale episode of *Power Perspectives*, we step away from local grid topics to dive into the international dynamics shaping the global energy markets. To do so, we are joined by Anne-Sophie Corbeau of Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. In this conversation, she breaks down how America's LNG surge is reshaping alliances, inflaming tensions, and creating unexpected risks for utilities back home. From backchannel Russian gas flows into Europe to the breakdown of U.S.-China LNG deals, Corbeau offers insight on what's *really* driving the gas market—and what utility executives, regulators, and investors need to be watching closely in the months ahead during the Trump 2.0 Administration. From the status of LNG as a strategic asset and a geopolitical wildcard to the specifics of U.S. interactions with China and Russia, Anne-Sophie highlights the right signals for utility leaders to keep an eye on in these international markets, as well as advice for how to plan around political and policy volatility in Washington. This episode is a must-listen for utility professionals trying to navigate an energy landscape that is increasingly global, volatile, and politically charged. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: TBD Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KtVrDZcTIKY Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast
Chokepoints - American Power in an Age of Economic Warfare with Eddie FishmanAs China and the US jockey for geopolitical pre-eminence, the war to decide the victor will not necessarily be fought with missiles and drones. In fact, the economy has become the true weapon of choice with tariffs, export controls, currencies, and clearing networks serving as ammunition. Evidence of this economic warfare is obvious with China, Russia, and Iran specifically.My guest today has written a terrific book on these topics. Eddie Fishman is a scholar of international relations and former diplomat in the State Department who is currently a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy and an Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.In this episode we discuss how economies have become weaponized and specifically what those weapons are. We dig into the use of tariffs, export controls and the power of the US Dollar and discuss whether or not the course we are on in dealing with Russia, Iran and China isn't ultimately self-defeating or if there is light at the end of the tunnel in the new “America First” geopolitical environment.If you enjoyed this discussion on export controls, tariffs, USD hegemony and their impacts, please share it far and wide and don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen.Thanks again and we'll see you next time.
Energy Vista: A Podcast on Energy Issues, Professional and Personal Trajectories
In this French-language episode, host Leslie Palti-Guzman welcomes Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving market dynamics and geopolitics of gas in 2025.Together, they explore three major themes:
President Trump's recent visit to the Gulf region marked a dramatic shift from the previous administration's Middle East diplomacy. In his visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, Trump focused on securing significant investment commitments and commercial partnerships to support the region's AI and other ambitions. The trip showcased Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy—one focused on bilateral deals rather than regional frameworks, and economic partnerships over military interventions. It also raised important questions about oil markets, geopolitical competition with China, nuclear agreements, and the future of energy prices. So what are the likely impacts of massive investment pledges from Gulf nations? Do low oil prices limit the ability to make good on them? What is the outlook for oil prices with uncertainty over OPEC+ policy, a possible Iran deal, and possible new sanctions on Russia? And what does Trump's transactional diplomacy mean for traditional alliances and regional stability? This week, Jason Bordoff speaks with Helima Croft, Joe McMonigle, and Karen Young about how the Trump administration is reshaping U.S. relations with Middle East countries and the long- and short-term implications it will have on energy markets and geopolitics. Helima is managing director and global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, where she leads the coverage of energy markets and geopolitical risk. Joe is a distinguished visiting fellow here at the Center on Global Energy Policy and the founder and president of the Global Center for Energy Analysis, an independent research and analysis firm. Karen is a senior research scholar here at the Center on Global Energy Policy and a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute where she focuses on the political economy of the Gulf States and energy policy. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
We often associate energy poverty with developing nations, but the reality is that tens of millions of Americans struggle to pay their monthly energy bills. Oftentimes, they forgo heating or cooling their homes in order to pay rent or buy food. And ultimately, they risk losing access to energy altogether, through utility shutoffs. For families living in inadequate housing with poor insulation and inefficient appliances, energy insecurity impacts health, comfort, and quality of life. For some, government assistance programs are a lifeline. Yet, despite rising energy rates, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is in danger of losing funding. So what policy solutions could address the systemic causes of energy insecurity? How can government assistance be reframed to better support and empower energy insecure households? And will the transition to clean energy alleviate or worsen energy insecurity? This week, Jason Bordoff speaks with Diana Hernández about her recent book that seeks to answer those questions and proposes a framework for energy equity. Diana is an associate professor at Columbia University and co-directs the Energy Opportunity Lab at the Center on Global Energy Policy. Her book, "Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy," which she co-authored with Jennifer Laird, an assistant professor at Lehman College, was released in April. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
As part of The Big Fix series, Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Chris Bataille, a fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, about the state of small modular nuclear technology and Ontario's plans to construct four of these new reactors. The post Ontario approves $15 billion plan to build small modular nuclear reactors appeared first on The World from PRX.
As part of The Big Fix series, Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Chris Bataille, a fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, about the state of small modular nuclear technology and Ontario's plans to construct four of these new reactors. The post Ontario approves $15 billion plan to build small modular nuclear reactors appeared first on The World from PRX.
Critical shipping routes around the world, from the Panama Canal to the Bosphorus Strait, hold strategic importance for global trade. As a result, these chokepoints are often caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical competition. But in a new age of economic warfare, invisible chokepoints are also emerging. The dominance of the US dollar, economic sanctions, and tariffs on imported goods can all be leveraged to achieve political goals. Meanwhile, nations are laying out plans to increase defense spending—potentially altering the outlook for productivity, industrial activity, and economic growth. With economic warfare becoming a lasting feature of the investment environment, new winners and losers based on country, region, sector and asset class could emerge. This episode of The Outthinking Investor explores how economic warfare, national security concerns, and friend-shoring in global trade are creating new implications for investors to consider. Our guests are: Edward Fishman, senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and author of the new book, “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare” Katharine Neiss, PGIM Fixed Income's Deputy Head of Global Economics and Chief European Economist Jeff Rathke, President of the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University and former American diplomat Do you have any comments, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover? Email us at thought.leadership@pgim.com, or fill out our survey at PGIM.com/podcast/outthinking-investor. To hear more from PGIM, tune into Speaking of Alternatives, available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, and other podcast platforms. Explore our entire collection of podcasts at PGIM.com.
Arun Majumdar is the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University and previously served as Founding Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and Chair of the Secretary's Advisory Board at the US Department of Energy. He is one of the United States' top energy experts and an accomplished institutional leader. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with Dean Majumdar about the AI work underway at the Doerr School, power demand for AI, AI's potential impacts on climate change mitigation, teaching in the AI era, and much more. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Arun Majumdar is the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University and previously served as Founding Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and Chair of the Secretary's Advisory Board at the US Department of Energy. He is one of the United States' top energy experts and an accomplished institutional leader. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with Dean Majumdar about the AI work underway at the Doerr School, power demand for AI, AI's potential impacts on climate change mitigation, teaching in the AI era, and much more. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eliot and Eric welcome Edward Fishman, Senior Research Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy and Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University's SIPA program and author of Chokepoints: American Power in The Age of Economic Warfare (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2025). They discuss the American tradition of reaching for economic sanctions as an alternative to kinetic military action or war and how U.S. policymakers have weaponized the role of the dollar in international finance to U.S. advantage as well as export controls like the Foreign Direct Product rule that weaponize U.S. cutting edge technologies. They discuss how these tools, if used inappropriately, can backfire as they arguably did in the early 1800s with the Non-Intercourse Act and the Embargo under Jefferson and Madison as well as the scrap metal and oil embargoes against Imperial Japan in 1940-1941. They consider the record of economic warfare in bringing Iran to the table for the negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), as a deterrent to Russian military action against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 and then as tools of attrition against the Russian war effort, as well as in the ongoing strategic competition with China. Finally, they consider whether we should see sanctions and economic warfare as limited tools that can achieve limited goals as opposed to fundamentally changing the behavior of America's authoritarian adversaries. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare: https://a.co/d/fFkgUq7
Thirty-two years after Jensen Huang founded NVIDIA, the company is at the center of the AI revolution and the third-most valuable company in the world. Jensen -- as he is known throughout his company and the IT industry -- is shaping the future of AI and countless applications of AI. In this episode, Jensen talks with host David Sandalow about how AI can help solve energy and climate problems, AI's power consumption, the intelligence infrastructure of the future, and more. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thirty-two years after Jensen Huang founded NVIDIA, the company is at the center of the AI revolution and the third-most valuable company in the world. Jensen -- as he is known throughout his company and the IT industry -- is shaping the future of AI and countless applications of AI. In this episode, Jensen talks with host David Sandalow about how AI can help solve energy and climate problems, AI's power consumption, the intelligence infrastructure of the future, and more. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can AI help discover new materials, leading to dramatic breakthroughs in clean energy technologies? In Episode #1 of our deep dive on this topic, host David Sandalow explored the potential for breakthroughs with Taylor Sparks, a professor at the University of Utah and host of the Materialism Podcast, and Colin McCormick, Principal Scientist at Carbon Direct, a professor at Georgetown University and author of the materials innovation chapter in the Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). In this episode, David, Taylor and Colin discuss the barriers that must be overcome to realize that potential as well as possible risks. The episode ends with some interesting book recommendations by Taylor and Colin! The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can AI help discover new materials, leading to dramatic breakthroughs in clean energy technologies? In Episode #1 of our deep dive on this topic, host David Sandalow explored the potential for breakthroughs with Taylor Sparks, a professor at the University of Utah and host of the Materialism Podcast, and Colin McCormick, Principal Scientist at Carbon Direct, a professor at Georgetown University and author of the materials innovation chapter in the Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). In this episode, David, Taylor and Colin discuss the barriers that must be overcome to realize that potential as well as possible risks. The episode ends with some interesting book recommendations by Taylor and Colin! The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As President Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan laid out a strategy for what he called a “foreign policy for the middle class.” Using the metaphor of a small yard and a high fence, the Biden administration's approach focused on reshoring critical industries and manufacturing, supporting innovation, and protecting strategic technologies. The strategy relied on industrial policy, tariffs and sanctions — some of the same economic tools the Trump administration is now using to launch a global trade war. The broad shift on both sides of the aisle to focused on national security, economic security, and supply chain resilience has enormous implications for the clean energy transition, from critical minerals and solar panels to batteries and EVs. So how should we think about the relationship between economic resilience, energy security, and climate action? What lessons can we draw from the Biden administration's approach to countering China? And looking ahead, what should the U.S. prioritize when it comes to energy security? This week's episode features a fireside chat between Jason Bordoff and Jake Sullivan from the Columbia Global Energy Summit 2025, which was hosted by the Center on Global Energy Policy, at Columbia University SIPA earlier this month. Jake Sullivan recently became the Kissinger professor of the practice of statecraft and world order at the Harvard Kennedy School. He served as President Biden's national security advisor from 2021 to 2025. In the Obama administration, he was then Vice President Biden's national security advisor and deputy chief of staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
In Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare, Edward Fishman argues that the nature of international power has fundamentally shifted from military might to economic statecraft.Fishman is a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and an adjunct professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia. Previously, he served at the US State Department, leading work on economic sanctions. In his new book, he examines how governments—particularly the US's—are increasingly using financial tools, regulatory measures, and targeted sanctions to shape international relations, secure strategic advantages, and resolve conflicts.In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the history of sanctions, how the US came to wield them so powerfully, how diplomatic back channels are navigated in applying them—and what is important for making them effective in enforcing the desired governance changes.Key topics discussed: 02:05 | The history of chokepoints and US dominance over them08:45 | The role of businesses in economic diplomacy12:17 | Navigating diplomatic back channels15:32 | The role of technology and export controls19:45 | Oil price caps as an innovation in sanctions design23:10 | The effectiveness of sanctions in enforcing governance changes27:44 | On the origins of this bookAdditional inspirations from Edward Fishman:Foreign Affairs: How Trump Could Dethrone the Dollar (April 8, 2025)
What could make dramatic, transformational changes in the fight against climate change? One answer -- breakthroughs in the materials sciences that result in even better and cheaper clean energy technologies. Can artificial intelligence tools help produce such breakthroughs? Join host David Sandalow for a deep dive into this topic with Taylor Sparks, a professor at the University of Utah and host of the Materialism Podcast, and Colin McCormick, Principal Scientist at Carbon Direct, a professor at Georgetown University and author of the materials innovation chapter in the Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What could make dramatic, transformational changes in the fight against climate change? One answer -- breakthroughs in the materials sciences that result in even better and cheaper clean energy technologies. Can artificial intelligence tools help produce such breakthroughs? Join host David Sandalow for a deep dive into this topic with Taylor Sparks, a professor at the University of Utah and host of the Materialism Podcast, and Colin McCormick, Principal Scientist at Carbon Direct, a professor at Georgetown University and author of the materials innovation chapter in the Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does a change in U.S. presidential administrations have to do with stalled solar farms in Sub-Saharan Africa or wind projects in Southeast Asia? As it turns out, quite a lot. On this episode of Power Perspectives, we explore how U.S. policy shifts are sending ripples through the global financial system—impacting everything from renewable investments in developing countries to grid upgrades on Main Street USA. We're joined by Gautam Jain, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and Adjunct Professor at SIPA, to dig into the high-stakes intersection of climate finance, currency risk, and energy geopolitics. Gautam walks us through why the international green finance system is under pressure as the U.S. government scales back funding commitments under the Trump administration. With global investors growing increasingly wary of geopolitical instability, what's next for the energy transition? And how should utility leaders, policymakers, and financial stakeholders respond? Note: The news in this space is moving fast, so to set context this conversation was recorded on April 4. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/real-impacts-trump-20-energy-finance Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I2VqXraG2Ps Gautam Jain on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/gautam-jain Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast
The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and the Beijing Green Finance Association, under the guidance of the Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy at Tsinghua University, convened the fourth Track II Dialogue on Climate Finance and Trade in September 2024. The teams discussed foreign direct investment in climate-related projects, carbon markets, COP29 climate finance issues, and climate-related financial disclosures. Since the dialogue, the atmosphere for climate collaboration has vastly shifted. In this conversation, recorded on March 21, 2025, Track II delegation leaders David Sandalow and Ma Jun, discussed the main takeaways from the dialogue and the future of global climate collaboration. About the speakers
On April 10, the International Energy Agency released a major report on energy and AI. The report explores topics including electricity demand for AI, how AI is being used in the energy sector, AI's role in accelerating energy innovation, the security implications of AI and greenhouse gas emissions from AI. Join host David Sandalow in conversation with Laura Cozzi, IEA's Director for Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, who designed and directed this landmark report. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On April 10, the International Energy Agency released a major report on energy and AI. The report explores topics including electricity demand for AI, how AI is being used in the energy sector, AI's role in accelerating energy innovation, the security implications of AI and greenhouse gas emissions from AI. Join host David Sandalow in conversation with Laura Cozzi, IEA's Director for Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, who designed and directed this landmark report. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In energy policy circles, the word “resilience” often refers to future-proof systems or infrastructure designed for the transition away from fossil fuels. But resilience means something different to the communities that have been built on those conventional energy sources. Without a policy strategy, communities whose economies are dependent on fossil fuels aren't well positioned to thrive in – or perhaps even survive – a clean energy transition. So how can economic resilience improve livelihoods in fossil fuel dependent communities? Are the near-term risks and economic impacts these communities face underappreciated? And what does this all mean in today's political environment? This week host Bill Loveless talks to Emily Grubert and Noah Kaufman, two scholars at the Resilient Energy Economies initiative, a collaboration between the Bezos Earth Fund, Resources for the Future, and the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA. Emily is a civil engineer and environmental sociologist. She is an associate professor of sustainable energy policy in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. She also worked in the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy under the Biden administration. Noah is an economist who has worked on energy and climate change policy. He is a research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He also served as a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers under President Biden and as the deputy associate director of energy and climate change at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Obama. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Erin Hardick, Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
Alp Kucukelbir serves as Chief Scientist at Fero Labs, teaches two courses on AI and climate change at Columbia University, and wrote several chapters in the AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). Join host David Sandalow in a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Kucukelbir as they discuss the use of AI in advanced manufacturing, educating students in the AI era, how to explain complex AI topics, and more. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping new global tariffs last week sent shockwaves through international markets, igniting fears of economic slowdown and triggering retaliatory measures from major trading partners like China. The consequences are already reverberating through the global energy system: oil and gas prices are sliding, producers are under pressure, and the clean energy transition faces fresh headwinds as tariffs hit solar panels, EVs, and battery components. With geopolitical tensions simmering and economic uncertainty rising, could Trump's tariff gamble reshape the global energy landscape for years to come? And how vulnerable is Russia's oil-dependent economy in this new low-price era? In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Tatiana Mitrova, a Research Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and Director of the New Energy Advancement Hub. Mitrova has twenty-five years of experience in dealing with global energy markets, including production, transportation, demand, energy policy, pricing, and market restructuring.Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay
This is Episode 1 of our sub-series "Environmental Issues along the Belt and Road"The series considers the complexities of Chinese actors' impacts on the environment, extractive activities, and role in driving sustainability solutions from the sands of the Mekong River to lithium mines in Argentina. China produces 80% of the world's solar panels, over 60% of all wind turbines, and more electric vehicles than the US and the EU combined. In this episode, we ask how China became so dominant in clean energy technology manufacturing, how its products are exported to other countries trying to transition their energy systems, and what impacts the clean energy tech sector is having in places where manufacturing occurs. We interview 3 experts in related topics: Anders Hove is Senior Research Fellow at the China Energy Research Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Previously, he was Project Director for the Sino-German Energy Transition project at GIZ, and a non-resident fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Anders co-hosts the Environment China podcast. Related reading here, here and here. Dr. Cecilia Springer is a Principal at Global Efficiency Intelligence and Co-director of the Industrial Electrification Center. She has over 10 years of experience conducting technical research on energy policy and industrial decarbonization, with a regional focus on U.S., China, and Southeast Asia. She is a non-resident at the Global China Initiative (formerly the assistant director) at the BU Global Development Policy Center where she led the Energy and Climate research group and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. Related reading here, here and here. Dr. Nikita Sud is Professor of the Politics of Development at the University of Oxford and Governing Body Fellow of Wolfson College. She is author of the books "Liberalization, Hindu Nationalism and The State: A Biography of Gujarat" and "The Making of Land and the Making of India." Her work explores the transition to renewable energy, and the institutional, political and financial mechanisms that underlie this in regions that are geostrategically crucial, while being environmentally highly vulnerable. We discuss her research on Rempang Eco City, a planned Chinese investment of Solar PV manufacturing in Indonesia. Thanks for listening! Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.social
Join host David Sandalow and Chris James, CEO and Founder of Engine No. 1, as they discuss how to supply the rapidly growing demand for electric power in the United States, Engine No. 1's recent deals with Chevron and Crusoe Energy, and the role of AI in promoting innovation in energy technologies. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join host David Sandalow and Chris James, CEO and Founder of Engine No. 1, as they discuss how to supply the rapidly growing demand for electric power in the United States, Engine No. 1's recent deals with Chevron and Crusoe Energy, and the role of AI in promoting innovation in energy technologies. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What forces are shaping the explosive growth in demand for electric power for AI? Do revenue projections for AI justify the massive scale of capital investment in data centers and electric power supplies? What can we learn from the boom-and-bust cycle in other new technologies? Join host David Sandalow as he discusses these and other topics in the first episode of a two-part conversation with Chris James, CEO and Founder of Engine No. 1, who brings more than 30 years experience investing in semiconductors and other technologies to this timely discussion. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What forces are shaping the explosive growth in demand for electric power for AI? Do revenue projections for AI justify the massive scale of capital investment in data centers and electric power supplies? What can we learn from the boom-and-bust cycle in other new technologies? Join host David Sandalow as he discusses these and other topics in the first episode of a two-part conversation with Chris James, CEO and Founder of Engine No. 1, who brings more than 30 years experience investing in semiconductors and other technologies to this timely discussion. The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The food system is responsible for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, climate change is dramatically affecting the food system. Can AI tools help? Or do they create risks and problems? Join David Sandalow as he talks about these issues with Cynthia Rosenzweig, winner of the 2022 World Food Prize, and Kevin Karl, lead author of the food system chapter in the ICEF AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). Chapter 4, Food Systems -- ICEF Artificial Intelligence for Climate Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition) (November 2024) -- https://www.icef.go.jp/wp-content/themes/icef_new/pdf/roadmap/2024/04_ICEF2.0%20Food%20Systems_stand%20alone.pdf The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The food system is responsible for almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, climate change is dramatically affecting the food system. Can AI tools help? Or do they create risks and problems? Join David Sandalow as he talks about these issues with Cynthia Rosenzweig, winner of the 2022 World Food Prize, and Kevin Karl, lead author of the food system chapter in the ICEF AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition). Chapter 4, Food Systems -- ICEF Artificial Intelligence for Climate Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition) (November 2024) -- https://www.icef.go.jp/wp-content/themes/icef_new/pdf/roadmap/2024/04_ICEF2.0%20Food%20Systems_stand%20alone.pdf The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Special Envoy Anne Bouverot was in charge of organizing last month's AI Action Summit in Paris for French President Emmanuel Macron. Several dozen heads of state, many prominent business leaders and thousands of people from around the world attended. Join host David Sandalow in a discussion with Special Envoy Bouverot about the AI Action Summit's objectives and outcomes, the growing focus on AI innovation over AI safety, and increasing investment in AI infrastructure in Europe The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Special Envoy Anne Bouverot was in charge of organizing last month's AI Action Summit in Paris for French President Emmanuel Macron. Several dozen heads of state, many prominent business leaders and thousands of people from around the world attended. Join host David Sandalow in a discussion with Special Envoy Bouverot about the AI Action Summit's objectives and outcomes, the growing focus on AI innovation over AI safety, and increasing investment in AI infrastructure in Europe The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Large language models are some of the most rapidly-adopted products in human history and are transforming workflows, education and much more. Can LLMs help in the fight against climate change? What risks do they create for the climate change challenge? Georgetown Professor Dan Loehr joins David Sandalow to discuss the role that LLMs can play in reducing emissions and helping adapt to climate change. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Edward Fishman, a former top sanctions official in the U.S. Department of State, says that “the world economy has become a battlefield,” with sanctions, tariffs, and embargoes as the U.S.'s primary tools for engagement. But after years of U.S. sanctions against Russia and a Ukraine truce still out of reach, are they effective? In his new book “Chokepoints,” Fishman examines the history of economic warfare and when it has helped the U.S. achieve its strategic goals and when it has fallen short. He joins us. Guests: Edward Fishman, senior research scholar, the Center on Global Energy Policy; adjunct professor of international and public affairs, Columbia University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Large language models are some of the most rapidly-adopted products in human history and are transforming workflows, education and much more. Can LLMs help in the fight against climate change? What risks do they create for the climate change challenge? Georgetown Professor Dan Loehr joins David Sandalow to discuss the role that LLMs can play in reducing emissions and helping adapt to climate change. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bill Brown started two clean tech unicorns -- private companies worth more than $1 billion. Today he thinks data centers could be the "killer app" for cleantech, driving demand for clean energy. He also believes that managing data centers like power plants can introduce big new efficiencies. Join host David Sandalow as he and Brown discuss these and other ideas at the intersection of data centers and clean tech. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI is the hot topic at this year's CERAWeek, where more than 10,000 people are gathering for one of the largest energy conferences of the year. A recent report by the Deloitte Center for Sustainable Progress explores AI's energy and environmental footprint in detail, with estimates of AI's impact today as well as projections to 2030 and 2050. Many listeners may be surprised by the findings. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with two of the lead authors of that report — Bernhard Lorentz and Johannes Truby — about their report and its implications. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Energy and climate change are becoming ever more central to America's national security. It used to be that foreign policy and national security discussions related to energy focused primarily on oil prices and Middle East relations. Now, these conversations also include topics like critical mineral supply chains, clean energy competition with China, climate instability, and more. The Biden administration navigated this increasingly complex terrain for four years. It confronted Russia's weaponization of energy following its invasion of Ukraine; managed climate negotiations with difficult diplomatic relationships; and reshaped America's approach to energy security in a warming world. So how should we think about the intersection of energy, climate, and national security going forward? And what lessons can we draw from the Biden administration's experience? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Jon Finer about the intersection of energy, climate change, and national security. Jon is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA. He recently served as deputy national security advisor in the Biden administration, where he was a key architect of the administration's foreign policy. Prior to that role, Jon served in the Obama administration for seven and a half years in various positions, including chief of staff to Secretary of State John Kerry. Jon began his career in journalism, first covering Major League Baseball before moving to the security beat, covering conflicts in Iraq and other regions for the Washington Post. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Erin Hardick, Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Additional support from Caroline Pitman, Jon Elkind, Kevin Brennan, Luisa Palacios and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
Raj Kapoor is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Climactic, a seed venture firm focused on climate tech. Join host David Sandalow as he and Kapoor discuss how AI can accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies, strengthen climate resilience strategies, support climate tech investing and more. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For today's episode, Lawfare general counsel and senior editor Scott R. Anderson sat down with Edward Fishman, a senior research scholar at the Center for Global Energy Policy within Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, to discuss his new book: "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare."They discussed Fishman's own career at the cutting edge of economic statecraft, the evolving toolkit it has come to present U.S. policymakers, the role he thinks it will play in our new era of major power competition, and what it may all mean for the future of the global order.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Julio Friedmann -- the "Carbon Wrangler" -- is Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct and one of the world's leading experts on carbon capture and decarbonization more broadly. Host David Sandalow talks with Friedmann about ways AI can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon capture's role in the fight against climate change. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Biden administration took office with ambitious plans to accelerate America's clean energy transition. Over four years, it enacted major climate legislation, poured billions into new clean energy manufacturing, built partnerships with global allies on clean energy, and navigated a global energy crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. With President Trump's return to office, what happens now? The clean energy transition is proving to be more complex than some expected, with challenges around affordability, security, and balancing climate goals with other economic priorities. In this increasingly challenging geopolitical landscape, how should we think about America's energy policy going forward? And how should we think about the legacy of the Biden administration's energy agenda? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with David Turk about the Biden administration's energy policy legacy and the challenges of balancing affordability, security, and climate goals. David is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA. He recently completed his service as deputy secretary of energy in the Biden administration, where he was the number-two official and chief operating officer at the Department of Energy. Prior to this role, David served as deputy executive director of the International Energy Agency. During the Obama administration, he worked at the Department of Energy, where he led the launch of Mission Innovation – a global effort to accelerate clean energy innovation. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Erin Hardick, Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.
Reed Hundt helped shape the modern Internet as Chair of the Federal Communications Commission in the 1990s. He served as a board member at Intel for many years and founded the Coalition for Green Capital. Host David Sandalow talks with Reed Hundt about lessons from the dawn of the Internet era, the future of the US semiconductor industry, changes needed to decarbonize the global economy, and more. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How much electric power will AI need in the years ahead? How can that demand be met cheaply and sustainably? What can we learn from projections of data center power demand over the past several decades? How can AI contribute to meeting clean energy goals? Join host David Sandalow in a lively conversation with Michael Liebreich, founder of New Energy Finance, on these topics and more. AI, Energy and Climate is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. AI for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap -- https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap and transitiondigital.org/ai-climate-roadmap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices