Podcast appearances and mentions of Jason Bordoff

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.  

For years, Japan set aggressive decarbonization targets, positioning itself as a climate leader despite limited domestic resources. But recent geopolitical earthquakes like the ongoing war in Ukraine, increasing energy demand, and a near-blackout in Tokyo have forced Japan to reassess its priorities. Japan's new strategic energy plan, approved by the nation's government in February, represents this shifting calculus. While maintaining long-term carbon neutrality goals, it elevates energy security concerns. And it introduces a "Plan B" that acknowledges technological deployment might not match ambitious timelines. So how can a resource-poor nation like Japan pursue both climate goals and energy security? What role will energy sources like LNG and nuclear power play in this new strategy? And as nations everywhere face similar pressures, does Japan's approach offer a model for pragmatic energy planning in an increasingly unstable world? This week, Bill Loveless speaks with Tatsuya Terazawa about Japan's new strategic energy plan.  Tatsuya Terazawa is the chairman and CEO of Japan's Institute of Energy Economics, a think tank that provides analyses and policy recommendations based on Japan's goals of carbon neutrality and energy security. Before joining the Institute, he served as the senior advisor of Japan's cabinet office and held a number of roles at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. 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.  

From oil pipelines crossing the border to integrated electricity grids, energy trade has long been a key part of the economic relationship between the United States and Canada. Now, President Trump's trade policies are upending longstanding cooperative norms on both sides of the border. Last week's snap election has brought a significant change in Canada's leadership. Former central banker Mark Carney edged past Conservative Pierre Poilievre — a surprising win for the Liberal Party. This narrow margin of victory reflects a deeply divided electorate grappling with issues of economic security, climate policy, and Canada's place in a changing world. Carney has boldly declared the traditional U.S.-Canada relationship "over" and his victory signaled support for a more independent path. So can Carney balance both clean and conventional energy development amid provincial tensions, particularly with oil-rich Alberta? How will Canada respond to Trump's proposed tariffs when nearly all of its crude oil exports flow to the United States? And will Carney use his experience as a champion of climate finance to help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050?  This week, Bill Loveless speaks with Andrew Leach about the climate and energy policy battles Carney faces within Canada, a place Carney is eager to turn into an energy superpower. Andrew Leach is an energy and environmental economist. He is a professor at the University of Alberta, with a joint appointment in the department of economics and the faculty of law. His research spans energy and economics, but he is particularly interested in climate change policies and law. His 2023 book, “Between Doom & Denial: Facing Facts about Climate Change,” explores the challenges Canadians face as they confront climate change. 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.  

After more than three years of intense fighting following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the path to end the war has been challenging. President Trump has been aggressively pushing both Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin toward a peace deal as part of Trump's campaign promise to quickly end the war. Meanwhile, energy has emerged as a critical factor, functioning both as a weapon and target in this war. The peace deal Trump envisions would reportedly include U.S. control of the Ukrainian electrical supply and its nuclear power plants. And separately, the Trump administration has been working on a mineral deal with Ukraine for months. But developing any of those resources would take time because Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been severely crippled by war. In parts of Ukraine blackouts have become the norm. So what are the potential paths for peace ahead for Ukraine and how might sharing its mineral or energy resources with the U.S. play into those options? How has Ukraine's energy infrastructure fared during the war? And what energy security lessons can other countries learn from this conflict? This week, Jason Bordoff talks with Kyiv-based climate and energy reporter Tim McDonnell about the role that energy has played in the war in Ukraine and how it could factor into its resolution. Tim is the climate and energy editor for Semafor, where he writes the Net Zero newsletter, and is also a reporter for Quartz. He has covered the business and science of climate change for more than 10 years and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Economist, among other publications. Tim lives in and reports from Kyiv and is writing a book about the role of energy in the Ukraine conflict. He joined the podcast to talk about the role energy plays in this conflict. 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 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.  

It's hard to overstate how consequential President Trump's “Liberation Day” tariffs have been for American economic policy. While the administration has paused the steep reciprocal tariffs it announced on trading partners other than China, a flat across-the-board 10% tariff remains. And China has raised tariffs on all U.S. goods to over 100% in retaliation.  Some economists fear this trade war could have a seismic impact across the American economy, including on clean energy. The exceptionally high tariffs on China in particular could have a significant bearing on clean tech products — things like batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. So what are the possible outcomes? Do our trade deficits or national security imperatives necessitate this trade war? What would a turn away from globalization mean for efforts to confront climate change? And what does all of this mean for the future of industrial policy in the U.S.? This week, Jason Bordoff talks with Jason Furman about the flurry of Trump administration tariffs and how they could play out for the energy industry. Jason Furman is Aetna professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard University. Prior to his appointment at Harvard, he served as a key economic advisor to President Obama, including as the chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. Jason played a key role in implementing the major economic policy initiatives of the Obama administration, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Affordable Care Act.  Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Additional support from Trevor Sutton. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.

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.

The European Union's energy landscape is transforming rapidly, as the bloc works to reduce emissions, lower energy prices, and decrease dependence on Russian fuel—three goals proving to be a challenge.  Though renewables now generate nearly half of Europe's electricity, significant challenges remain. Lengthy permitting processes are stalling the deployment of new clean generation and infrastructure and the continent requires improvements in energy system interconnections between countries. And questions remain about the role of certain forms of energy, like nuclear power and hydrogen, in Europe's future energy mix. So how is Europe addressing these competing priorities? And what do certain trade-offs mean for energy affordability, security, and economic competitiveness?  This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Dan Jørgensen, the new European commissioner for energy and housing.  Commissioner Jørgensen previously served as Danish minister for development cooperation and minister for global climate policy. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Denmark and was a member of the Danish parliament from 2015 to 2024.  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.  

Across America, energy policy is often driven by short-term politics over long-term planning. Despite record-breaking U.S. oil production in recent years, partisan battles continue over fossil fuels and climate action. States like North Dakota illustrate this tension perfectly. Rich in both oil and wind resources, they navigate between traditional energy production and renewable development. But nationwide, critical energy infrastructure faces roadblocks—from pipelines stalled by local opposition to transmission lines needed for clean energy expansion. So what will it take to develop a nonpartisan national energy strategy? How do we balance immediate economic needs with climate goals? And as electricity demands grow while the power grid faces new challenges, what will it take to develop an energy strategy beyond the politics of four-year election cycles? This week host Bill Loveless talks with Heidi Heitkamp about crafting enduring energy policies that serve both economic and environmental goals. Heidi served as a U.S. senator from North Dakota from 2013 to 2019, becoming the first woman elected to represent the state in that chamber. Before her time in the Senate, Heitkamp served as North Dakota's attorney general and state tax commissioner. Today, she is director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and works with the university's Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth.  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.  

Last week, energy industry leaders gathered in Houston for CERAWeek by S&P Global, one of the most important annual industry events focusing on the current state of energy markets, policy, and technology. This year's conference took place against a backdrop of shifting global energy dynamics — declining oil prices, the Trump administration's "drill baby drill" agenda, growing concerns about energy security, geopolitical tensions, and ongoing debates about the pace and direction of the energy transition. So what were the week's key takeaways? How are energy leaders reacting to a second Trump administration? And what does the future of global energy markets look like? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with two energy reporters — Bloomberg's Javier Blas and Axios's Ben Geman — about their takeaways from CERAWeek and what they heard on and off stage. Javier is an opinion columnist for Bloomberg, covering energy and commodities. He was previously at the Financial Times where he held various positions including roles as the Africa editor and the commodities editor. Ben is an energy and climate reporter at Axios. He is the co-author of the daily Axios Generate newsletter and covers the world of energy business and policy. He previously covered these topics for National Journal, The Hill, and E&E News. 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.

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.

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.

The race to power artificial intelligence is dramatically reshaping America's electricity landscape.  Recent analysis from the power-consultancy firm Grid Strategies shows that between 2024 and 2029, U.S. electricity demand will grow at five times the rate predicted in 2022. This surge comes as artificial intelligence and data centers reshape power markets, with tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon pursuing direct power purchase deals, sometimes bypassing traditional utility structures entirely. At the same time, President Trump's declaration of an energy emergency and appointment of new leadership at key agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission signal potential upheaval in how we approach grid reliability, renewable energy integration, and climate goals. So how do we meet this demand growth while navigating a complex political environment? And what role will emerging technologies like advanced nuclear, enhanced geothermal, and energy storage play in our energy future? This week host Bill Loveless talks with Michelle Solomon about the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. electricity sector. Michelle is a senior policy analyst at Energy Innovation, focusing on electricity policy. She brings a distinctive background combining technical and policy experience. Before joining Energy Innovation, she earned her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Stanford University. She also served as a Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow working on energy policy in the Senate. 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.  

Europe is facing a challenging year as natural gas prices surge. While the continent seemed to weather the initial shock of losing Russian gas supplies, it's now clear many were declaring victory too soon. Storage levels are dropping this winter, and the loss of Russian pipeline gas through Ukraine has left Europe increasingly dependent on global LNG markets. Meanwhile, in the U.S., President Trump's administration has promised to "unleash American energy dominance" by lifting restrictions on new permits for LNG exports. But questions remain about domestic gas production capacity, infrastructure constraints, and the impact on U.S. prices. How are these developments reshaping global gas markets, and what do they mean for Europe's industrial competitiveness? How might geopolitical tensions affect the future of global gas trade? And what does all of this mean for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? This week on the show, Jason Bordoff talks with gas market experts Anne-Sophie Corbeau and Ira Joseph about the outlook for LNG and its geopolitical and environmental implications. Anne-Sophie is a global research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy, where she focuses on hydrogen and natural gas. Her career in the energy industry spans over 20 years, including stints as the head of gas analysis at BP, senior gas analyst at the International Energy Agency, and research fellow at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center.  Ira is a senior research associate at the Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, he headed global generating fuels and electric power pricing at S&P Global Platts. Before that, he was the global head of gas and power analytics at Platts. 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.

 At the start of February, President Trump launched a trade war. The president announced sweeping tariffs on goods imported from China, Canada, and Mexico. Although he temporarily backed away from the highest penalties, Trump clearly indicated that tariffs will be central to his policy agenda. This follows the Biden administration's embrace of steep tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China, and sanctions against Russia aimed at stifling its energy sector.  These economic chokepoints are part of a broader shift of the global economy. Countries are weaponizing economic power through sanctions, tariffs, and export controls — reflecting a shift away from decades of global economic integration. So how did we get here? What does this new age of economic warfare mean for global stability and the global economy? And how might these tools reshape everything from energy markets to global banking systems in the years ahead? This week, Jason Bordoff talks to Eddie Fishman about his upcoming book "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare," which comes out on February 25th. The book traces the evolution of economic warfare from the “War on Terror” to today's great power competition. Eddie is a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy and an adjunct professor at Columbia University. He also serves as an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. 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.

Over the past month, the Trump administration has declared a national energy emergency, launched an ambitious agenda aimed at transforming the nation's energy landscape, and pulled back from America's climate commitments. At the heart of Trump's “Unleashing American Energy” strategy lies a complex balancing act: maximizing domestic energy production and infrastructure development while also navigating concerns about the cost of energy, grid reliability, and economic competitiveness. And there are open questions about the implications for the Biden administration's energy and climate initiatives, including the Inflation Reduction Act, and more broadly for America's energy transition.  How will this reshaping of American energy policy affect domestic markets? What role will technological innovation play in bridging competing priorities? And how might this transformation impact the delicate balance between energy security and climate considerations? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Paul Dabbar about the Trump administration's energy agenda, and its focus on national security and energy affordability. Paul is the chairman and CEO of Bohr Quantum Technologies and a non-resident fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy. He has spent the last few months leading the efforts of the incoming Trump administration to put together the U.S. Department of Energy. Paul served as the fourth undersecretary of energy for science during the first Trump administration.  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.

President Donald Trump's administration is promising an energy policy overhaul that would fundamentally reshape America's climate and energy policies. Trump and Republican leaders have pledged to pull back from many of the Biden administration's climate actions, including parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, and surge domestic oil and gas production and exports.   Meanwhile, global energy markets face mounting uncertainties including an escalating U.S.-China trade war, new sanctions on Russian energy and Europe's continued dependence on Russian energy, and growing tensions between rich and poor countries over how the energy transition is unfolding. In both the United States and Europe, energy security, competitiveness, and costs are top priorities now, along with climate change. With climate targets and energy security needs often pulling in opposite directions, nations are facing difficult choices about how to balance competing priorities in an increasingly complex world. How will energy politics and policy change under a second Trump administration? And how will shifts in U.S. policy impact global energy geopolitics? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Frank Fannon about what to expect from the Trump administration's energy agenda.  Frank is the founder of Fannon Global Advisors. He previously served as America's first Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of state for Energy Resources during the first Trump administration, where he led major energy and infrastructure initiatives across the globe, and elevated the critical role of minerals in the clean energy transition. Earlier in his career, he served as counsel to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Energy is fundamental to economic development. It propels manufacturing, transportation, and construction, and throughout history, it's been the driver of human prosperity. But as global population continues to increase, and countries develop, energy use could double by the end of this century—with much of that increase concentrated in the developing world.  Meeting that demand while ensuring we stay on track to reach a net- zero future is a massive challenge. It means leveraging both new innovations and scaling up the technologies that are already available. It also means increasing investment, as emerging markets and developing economies outside China account for only around 15% of clean energy spending.  Why is energy a critical enabler of development? What would it mean to electrify everything, and is that even possible? And what role will existing technologies like nuclear power play in a net-zero world? This week, a re-run of host Jason Bordoff's conversation with Eric Toone from July of this year where they discussed the challenges of increasing energy access in the developing world while rapidly cutting emissions.  Eric is the technical lead on the Investment Committee at Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Before joining Breakthrough in 2017, he was the vice provost and director of the Duke University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, and a professor of chemistry and biochemistry. From 2009 to 2012 he was detailed to the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he served as program director and deputy director for Technology.

The headline from this year's World Energy Outlook released by the International Energy Agency says, “The world is on the brink of a new age of electricity.” In the United States, electrification is set to transform the energy landscape, and the nation is expected to see a rapid rise in power demand.  Questions remain over how this demand will be met, and if this means increasing carbon emissions from the power sector. These questions are further complicated by the rise of artificial intelligence and an antiquated and fragmented electric grid. So how do efforts to decarbonize the century-old power system impact both reliability and the cost of electricity? And what does this new era of rising electricity demand mean for domestic manufacturing, AI data centers, and other industries?   This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Cheryl LaFleur and David Hill about the incoming Trump administration, its impact on FERC, and the status of permitting reform measures.   Cheryl is an advisory board member at the Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, she was one of the longest-serving commissioners on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2010 to 2019, and served twice as FERC's chair. Since 2019, Cheryl has served on the board of directors of the Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE). David is a non-resident fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Energy during the George W. Bush administration. From 2012 to 2018, he served as executive vice president and general counsel of NRG Energy, Inc.

The energy transition is transforming how we power our world – clean energy systems are becoming more interconnected, automated, and reliant on digital infrastructure. But with this transformation comes a new vulnerability: cyberattacks. As our grid becomes smarter and our system more digitized, the potential for disruption grows. Earlier this year, the FBI warned of a serious threat that Chinese hackers had infiltrated U.S. critical infrastructure systems, raising the possibility of a “devastating blow” to energy and other vital services. The stakes are clear. As we move forward with the energy transition – and increasingly digitizing and electrifying our systems –  we are increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks. This week, host Jason Bordoff speaks with Harry Krejsa about the cybersecurity risks at the intersection of operational technology and information technology in the clean energy transition, the destructive capabilities of China and Russia on American critical infrastructure, and what we should be doing about it. Harry is the director of studies at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology. He was previously in the Biden White House's Office of the National Cyber Director. There, he led development of the Biden-Harris administration's National Cybersecurity Strategy, established national clean energy security priorities, and represented the U.S. government in technology security consultations with foreign partners and the global private sector.  Prior to that, Harry worked at the intersection of technology, industrial strategy, and U.S.-China competition for the Department of Defense, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and the Center for a New American Security.

Rising electricity demand. Heightened geopolitical tension. Fragility in energy markets. These are some of the big stories shaping the energy transition outlined in the International Energy Agency's newest World Energy Outlook.  Even as the IEA says the world is shifting from the "Age of Oil" to the "Age of Electricity," we are still far from achieving net-zero targets. And the tensions highlighted in the latest Energy Outlook illustrate how difficult the transition will be.    This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Tim Gould about the 2024 World Energy Outlook, published in October. They discuss the significant progress countries have made on the energy transition, and the structural shifts in economies and energy use that lie ahead.  Tim is the International Energy Agency's chief energy economist. As part of his role, he co-leads the World Energy Outlook. Tim joined the IEA in 2008 as a specialist on Russian and Caspian energy. Prior to joining the IEA, he worked on European and Eurasian energy issues in Brussels.

In passing and signing the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, Congress and the Biden administration infused hundreds of billions of dollars into the energy transition. It was the largest investment in energy and climate in U.S. history.  At the same time, the law left many countries worried over provisions requiring domestic manufacturing, which some see as protectionist. It's a friction that's part of ongoing green trade tensions. As other countries implement their own major climate action plans, some include industrial policies that challenge international trade rules and norms.  Two years in, how are other countries responding to the Inflation Reduction Act? Can trade policy catalyze investment in and around clean energy in emerging markets and developing economies? And what does the concept of “friendshoring” mean? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Sarah Bianchi about her work in the Biden administration and how climate policy and trade policy intersect. Sarah is a senior managing director and chief strategist of international political affairs and public policy at Evercore ISI. She is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy and is on the advisory board of CGEP's new Trade and Clean Energy Transition Program to examine the intersection of climate action, trade policy, national security, and industrial strategy. She has nearly 30 years of experience in both the public and private sector. Most recently, she served as deputy U.S. trade representative from 2021 to 2024, overseeing critical trading relationships across Asia and Africa. Her portfolio covered all aspects of trade, including the energy transition and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Zero is in Baku, Azerbaijan, where delegates and heads of state from around the world have gathered for COP29.  Can a petrostate make a summit on decarbonization a success? And how much will the election of President Trump damage the US's credibility on climate– and set negotiations back? Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao what's in store in the two weeks ahead, and COP29 President Mukhtar Babyaev explains how Azerbaijan is trying to make the summit a success, despite concerns that NGOs and protesters will have limited access to the proceedings. Plus, Columbia University's Jason Bordoff explains how the US's role in climate diplomacy is about to change. Explore further: Past episode with Avinash Persaud about the big fights about finance expected at this COP Past episode about a play dramatizing COP3, the 1997 Kyoto summit Past episode about the achievements of COP28 in Dubai Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner, Blake Maples, and Ethan Steinberg. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's re-election as the US president drastically changes the climate and energy equation—in the US and around the world This week, Akshat Rathi speaks with California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna about what Americans can do to sustain action on climate and clean energy. He also talks to Columbia University's Jason Bordoff about how much Trump could boost fossil fuels. Explore further: Past episode with about President Trump's climate plans Past episode with about the fights over money brewing at COP29 Past episode with Colombia's environment minister Susana Muhamad about fossil fuel nonproliferation Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Siobhan Wagner, Monique Mulima, Ethan Steinberg, Mohsis Andam and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emerging markets and developing economies are set to account for the largest source of emissions growth in the coming decades, according to the International Energy Agency. As population growth in developing countries around the world increases, so will their demand for energy. And historically, these countries have looked to fossil fuels to support their demand growth. But even though emissions from these countries are increasing, their historical cumulative emissions pale in comparison to those emitted by a few wealthy countries – including the U.S. It's an imbalance that has major implications when it comes to equity and the energy transition. This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Rahul Tongia about his work on climate equity and his views on net-zero emissions commitments. They also discuss carbon pricing, as well as his approach to establish a system that incentivizes low-emissions countries to keep their emissions lower, even as they use fossil fuels for longer. Rahul is a senior fellow with the Centre for Social and Economic Progress in New Delhi, where he co-leads the Energy, Natural Resources, and Sustainability group. He helped establish the Smart Grid space in India and is founding advisor of the India Smart Grid Forum. Rahul is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

The artificial intelligence boom is fueling a massive uptick in energy demand globally.  A Goldman Sachs report from earlier this year claimed that processing a single ChatGPT query requires almost ten times the amount of electricity as a single Google search.  But it's not just ChatGPT queries driving up demand. As we transition to more renewable energy sources, AI is becoming critical to managing and improving efficiency across our electric grid.  So how are some of the biggest American tech companies securing the power they need to meet demand? They're going nuclear.  Tech giant Microsoft recently secured a deal to restart the last functional reactor at Three Mile Island with access to 100% of the power generated. And Amazon announced a $500 million investment to develop small modular nuclear reactors. It's a sign that large tech companies see data centers – and the AI they enable –  as critical to their futures.  This week, host Bill Loveless talks with Jason Bordoff and Jared Dunnmon about their latest co-written column for Foreign Policy, titled “America's AI Leadership Depends on Energy.” Jason is founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He's also a professor of professional practice in international and public affairs, the co-founding dean emeritus at the Columbia Climate School, and a former senior director on the staff of the U.S. National Security Council. Jared is a nonresident fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He's also a former technical director for artificial intelligence at the U.S. Defense Department's Defense Innovation Unit.

Escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the world's seventh-largest producer of crude oil, have fueled concern over oil price volatility for the past few weeks.  But the oil market isn't reacting to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as dramatically as it has in the past. Despite an ongoing war in Gaza and Israel, Israel's attack on Hezbollah, and attacks by Houthis in the Red Sea, the price of oil hasn't changed much. China's slowing economy and the U.S.' increased domestic production of oil seem to be keeping prices down… at least for now.  Still, renewed fighting between Israel and Iran has oil markets feeling nervous. A regional war could drive up prices, impacting the global economy.  In an interview recorded yesterday, host Jason Bordoff talks with Helima Croft and Javier Blas about the current state of oil markets, and how global instability could impact their future.  Helima is a managing director and head of global commodity strategy and Middle East and North Africa research at RBC Capital Markets. Helima joined RBC Capital Markets from Barclays, where she was a managing director and head of North American commodities research.  Javier is an opinion columnist for Bloomberg covering energy and commodities. Javier is coauthor of  the 2021 book “The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources.”

Europe is facing a critical challenge. When it comes to advanced technology innovation, labor productivity, and affordable energy, it's not keeping up with the U.S. and China. At least that's the take from Mario Draghi, former European Central Bank president, in his European Commission report last month titled, “The Future of European Competitiveness.” The last five years for the European Union have been tumultuous – from the pandemic to an energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, to the European Green Deal. How Europe moves forward in the face of these challenges will directly impact its short and long-term energy security, and the pace of its transition to clean energy. And it's all playing out against the backdrop of an ever-worsening climate crisis.  This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Kadri Simson. Kadri has been the European Commissioner for Energy since 2019. Before that, she was the Estonian minister for economic affairs, and held various other positions in the Estonian government.  Kadri visited the Columbia campus during Climate Week in New York City. They discussed the impact of Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Europe's progress in weaning itself off Russian gas, and member states' attitudes toward nuclear power, among other topics.

According to recently released data, Norway is the first country in the world with more electric vehicles than gas-powered ones on the road. At the same time, the country is western Europe's largest oil and gas producer, with a total output of over four million barrels of oil equivalents per day.  While the country aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, Norwegian oil and gas investments are expected to hit a record high this year and will remain strong in 2025.  This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in a live event recorded at the Columbia World Leaders Forum in New York during Climate Week.  They discussed Norway's progress toward becoming a green energy hub in Northern Europe and spoke about the obstacles the country faces in its pursuit of a green and secure energy future. Columbia students then joined the conversation, asking  questions about everything from Norway's role in the global energy transition to insights the country could offer the rest of the world.

China's dominance of global supply chains for many goods, including clean energy technology, is increasing concerns about resilience, security, and geopolitical influence in today's new era of great power competition. At the same time, efforts to curb China's dominance are raising concerns about the cost of clean energy at a time when its rapid deployment is needed.  So are we in a new Cold War with China? Should American policymakers try to decouple from China? And how should policymakers address China's supply chain dominance of the materials needed for the energy transition? This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Dmitri Alperovitch about his new book “World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the 21st Century.” They discuss what the strategic challenges from China mean for American policymakers, how the U.S. can diversify critical supply chains away from China, and the security of America's energy infrastructure.  Dmitri is the co-founder and chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator. He is a co-founder and former CTO of CrowdStrike. Dmitri previously served as special advisor to the Department of Defense and currently serves on the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Cyber Safety Review Board.

Global clean energy investment has risen by 40% since 2020, reaching an estimated $1.8 trillion in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency.  The cost of wind, solar, and batteries have fallen rapidly, often competing with fossil fuels, thanks to tech innovations, manufacturing scale, and policy support.  But the world still isn't on track to reach its emission reduction targets. And now new forms of demand, such as data centers running artificial intelligence, are raising concerns about rising energy use and emissions.  So how do we encourage more innovation in clean energy? How do we mobilize investment to scale-up and commercialize emerging technologies? What is the role of the private sector and what kinds of policies do we need?   This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Arun Majumdar about some of his views on emerging technologies and energy policy. They also discuss how higher education can adapt to provide the knowledge and skills needed in the clean energy economy. Arun is the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He also serves as the Jay Precourt Provostial Chair Professor at Stanford University and Senior Fellow and former Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy. Formerly, he served as vice president for energy at Google.  In the Obama administration, Arun served as founding director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and as the acting under secretary of energy. He also served as a Science Envoy for the U.S. Department of State and currently serves as the chair of the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board.

Following decades of economic integration, the costs of clean energy technology have fallen sharply. But the rising costs of fragmentation, industry-friendly policies, and geopolitical tensions risk slowing the energy transition.  With the recent launch of the Trade and Clean Energy Transition initiative, the Center on Global Energy Policy has prioritized navigating the tensions between climate and trade and focused on the potential to use trade policy as a tool to accelerate the pace of clean energy deployment. So how can the rules of trade be better aligned with climate goals and policies? How can the international trading system be modernized to tackle a challenge like climate change? And how can countries reconcile low-cost, clean energy technologies, often made in China, with concerns about economic competitiveness, security, and supply chain resilience? This week, we return to a conversation from earlier this year between host Jason Bordoff and Dan Esty focused on Dan's career, his recent work at the World Trade Organization, and the intersection of climate policy and trade policy. Dan is the Hillhouse Professor at Yale University and director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. He has written numerous books on environmental responsibility and economic progress, including Green to Gold and Greening the GATT. Dan also served as commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from 2011 to 2014.

Russia's energy exports, including its significant natural gas capacity, are geopolitical currency for the country. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russia was Europe's single largest supplier of imported natural gas. But since the global fallout after the invasion, Russia is setting its sights on China as a new market for the country's gas and as an important ally.  The proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline would transport Russian natural gas to China via Mongolia. The project is a window into Russia's energy export strategy and the evolving relationship between China and Russia.  So what is the strategic importance of Chinese-Russian energy diplomacy? How significant was Russia's loss of the European gas market? And has Europe left its energy crisis behind? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Erica Downs, Akos Losz, and Tatiana Mitrova about their recent CGEP commentary, The Future of the Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline. They discuss the geopolitical significance of the proposed pipeline and the evolving Russia-China relationship. They also cover a range of other topics including the outlook for European energy security and climate goals, China's energy demand, and the global gas market.  Erica is a senior research scholar at CGEP focusing on Chinese energy markets and geopolitics. She previously worked as a senior research scientist in the China Studies program of the CNA Corporation.   Akos is a former senior research associate at CGEP where he specialized in natural gas markets and the role of gas in the energy transition. He recently left CGEP and is returning to the International Energy Agency as its lead natural gas analyst.  And Tatiana is a research fellow at CGEP. She's spent her career focusing on Russia and global energy markets. Tatiana previously served as the executive director of the Energy Centre of the Moscow School of Management and the head of research in the Oil and Gas Department in the Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She is also an independent director of SLB, the large energy services firm. (Note: This conversation was taped prior to President Joe Biden's July 21, 2024 announcement that he was suspending his campaign for a second term in office.)

Jason Bordoff is an expert on geopolitics, energy security and the clean energy transition. He is the Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, and he also held senior roles in the Obama administration, including on the National Economic Council, and the National Security Council. In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Jason discuss: The future of solarHow shale oil transformed US energyCritical minerals and energy securityRealities of the clean energy transitionLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.  You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Jason on X at @JasonBordoff.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Energy is central to economic development, and access to energy is intrinsically linked to prosperity. As standards of living improve, energy use could double by the end of the century with a majority of this growth occurring in the developing world. Meeting this demand with zero-carbon, affordable energy is a herculean task.  Powering economic growth with zero and low-carbon energy resources will require both the development of new technologies and the rapid deployment of existing technologies. But reinventing the global energy mix continues to be extremely challenging, and there are open questions regarding the affordability and feasibility of new technologies.  Why is energy so important for development? And where are the opportunities for innovation in the energy transition?  This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Eric Toone about the intersection of energy and economic development, and the challenge of increasing energy access in the developing world while rapidly cutting emissions. Eric is the technical lead on the Investment Committee at Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Before joining Breakthrough in 2017, he was the vice provost and director of the Duke University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, and a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Duke.

Demand for the critical minerals needed for batteries, solar panels, and other forms of clean energy will grow rapidly under the International Energy Agency's “net zero by 2050” scenario. And this gives mineral rich countries like Chile an outsized role in the energy transition. Chile currently holds more than a third of the world's lithium reserves, and the country is already the world's second largest producer of lithium, with an approximately 25% share of world production. Chile also is the world's largest producer of copper, which will also be needed for a much more electrified economy.  So what is Chile's role in the energy transition more broadly? How will Chile's plans to nationalize its lithium industry play out? And how will the country be impacted by an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Juan Carlos Jobet about Chile's role in the global energy transition.  Juan Carlos is Chile's former minister of energy and mining. He was recently appointed dean of the School of Business and Economics at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and is a distinguished visiting fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy. Throughout his career, he has held several positions in both the public and private sector. He served as undersecretary of housing and minister of labor and social security, and previously worked as an investment banker and in private equity.

Recent elections in the European Union shook up the continent's climate politics. Far-right parties performed well in both the EU's parliament and national governments, and the Greens lost nearly all of their gains over the past five years in the European parliament. Voters pointed to energy costs, security, and economic competitiveness as key factors in their decision-making.   So what do these elections indicate about the shifting political ideology of the European Union? How will they impact Europe's relations with the U.S. and China? And what do these elections mean for European climate and energy policy?   This week, host Jason Bordoff talks with Ann Mettler, vice president for Europe at Breakthrough Energy, a network of investment funds, philanthropies, and nonprofits dedicated to scaling low-carbon technologies. She previously served as director-general at the European Commission, where she ran an in-house think tank called the European Political Strategy Centre. Prior to that, she was the executive director of the Lisbon Council, an economic policy think tank she founded in 2003.   Jason and Ann discuss the results of the recent European elections, the economic competitiveness challenges facing the European Union, and Ann's views on Europe's new tariffs on China.

The elections for the European Parliament will take place in a couple of days, and polls currently suggest the Parliament will undergo a rightward shift.  The last elections five years ago in 2019 saw major electoral gains for the environmentalist parties and popular support for ambitious energy transition plans. But the upcoming elections come following a tumultuous few years for the continent that included an energy crisis and an economic crisis.   So how will the upcoming elections impact Europe's energy transition? And how will Europe balance the needs for more rapid climate action, energy security and economic competitiveness? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Dominique Ristori about how Europe will accelerate its clean energy progress and enhance its energy security. Dominique is the former director general energy of the European Commission. He currently is a senior advisor at Dentons Global Advisors. Dominique began his career at the European Commission in 1978 and held several senior positions throughout his career. Prior to his role as director general energy, he was director-general of the Joint Research Center.

Geopolitics looms large over the global economy. A recent client survey by Goldman Sachs found geopolitics is the top investment risk of this year, overtaking inflation and the upcoming U.S. presidential election.  The market impacts by the wars in Europe and the Middle East, and the rising tension between China and Taiwan, are hard to predict. And the rise of protectionism, economic fragmentation, and industrial policy are inflaming tensions in a new era of great power competition.  So, how should we understand this shifting world order? What is coming next in the Middle East following Iran's attack on Israel? And how do energy and climate change impact national security?  This week's episode features a fireside chat between Jason Bordoff and Tom Donilon from the Columbia Global Energy Summit 2024, which was hosted by the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia SIPA last week at Columbia University in New York.  Tom is chairman of the BlackRock Investment Institute. From 2010 to 2013, he served as national security advisor to President Barack Obama. He has worked closely with and advised three U.S. presidents since his first position at the White House in 1977, working with President Carter. He later served in senior roles in the Pentagon and the State Department.

From methane monitoring to integrating more renewables into the power mix, artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the energy transition. It can be used to reduce emissions from food systems, and hard-to-abate sectors, like steel and cement manufacturing.  But the amount of energy AI will require is generating interest, uncertainty and concern. And this is in addition to the need for more electricity to help decarbonize multiple sectors. So what are the high potential opportunities for using AI to combat climate change and what are the risks? How will AI exacerbate existing stress on the power sector? And what are some of the opportunities to lower costs and increase efficiencies?   This week host Jason Bordoff talks with two of the authors of the “Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation,” David Sandalow and Alp Kucukelbir. David Sandalow is the inaugural fellow at the  Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, David served at the U.S. Department of Energy and was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He has served as assistant secretary of state for oceans, environment, and science, and as a senior director on the National Security Council staff.  Alp Kucukelbir is the co-founder and chief scientist  at Fero Labs. He is an adjunct professor of computer science at Columbia University and leads the entrepreneurship efforts at Climate Change AI.

Methane leakage is one of many issues at the forefront today over how the oil and gas industry is engaging in the clean energy transition. Importantly, this industry includes not only some of the better-known energy companies, but also many national oil companies. Collectively they produce about half the world's oil and gas. During last year's COP28, these companies committed to cutting methane emissions and working towards decarbonizing the industry. But the energy transition for these companies is a delicate balance, as they are responsible for generating revenue and ensuring energy security for their countries.  So, how will global pledges to decarbonize impact the oil and gas industry? What is the role for cleaner fuels like hydrogen in meeting growing energy demand? How much progress is being made to curb methane emissions? And what is the role of national oil companies in the transition?  This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Mark Brownstein about the importance of reducing methane emissions and what the transition looks like for national oil companies.  Mark is the senior vice president of energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund. He has been with EDF for almost two decades, working to halt the rise of global oil and gas emissions and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Before joining EDF, Mark worked for Public Service Enterprise Group, a large electric and gas utility holding company in the U.S. He has also taught energy policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. 

To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, emissions should already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030. Although this target is just six years away, fossil fuels experienced continued demand and revenue growth in 2023.  At CERAWeek by S&P Global, one of the world's largest annual energy conferences, the energy transition is at the forefront of conversations. But energy security and different pathways to net-zero goals is also the theme of the conference, and many companies are recommitting to their traditional oil and gas businesses even as they invest more in clean energy.  How do we navigate the path to a clean energy future? What is the outlook for energy prices and markets? What impact will today's geopolitical challenges have on the transition? And what effects will the many elections around the world have on the energy sector? This week host Jason Bordoff is at CERAWeek talking with Javier Blas about the path to a clean energy future.  Javier is an opinion columnist for Bloomberg covering energy and commodities. He was previously at the Financial Times, where he held various positions, including his roles as the Africa editor and the commodities editor. Javier is a coauthor of the book The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources released in 2021.

The success of the energy transition hinges on the availability of affordable capital to fund clean energy projects. The rise of green industrial policy in wealthy economies has mobilized public capital to fund clean energy projects, and attracted private capital through subsidies and tax incentives.  But in emerging and developing economies, there are many more barriers to deploying capital for clean energy at the scale and speed needed. The International Monetary Fund projects that of the $5 trillion in annual investments needed globally by 2030 to meet the world's net-zero emissions goals, $2 trillion will need to be made in emerging markets and developing economies. So, what is the role of private capital in accelerating the clean energy transition in economies around the world? And how can private sector coalitions advance the energy transition amidst anti-ESG backlash and higher cost of capital?  This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Nigel Topping about the pace of technological innovation to scale the energy transition, and the role of private capital in meeting global climate commitments. Nigel is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy and a global advisor to governments, financial institutions, and private companies on climate and industrial strategy. He served as the United Kingdom's High-Level Climate Action Champion for COP26. In this role, he mobilized the global private sector and local government to take action on climate change by launching the Race To Zero and Race To Resilience campaigns and, together with Mark Carney, launched the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero. Nigel is also a non-executive director of the UK Infrastructure Bank and an honorary professor of economics at Exeter University.

Within days of taking office, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to create the Justice40 Initiative. The policy aims to allocate 40% of the benefits of federal clean energy and climate investments to frontline communities.  For the energy sector, it's helping to shine a growing light on  “energy justice.” Historically, the current energy system has negatively impacted disadvantaged communities the most – communities that often lack access to affordable energy, are excluded from potential benefits of a clean energy economy, and suffer the greatest harms from climate change. The Energy Opportunity Lab at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs is working to address these challenges, among many others.  So, what progress has been made in ensuring energy justice for frontline communities? And with the energy transition continuing to accelerate in size and scale, how do we make sure disadvantaged communities aren't left behind? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Shalanda Baker about the historical inequities of energy systems, and the Biden administration's agenda on energy equity and climate justice. Shalanda is the director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity in the U.S. Department of Energy, and the secretarial advisor on equity. She also serves as chief diversity officer for the agency. Prior to her Senate confirmation in 2022, Shalanda served as the nation's first-ever deputy director for energy justice. Before joining the Biden administration, she co-founded and co-directed the Initiative for Energy Justice, which provides technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change.

Around the world, new policies like the Inflation Reduction Act or the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism aim to accelerate the pace of decarbonization. But these same policies have also fueled trade tensions and raised concerns about protectionism.  A successful clean energy transition means much more trade in clean energy technologies and products, according to the International Energy Agency. A rules-based global trading system, governed by the World Trade Organization, underpins much of that trade. But increasingly the WTO has faced challenges and calls for reform, particularly around issues of sustainability and climate change.  So what reforms are needed to align the global trade framework with climate goals and policies around the world? And how can the World Trade Organization support both economic progress and sustainable development?  This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Dan Esty about how climate policy and trade policy intersect. Dan is the Hillhouse Professor at Yale University and director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. He just finished public service leave working at the World Trade Organization and is co-leading the Remaking Global Trade for a Sustainable Future Project. Dan has written numerous books on environmental responsibility and economic progress, including Green to Gold and Greening the GATT. He previously served in a number of leadership roles at the Environmental Protection Agency, and as the Commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from 2011 to 2014.

The Department of the Interior is a key player in the energy transition in the U.S.. The federal government owns about 28% of the 2.3 billion acres of land in the country. The Department is responsible for permitting oil and gas drilling, renewable development, and mining on its vast land holdings.  At the same time, the DOI is tasked with protecting America's national parks and wilderness holdings for future generations. As the urgency of the climate crisis grows, the agency is at the heart of the difficult trade-offs between conservation and energy development that will define the energy transition.  What does an environmentally and socially responsible approach to the energy transition look like? And how does the federal government weigh the impacts and benefits of energy development on public lands? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Tommy Beaudreau about the DOI's effort to protect public lands and support the development of a domestic clean energy economy. Tommy is the co-chair of WilmerHale's energy, environment, and natural resources practice, and a distinguished visiting fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy. He recently served as deputy secretary of the Department of Interior from 2021-2023. Tommy served in senior leadership roles in the Department for nearly a decade across two administrations, including as the first director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in 2011.

The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year marked not only significant climate action but efforts to shape industrial policy. Through billions of dollars of subsidies, the IRA aimed to quicken the pace and scale of the energy transition and also bolster domestic manufacturing and the economy. While providing an infusion of capital to America's clean energy economy, the legislation heightened trade tensions around the world, with other countries vying to capture their share of clean energy supply chains.  How does this green industrial strategy fit within the Biden Administration's climate and economic goals? What potential impacts could policy have on the trade risks to the energy transition? And how might the energy transition affect the economy or economic inequities in American society? This week for our second and final holiday rerun, we're featuring host Jason Bordoff's interview with Heather Boushey about the Biden Administration's climate and economic policies and the case for green spending. Heather is a member of the Council of Economic Advisors for the Biden administration and chief economist to the Biden administration's “Invest in America” cabinet. Heather works on domestic investment and implementation of infrastructure and clean energy laws. She previously co-founded the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, where she served as chief economist, president and CEO. She has also held the position of chief economist for the Center for American Progress.

In April of this year, Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy reached its 10th anniversary. So this week, we're bringing back the conversation between hosts Bill Loveless and Jason Bordoff about the special milestone.  With the help of some colleagues, Jason founded CGEP in 2013 to produce unbiased, evidence-based research that examines energy issues in economics, national security, environment, and climate. Ten years later, CGEP is busier than ever addressing the world's energy and climate challenges through research, education, and dialogue. Jason is the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy. He previously served as a special assistant to President Obama, and senior director for energy and climate change on the staff of the National Security Council. He has held senior policy positions on the White House's National Economic Council and Council on Environmental Quality. Earlier in his career, Jason was a scholar at the Brookings Institution, served in the Treasury Department during the Clinton administration, and was a consultant with McKinsey & Company.  He is also a co-founding dean emeritus of the Columbia Climate School.   

The global decarbonization effort is colliding headfirst with the realities of great power politics. China currently controls more than 75 percent of the world's electric vehicle battery and solar photovoltaic manufacturing supply chains. It also processes the bulk of the so-called critical minerals, like lithium, cobalt and graphite, that are essential to building out clean energy technologies. There is no clean energy revolution without China.What would happen if China decided to weaponize its clean energy resources in the same way Russia recently weaponized its oil and gas? Is it possible for the U.S. to end its energy dependency on China by investing in clean energy at home? What does this geopolitical reality mean for the prospect of meeting the world's climate goals?Over the past few years, Jason Bordoff and Meghan O'Sullivan have been at the forefront of mapping out the ways decarbonization will upend the world's economic and geopolitical order. Bordoff is the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a former senior director for energy and climate change for the National Security Council under Barack Obama. O'Sullivan is the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and a former deputy national security adviser in the George W. Bush administration.In Bordoff and O'Sullivan's view, decarbonization won't just affect what kinds of cars we drive or how we power our homes. It will transform everything from the nature of international markets and trade relations to the global balance of military and diplomatic power. And it will create new economic superpowers, new alliances and new sources of geopolitical conflict in the process.This conversation explores the contours of this transformation and what it will mean for the future of the climate and world politics.Mentioned:“The Age of Energy Insecurity” by Jason Bordoff and Meghan L. O'Sullivan“A Critical Minerals Policy for the United States” by Meghan L. O'Sullivan and Jason Bordoff“Biden's Historic Climate Bill Needs Smart Foreign Policy” by Jason Bordoff“The Nuances of Energy Transition Investments” by Columbia Energy Exchange, with Larry FinkBook Recommendations:The Prize by Daniel YerginSilent Spring Revolution by Douglas BrinkleyThe Avoidable War by Kevin RuddHow to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill GatesThis episode is guest-hosted by Rogé Karma, the senior editor for “The Ezra Klein Show.” Rogé who has been with the show since July 2019, when it was based at Vox. At Vox, he also wrote and conducted interviews on topics ranging from policing and racial justice to democracy reform and the coronavirus pandemic.Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Rogé Karma. Fact checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Rogé Karma. The show's production team also includes Emefa Agawu, Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.