Podcasts about usc schwarzenegger institute

It's almost all over, as Kamala Harris, Donald Trump and candidates up and down the ballot make one last push to get their supporters to the polls. Meanwhile, anxious Americans are poring over the last-minute polls, trying to figure out what's going to happen in this too-close-to-call election. But the poller coaster can leave you dizzy. We've seen some surveys trending toward Trump nationally, but others trending towards Harris. We've seen some swing state polls swinging toward the Democrats, and others swinging to the GOP. How do we know which ones are accurate? What can polling trends really tell us about what to expect tomorrow? For more on this, KCBS Radio anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart, along with KCBS insider Doug Sovern, were joined by Christian Grose, professor of political science and public policy at USC and the Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and an expert on polling and elections. This is The State of California.

First, we discuss gerrymandering and redistricting and what it means for the upcoming elections on First Tuesday of November  2024. Christian Gross He's professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California. He's the academic director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. He's the author of Congress … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Election by gerrymandering and a tribute to Professor Philip Zimbardo – October 27, 2024 →

Even with President Biden not seeking reelection, age in American politics is still a highly debated issue. Americans overall want younger candidates in office. While the U.S. House of Representatives median age is slightly under 60 years old, it's the mid-60s for the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, the average age in America is under 40. About two-thirds of U.S. adults back an age ceiling on candidates for president and Congress and a mandatory retirement age for judges. As we head into an election cycle across all levels of government, how do we vet and position younger candidates who don't possess a track record to match more seasoned opponents? How can younger candidates take on entrenched incumbents and win? In this interview, Steven Olikara provides insights from his own Senate candidacy experience and as a founder of the largest nonpartisan organization of young elected leaders in America. Steven discusses why getting younger representation in government strengthens democracy, the wisdom and experience that older politicians provide, his ideas on term limits, and how voters should be thinking about the future. Steven Olikara is a nationally recognized changemaker, entrepreneur, and speaker at the intersection of media, politics, and culture. He serves as the founding President of Bridge Entertainment Labs (BEL) and as Senior Fellow for Political Transformation at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Steven founded Future Caucus (formerly Millennial Action Project), the largest cross-partisan organization of young elected leaders in the U.S. In 2022, he made history as the first South Asian candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, garnering national attention for his debate performance and fresh approach to politics. Steven is an on-air political commentator for both national and Wisconsin media. His analysis has been featured on CNN, NBC News, Fox News, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, Variety, and more.Thank you to Starts with Us for their collaboration on this series. Starts with Us is an organization committed to overcoming extreme political and cultural division. Check them out at startswith.us.

Debra Kahn, POLITICO California Policy Editor, joins former California Senator Fran Pavley, Pulse Fund Managing Partner Tenzin Seldon, and lawyer and environmentalist Joanne Witty for a conversation on the impact of climate change on the 2024 election and beyond. This discussion is part of the "Climate Forward 2024: Climate at the Crossroads" conference, sponsored by USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and CPF, in collaboration with POLITICO.   Featuring:  Fran Pavley: Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute; Former California State Senator Tenzin Seldon: Founding and Managing Partner, Pulse Fund Joanne Witty: Lawyer; Environmentalist; Co-Chair, Political Committee of the Environmental Defense Action Fund Debra Kahn: California Policy Editor, POLITICO

Debra Kahn, POLITICO California Policy Editor, joins former California Senator Fran Pavley, Pulse Fund Managing Partner Tenzin Seldon, and lawyer and environmentalist Joanne Witty for a conversation on the impact of climate change on the 2024 election and beyond. This discussion is part of the "Climate Forward 2024: Climate at the Crossroads" conference, sponsored by USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and CPF, in collaboration with POLITICO.   Featuring:  Fran Pavley: Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute; Former California State Senator Tenzin Seldon: Founding and Managing Partner, Pulse Fund Joanne Witty: Lawyer; Environmentalist; Co-Chair, Political Committee of the Environmental Defense Action Fund Debra Kahn: California Policy Editor, POLITICO

We're joined by P, Producer Jacob, Dom Bei, Terrence Yang, and many others to talk about Bitcoin surging to $72k this morning, discussing the halving party and upcoming BitBlockBoom event, and talk about Dom Bei orange-pilling the "Roundtable at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy."Use code “CAFE” for a discount to ⁠https://www.pacificbitcoin.com⁠⁠ "Welcome to Bitcoin" A FREE 1-hour course hosted by Natalie Brunell, perfect for helping you to orange-pill family members over the holidays at https://Swan.com/welcome ⁠⁠ Swan Team Members:Sam Callahan: https://twitter.com/samcallahTomer Strolight: https://twitter.com/TomerStrolightJohn Haar Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/john_at_swanDante Cook: https://twitter.com/Dante_Cook1Produced by: https://twitter.com/Producer_Jacob “From Timechain to Cantillionares Game, you can find Tip_NZ creations at Geyser Fund:” ⁠https://geyser.fund/project/tip⁠ Swan Bitcoin is the best way to accumulate Bitcoin with automatic recurring buys and instant buys from $10 to $10 million. Get started in just 5 minutes. Your first $10 purchase is on us: https://swanbitcoin.com/yt  Download the all new Swan app! iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swan-bitcoin/id1576287352 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.swanbitcoin.android&pli=1  Are you a high net worth individual or do you represent corporation that might be interested in learning more about Bitcoin? Swan Private guides corporations and high net worth individuals toward building generational wealth with Bitcoin. Find out more at https://swan.com/private Check out the best place for Bitcoin education, Swan Bitcoin's “Bitcoin Canon”. Compiling all of the greatst articles, news sources, videos and more from your favorite bitcoiners! https://www.swan.com/canon/  Get paid to recruit new Bitcoiners: https://swan.com/enlistHello and welcome to The Café Bitcoin Podcast brought to you by Swan Bitcoin, the best way to buy and learn about Bitcoin. We're excited to announce we are bringing the The Café Bitcoin conversation from Twitter Spaces to you on this show, The Café Bitcoin Podcast, Monday - Friday every week. Join us as we speak to guest like Max Keiser, Lyn Alden, Tomer Strolight, Cory Klippsten and many others from the bitcoin space. Also, be sure to hit that subscribe button to make sure you get the notifications when we launch an episode. Join us Monday - Friday 7pst/10est every Morning and become apart of the conversation! Thank you again and we look forward to giving you the best bitcoin content daily here on The Café Bitcoin Podcast. Swan Bitcoin is the best way to accumulate Bitcoin with automatic recurring buys and instant buys from $10 to $10 million. Get started in just 5 minutes. Your first $10 purchase is on us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://swan.com⁠⁠/yt⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Swan on social media:Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Swan⁠

La serie 200's dentro del podcast "Proyecto 1954" de la US-Mexico Foundation, busca contar historias de personas Mexico-Americanas. Mexican Americans are 100% Mexican and 100% Americans, hence the 200's En el primer episodio platicamos con Francisca Martínez, she is the Deputy Director at USC Schwarzenegger Institute Environmental Policy. Her jobs consists on planning and implementation of all climate and environment related initiatives at the Schwarzenegger Institute. Platicamos sobre su historia personal y profesional en los Estados Unidos, sus estudios y su involucramiento en uno de los centros de investigación y política publica mas importantes de California. Su visión sobre el medio ambiente y el enfoque en contaminación que lleva el USC Schwarzenegger Institute. #200añosMexicoEUA

FOX 11 News Co-Anchor Elex Michaelson joins political insiders, strategists, and education experts for a discussion on how California and Los Angeles were impacted by the elections. They also talk about the Los Angeles mayoral election, the future of Gavin Newsom's political career, control of the Senate, and the future of the Democratic and Republican parties in California. Featuring: Barbara Boxer: Former U.S. Senator (D-CA); Former Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future Addisu Demissie: Principal and Co-Founder, 50+1 Strategies; Political Strategist, Gavin Newsom's 2018 gubernatorial campaign and Cory Booker's 2020 presidential campaign Christian Grose: Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC Dornsife; Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy Ira Reiner: 39th Los Angeles County District Attorney; Former Los Angeles City Attorney and Controller, Fall 2022 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future Tom Ross: President and CEO, Swing Strategies political consulting firm Elex Michaelson: Host, "The Issue Is"; Co-Anchor, FOX 11 News; Winner of multiple Emmy and Golden Mic awards

FOX 11 News Co-Anchor Elex Michaelson joins political insiders, strategists, and education experts for a discussion on how California and Los Angeles were impacted by the elections. They also talk about the Los Angeles mayoral election, the future of Gavin Newsom's political career, control of the Senate, and the future of the Democratic and Republican parties in California. Featuring: Barbara Boxer: Former U.S. Senator (D-CA); Former Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future Addisu Demissie: Principal and Co-Founder, 50+1 Strategies; Political Strategist, Gavin Newsom's 2018 gubernatorial campaign and Cory Booker's 2020 presidential campaign Christian Grose: Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC Dornsife; Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy Ira Reiner: 39th Los Angeles County District Attorney; Former Los Angeles City Attorney and Controller, Fall 2022 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future Tom Ross: President and CEO, Swing Strategies political consulting firm Elex Michaelson: Host, "The Issue Is"; Co-Anchor, FOX 11 News; Winner of multiple Emmy and Golden Mic awards

Many Americans are pessimistic about the U.S. election system. From skepticism around mail-in ballots and voting machines to coping with long lines and shuttered polling places, voter confidence has slumped. When it comes to climate, research shows 66% to 80% of people support major mitigation policies. But are election related barriers preventing these voter preferences from being captured at the ballot box?With the midterm elections less than a week away, we're examining the fundamentals of the democratic process: the right to vote and public trust in elections. Plus, how the redistricting process influences both electoral outcomes and policymaking – including on climate and energy issues.Political Climate hosts Julia Pyper, Shane Skelton and Brandon Hurlbut are joined by USC Political Science and Public Policy Professor Christian Grose to discuss his research on how to improve voter access and voting rights and reduce polarization. Grose, who serves as academic director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, also previews new polling on Proposition 30, an environmental related ballot measure in California. Finally, he explains why you should care about redistricting if you care about climate change.Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or pretty much wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.Recommended reading:Enhancing Democracy: Does Funding Elections and Opening Polling Places Cause Higher Voter Turnout?USC Schwarzenegger Institute Initiates Democracy Grants for Voting Access and Election AdministrationIndependent Redistricting Commissions Increase Voter Perceptions of Fairness***Political Climate is brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice as much renewable energy as the state average. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it's the power of people over profit. Learn more at mceCleanEnergy.org.Support for Political Climate also comes from Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. The Climate Positive podcast features candid conversations with the leaders, innovators and changemakers driving our climate-positive future. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Clean energy is known to help grow economies and reduce carbon emissions. Can it also help strengthen democracies? That may seem like a tall order for a set of technologies. But when you consider how petro-dictatorships have roiled global markets in the past year – triggering price spikes, resource shortages, and even war – making the U.S. an arsenal of clean energy could help pave the way to greater stability. Political Climate launched the “Arsenal of Clean Energy” podcast series to tackle tough questions on how to balance climate action with immediate energy demands, while maintaining affordable prices for consumers, promoting economic growth and enhancing national security. In this fourth and final episode of the series, host Julia Pyper sits down with Josh Freed, the head of Third Way's Climate and Energy Program, to connect the dots on these topics and how to think about the path forward. To round out the episode, we hear from U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on why now is a critical time for America to lead. The “Arsenal of Clean Energy” is made possible by Third Way, a center-left think tank championing modern solutions to the most challenging problems in US policy. Learn more at thirdway.orgRecommended content:Third Way: When America Leads: Competing for the Future of Clean EnergyThird Way: The Arsenal of Clean Energy (Podcast Series)Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music or pretty much wherever you get podcasts! Political Climate is supported by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and published in partnership with Canary media. Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

California's independent commission on redistricting is releasing its first official draft maps of the state's new political districts today, after weeks of hearings and controversy. The bipartisan commission is likely to adjust the new lines it has drawn, after taking two weeks of public comment. This has been a sometimes contentious process, with the commission chair herself declaring the map of San Diego districts “a hot mess” the other day and in some cases, going back to the drawing board. This commission is charged with deciding who is in what district, and therefore who represents you in the state legislature and Congress, with new maps drawn every ten years after the census is complete. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Jeff Bell, as well as KCBS Radio political reporter and host of this segment Doug Sovern, spoke with Sara Sadhwani, PhD, Chair of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, and a faculty fellow at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political Climate is coming back to the airwaves! Catch new episodes every two weeks — wherever you get podcasts — starting Thursday, September 2nd. Brandon Hurlbut, Shane Skelton and Julia Pyper will be discussing all of the climate and energy issues that you want to know about, along with a roster of fantastic guests who know the ins and outs of the politics and policies shaping the future of our planet. This reboot of Political Climate is presented in partnership with Canary Media, and with support from the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. There is no shortage of action on climate and energy these days. Get the latest news and analysis with a side of debate and friendly banter on upcoming episodes of Political Climate.Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts. Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

Juneteenth is the oldest celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. But the fight against institutionalized racism continues today. Join USC experts as they discuss critical race theory, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and the ongoing struggle for liberty and justice for all. Panelists Jody Armour is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Law at USC. Armour's expertise ranges from personal injury claims to claims about the relationship between racial justice, criminal justice, and the rule of law. He studies the intersection of race and legal decision-making as well as torts and tort reform movements. Armour teaches students a diverse array of subjects, including Criminal Law, Torts, and Stereotypes and Prejudice: The Role of the Cognitive Unconscious in the Rule of Law. Alaina Morgan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at USC. Trained as a historian of the African Diaspora, Professor Morgan's research focuses on the historic utility of religion, particularly Islam, in racial liberation and anti-colonial movements of the mid-to late-twentieth-century Atlantic world. Morgan teaches classes on African American and African Diaspora History; Islam in the Americas; race and ethnicity in America; mass incarceration, discipline, and racialized punishment; Black intellectual history; and Black international movements. Christian Grose is Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at USC. He is the Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, where he led a team that administered the USC Schwarzenegger Institute nonpartisan democracy grants to local election administrators to open new polling places; and he is now researching how best to improve voter access and voting rights based around this community-engaged work.

It will take a massive war-time mobilization effort to effectively address the climate emergency, argues Saul Griffith — inventor, MacArthur genius fellow, CEO of Otherlab, and co-founder of Rewiring America, an organization dedicated to creating millions of American jobs while combating climate change. So, what does a war-time mobilization effort look like? How much will it cost? Will we have to make sacrifices in the process? What does this shift mean for the future of utilities? And will politicians ever get on board? Griffith explains in this episode of Political Climate. Plus, he weighs in on the massive year-end spending bill that passed in Congress this week and includes significant climate and clean energy measures. If signed into law, will this legislation put the U.S. on the right track to achieve deep decarbonization?Recommended reading:Rewiring America HandbookNo Place Like Home: Fighting Climate Change (and Saving Money) by Electrifying America’s HouseholdsMobilizing for a zero carbon America: Jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobsNYT: To Cut Emissions to Zero, U.S. Needs to Make Big Changes in Next 10 YearsNYT: Climate Change Legislation Included in Coronavirus Relief Deal'Need for Speed': Why Solving Climate Change Is About More Than CO2Political Climate is hosted by Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton and supported by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! We're also on Twitter @Poli_Climate.

The youth climate movement has gained enormous momentum over the past few years. While progressive groups tend to be the most well known, conservative youth activists are also expanding their presence in American politics. The Republican Party stands to lose an entire generation of voters if it doesn’t embrace a more environmentally friendly agenda. We speak to Benji Backer, executive director of the American Conservation Coalition, about what he thinks Republicans are getting right and wrong on climate heading into the 2020 election. Benji and a group of college-aged friends created The American Conservation Coalition in 2017 with a dream of making environmental issues nonpartisan again. The Republican-leaning group says it’s dedicated to mobilizing young people around climate action and environmental protection through common-sense, market-based and limited-government ideals — even if that means criticizing members of their own party. We talk to Benji about what young conservative climate activists want and debate Republicans’ existing track record on climate action.Recommended reading:Electric Election 2020 Road TripConservative climate group runs pro-environment ads on Fox NewsWaPo: In rare bipartisan climate agreement, senators forge plan to slash use of potent greenhouse gasThe Atlantic: How a Plan to Save the Power System DisappearedPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Financial regulators have a key role to play in addressing the systemic risks presented by climate change. Arguably, it’s part of their mandate to safeguard financial markets and the real economy from disruptive shocks.Like the COVID-19 pandemic, change change has the potential to wreak havoc on asset valuations and economic stability, as well as the lives and livelihoods of millions of people — particularly if these events are poorly managed. We discuss the steps regulators can take to protect against potentially devastating climate-related impacts in this episode of DITCHED, a Political Climate miniseries on fossil fuels, money flows and the greening of finance. What exactly do those regulatory actions look like? Who is responsible for taking them? What is the upshot for fossil fuels use? And how does this play politically?Steven Rothstein, managing director of the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets, explains.Episodes of DITCHED air on Mondays. To catch all of these shows, subscribe to Political Climate wherever you get podcasts!Recommended reading:NYT: Climate Change Poses ‘Systemic Threat’ to the Economy, Big Investors WarnPolitico: Ottawa seizes Covid-19 opportunity to require climate risk reportingBloomberg: Fed opens door for oil company loans after lobbying campaignCeres: Addressing Climate as a Systemic RiskPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Is a green recovery within the oil and gas industry a contradiction in terms? Can these fossil fuel firms meaningfully decarbonize their businesses, while creating new jobs in a struggling economy and volatile energy market? We discuss with a panel of experts, including oil and gas giant BP, in this episode of Political Climate.The oil and gas industry was hit hard by COVID-19, but business was already rocky ahead of the pandemic. Oil and gas companies were under mounting societal pressure to transition away from fossil fuel production and toward clean energy technologies.Now, as countries seek to stabilize their economies and investors look for environmentally friendly growth opportunities, it’s an open question as to what role oil and gas companies will play in building new, low-carbon lines of business. This discussion was originally recorded in late July for a live event hosted by the Atlantic Council and the Center for Houston’s Future, featuring the following speakers:Cindy Yeilding, senior vice president at BP AmericaGavin Dillingham, clean energy policy program director at Houston Advanced Research CenterAlex Dewar, senior director at the Boston Consulting Group’s Center for Energy ImpactRJ Johnston, managing director for energy, climate, and resources at the Eurasia groupRecommended reading:Atlantic Council: Public sector investment opportunities for a green stimulus in oil and gasGTM: BP Aims to Build 50GW of Renewables by 2030, Cut Fossil Fuel Output by 40%CNBC: BP reports second-quarter loss after major write downs, halves dividendPolitical Climate: What the Oil Price War Means for CleantechPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Fossil fuel divestment ain’t what it used to be. In a good way, if you ask advocates.In this episode — the second episode of Political Climate's special DITCHED miniseries — we get further into the weeds on what’s driving the Divest/Invest movement and where it’s going. We cover a lot and connect the dots in an interview with Justin Guay, director of global climate strategy at the Sunrise Project.Prior to joining Sunrise, Justin managed grant-making and strategy development for global coal campaigns at the ClimateWorks Foundation and Packard Foundation. He also ran the Sierra Club’s International Coal Campaign, with a special focus on international finance.In this conversation, we discuss how cutting off the flow of capital into fossil fuels has taken on a variety of different forms, as well as lessons learned from coal divestment that could influence a shift away from oil and gas. Justin addresses the tricky question of whether making fossil fuels harder to finance will actually curb demand for these products. We also talk about what a future without fossil fuels would look like, and how it could affect individual workers and even geopolitical relations. And that’s not all. We launched the DITCHED miniseries to shed light on the divestment movement, and the growing trend of moving money out of fossil fuels and into more sustainable investments. Episodes air Mondays on Political Climate. Subscribe here!Recommended reading:Foreign Affairs: Coronavirus Bailouts Stoke Climate ChangeIEEFA: Over 100 Global Financial Institutions Are Exiting Coal, With More to ComeGTM: Devil in the Details for World’s Largest Coal InvestorReinsurance News: California to conduct first climate-related stress test for re/insurersFT: JPMorgan Chase removes former oil boss from lead director roleWorld Oil: Chesapeake joins more than 200 other bankrupt U.S. shale producersPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Texas, home of the U.S. oil and gas industry, has become a clean energy superpower. The state already leads the nation in wind-power generation and solar is booming. Last year, Texas generated more electricity from renewable energy sources than from coal.Now, as the coronavirus pandemic delivers a blow to the state’s struggling oil and gas industry, wind and solar production remain on a trajectory for continued record growth.The rise of renewable energy isn’t the only notable change taking place in Texas, the state’s politics appear to be shifting too. Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden is polling very close to President Trump, who swept the state in 2016. How did Texas become a clean energy leader? What are the politics behind this rise? And what are the politics in Texas likely to be more broadly going forward? Could a growing green economy turn this red state blue?Political Climate speaks to Pat Wood, former head of the Texas Public Utility Commission named by Governor George W. Bush and former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where he led FERC’s responses to the 2000-2001 California energy crisis and the 2003 Northeastern power blackout. Wood compares the Texas and California energy systems and weighs in on the Golden State's recent blackouts.Finally, co-hosts Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton make a new election bet.Recommended reading: Dallas Observer: Texas Produced More Energy from Renewable Sources Than Coal Last YearGTM: Texas Is the Center of the Global Corporate Renewable Energy MarketPost and Courier: All electricity customers can benefit from competitionReuters: As Trump falters, Democrats and Biden eye an elusive prize: TexasGTM: California’s Shift From Natural Gas to Solar Is Playing a Role in Rolling BlackoutsPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Tony Seba gets a lot of things right. The world-renowned thought leader, entrepreneur, educator and author accurately predicted the rapid decline in solar photovoltaic costs and lithium ion batteries. He also predicted the collapse of the coal industry and oil prices.Now, he’s out with a new book, “Rethinking Humanity,” that predicts the 2020s will be “the most disruptive decade in history” — not just in terms of energy technology, but across every major industry in the world today. This disruption will have major implications for policymaking and geopolitics, and civilization as a whole. In this episode, we speak to Tony Seba about the emergence of a new world order he calls "The Age of Freedom" that's based on decentralization and resource creation, rather than extraction. We also discuss the collapse of incumbents and the impact this will have on societies around the world, and what policy leaders can do to get out ahead of these changes.Seba breaks down why technological innovation in the next 10 years will either see the American Dream realized for virtually everyone on the planet in a cheap and sustainable manner, or trigger societal collapse akin to the fall of empires in the past. He argues that the future of humanity depends on what humans decide to do.Recommended reading:Rethinking HumanityVice: How Solar Power Could Slay the Fossil Fuel Empire by 2030 Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Few people have more experience working in modern Democratic politics than John Podesta. From Senate staffer to White House chief of staff, progressive think tank founder to presidential environmental policy counselor, campaign manager to climate action advocate — Podesta has seen a lot.In this exclusive, in-depth interview, we get the veteran Democrat’s perspective on the state of climate politics amid the pandemic and intensifying 2020 election. We hear how he would advise Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden to address climate change if elected, including actions a new Biden administration could take within its first 100 days. We also discuss why Podesta has beef with Facebook, what he thinks about ending the Senate filibuster, and we get his thoughts on President Trump’s campaign strategy. Plus, Podesta shares his preferred pick for Joe Biden’s running mate.John Podesta previously served as White House chief of staff to President Bill Clinton. He is the founder of the progressive think tank Center for American Progress and served as counselor to President Barack Obama, where he focused on climate and energy policy. Podesta chaired Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in 2016. He is currently a member of Climate Power 2020, a campaign created to change the politics of climate.Recommended reading:The Atlantic: The Audacity of John PodestaGrist: Climate leftists and moderates have a radical new plan to defeat Trump: Work togetherMother Jones: Democratic Leaders Want to Know Why Facebook’s New Oversight Board Won’t Deal With Climate LiesThe Hill: COVID-19 relief and economic recovery must dismantle environmental racismPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

There’s a lot of discussion these days about “building back better” and passing “green economic stimulus.” But what exactly does this entail?On this bonus episode, we share insights and resources from a group of energy leaders in California. They discuss new ways to think about environmental investments in COVID-19 recovery packages, how the public sector can advance sustainability goals at the local, state, and federal level, and lessons from the 2008 recession that could be adapted to today. This discussion was co-hosted by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.Speakers include:Fran Pavley, former California State Senator and USC Schwarzenegger Institute Environmental Policy DirectorJ. R. DeShazo, Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for InnovationBob Keefe, Executive Director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)Matt Petersen, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)Recommended reading:E2: Build Back Better, Faster: How a federal stimulus focusing on clean energy can create millions of jobs and restart America’s economySF Chronicle: Newsom’s environmental budget cuts escalate tensions with state activistsUCLA: Employment Benefits from California Climate Investments and Co-investmentsCarbon Brief: Leading economists: Green coronavirus recovery also better for economyLACI: Keeping America Working, Protecting Public Health, and Strengthening our CommunitiesPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

Joe Biden has just released the details of his $2 trillion plan to combat climate change, firming up a key pillar of his platform heading into the 2020 election. The proposal is being pitched as a way to boost the American economy, create millions of jobs and “build back better” coming out of today’s profound public health and economic emergencies.The Biden climate plan comes on the heels of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force recommendations on addressing climate change and environmental injustice, as well as House Democrats’ 500-page report on solving the climate crisis.We break down key elements of these proposals on this episode of Political Climate. Resident Democratic co-host Brandon Hurlbut, co-founder of Boundary Stone Partners and former chief of staff at the US Department of Energy, and Republican co-host Shane Skelton, co-founder of S2C Pacific and former policy advisor to House Speaker Paul Ryan, discuss the details and political implications of Biden’s climate plan.A key feature of the proposal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2035. We also take a look at recent industry-led progress toward that goal. Plus, we discuss the House-passed “Moving Forward Act,” a comprehensive surface transportation bill that aligns closely with the Biden platform.In theory, there’s a lot in all of these proposals for leaders across the political aisle to love.Recommended ReadingGTM: Biden Pledges $2T in Clean Energy and Infrastructure SpendingResources Magazine: A Close Look at the New Report from the House Select Committee on the Climate CrisisGTM: Can the Clean Energy Industry Deliver on the Biden-Sanders Climate Plan?GTM: Finding Bipartisan Opportunities in House Democrats’ Climate PlanForbes: Moving Forward Act Is A $1.5 Trillion Congressional Bill That Loves Electric VehiclesPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Lyft. Lyft is leading the transition to zero emissions vehicles with a commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicles on the Lyft platform by 2030. Learn more at lyftimpact.com/electric.

In a series of major wins for the environmental community, three multibillion-dollar pipeline projects — the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline — were recently delivered devastating setbacks. The business and legal decisions undermine President Trump’s multiyear effort to ease environmental regulations and expand oil and gas development in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force has released its roadmap on combating the climate crisis that calls for immediate action “to reverse the Trump Administration’s dangerous and destructive rollbacks of critical climate and environmental protections.”On this week’s episode of Political Climate, we dig deeper into the pipeline project defeats and their implications for the energy sector in an interview with Steven Mufson, renowned reporter covering the business of climate change for The Washington Post. We discuss the environmental movement’s strategy and recent success in the courtroom, against the backdrop of President Trump’s deregulation agenda. Plus, we address how these developments are playing politically ahead of the 2020 election.Steven Mufson joined the Washington Post in 1989. This year, he shared the Pulitzer Prize for the climate change series "2C: Beyond the Limit." He’s also the author of “Keystone XL: Down the Line.”Recommended reading:WaPo: Major oil and gas pipeline projects, backed by Trump, flounder as opponents prevail in courtGTM: As Fossil Fuel Pipelines Fall to Opposition, Utilities See Renewable Energy as Safe BetWaPo: Citing an economic emergency, Trump directs agencies across government to waive federal regulationsBiden-Sanders Unity Task Force RecommendationsPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!Have a moment? Please leave us a review! Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate.

There’s more political momentum than ever around achieving net zero emissions by 2050, especially following the release of House Democrats’ new Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy. But where do we currently stand on that trajectory? And is the path to zero as inclusive as it should be?On this episode, the last in our monthly “Path to Zero” series supported by the public policy think tank Third Way, we talk climate targets and what it’s going to take to meet them. To bookend the series, we speak to Josh Freed, the founder and leader of Third Way’s climate and energy program, to get a read on progress toward carbon neutrality in America amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and renewed calls to combat racial injustices.Then in the second half of the show, we speak to Nathaniel Smith, founder of the Partnership for Southern Equity, an organization working to advance racial equality and shared prosperity in Atlanta and across the South, about making the low-carbon economy inclusive of Black communities.We look at what policymakers are getting right and getting wrong. And we end by discussing what Black voters want to see from candidates in 2020. Hint: R-E-S-P-E-C-T.Recommended reading:GTM: House Democrats Spell Out Climate, Clean Energy Priorities in Sweeping PlanWaPo: Most Americans believe the government should do more to combat climate change, poll findsPath to ZeroPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

There aren’t many sporting events taking place amid the pandemic, but athletes and the brands that support them aren’t sitting idle. Protect Our Winters, a non-profit representing the outdoor sports community on climate issues, recently spent a week virtually lobbying Congress for bolder climate action and environmental protections. Professional snowboarder and two-time X-Games gold medalist Danny Davis was among the participants in POW’s advocacy week. Steve Fechheimer, CEO of New Belgium Brewing, also took part.Sports have always been political to some degree. But these days, athletes, teams and entire sporting organizations are choosing to get off the sidelines and take a more active role in public policy.On this show, we speak to Danny and Steve about why they decided to be more outspoken on climate issues, about leadership and corporate responsibility, and about how sports and beer are intertwined with one of the biggest challenges of our time.Recommended reading:CNN: Climate change is threatening winter sports' very existenceWired: Don't Save the Planet for the Planet. Do It for the BeerProtect Our Winters: Policy AgendaPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!Have a moment? Please leave us a review! Chat with us on Twitter @Poli_Climate.

Lyft is going 100% electric. The rideshare company just pledged to transition every vehicle on its platform to an EV by 2030.But this decision isn’t as simple as buying a few new cars. It will require building out an entire ecosystem of electric vehicle infrastructure and incentives, and getting into the weeds on policy. On this episode, we speak to Lyft’s director of sustainability, Sam Arons, about this bold new strategy.We talk to Sam about the EV target and how to meet it, as well as related policies and how electric rideshare vehicles can support the power grid. We also talk a lot about the broader transportation ecosystem, the future of cities, and Lyft’s evolving role as a “multimodal technology platform,” as Sam put it.Lyft's announcement also speaks to how companies are looking to play a bigger role in the fight against climate change, in an era of increasing public pressure for greater corporate responsibility. Learn more about Lyft's sustainability strategy in this exclusive, in-depth interview. And while you're listening, we'd love you to give Political Climate an Apple Podcasts review! Your 5-star ratings help us grow and bring this content to wider audiences. Thank you!Recommended reading:Lyft: Leading the Transition to Zero Emissions: Our Commitment to 100% Electric Vehicles by 2030GTM: Lyft Pledges Shift to 100% Electric Vehicles by 2030 LA Times: Taking an Uber or Lyft pollutes more than driving, California finds. Next stop: RegulationsGTM: Electric Ridesharing Benefits the Grid, and EVgo Has the Data to Prove ItPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate.

Deep-seated racial justice issues have been brought to the fore in recent weeks by a series of nationwide protests over police violence. These protests are taking place in the midst of a global pandemic, which has exposed, and in many cases worsened, long-standing issues of racial inequality. The energy and climate space is not immune to racial discrimination. But some politicians have questioned whether this is the right moment to talk about issues such as pollution, calling it a misplaced political move.Mustafa Santiago Ali has been on the frontlines of the fight for environmental justice since he was a teenager and throughout his 24 years at the EPA. Now, as vice president of environmental justice, climate and community revitalization for the the National Wildlife Federation, Ali says he’s hopeful this historic moment will accelerate equitable energy solutions.On this episode, Ali connects the dots between the clean air, affordable energy and the racial justice movement. We also discuss the implications of recent environmental rollbacks by the Trump Administration and take a hard look at how the clean energy industry can promote greater diversity. Plus, we discuss Republican approaches to combatting inequality, teeing off of comments made by Representatives John Shimkus (R-Illinois) and David McKinley (R-West Virginia) at this week’s House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on frontline communities — where Ali testified.Recommended reading:The Hill: Trump's latest environmental rollback threatens minority communities, experts warnPolitico: California lawmakers rebuke top regulator who invoked 'I can't breathe' in air quality fightHuffPost: Solar Power Has A Diversity ProblemGTM: ‘We Too Must Improve’: Clean Energy Industry Looks Into Mirror on Racial InequityPolitical Climate: Fighting Energy Injustice and Coronavirus in African American CommunitiesPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

Democrats are beginning to rally around a progressive, three-part climate platform that prioritizes environmental justice. But will Joe Biden fully embrace it? If so, could it sway the 2020 election? Or will few voters care in this turbulent year?On this episode of Political Climate, we speak to Maggie Thomas, political director at Evergreen Action, a new group created by former Jay Inslee campaign staffers to promote a comprehensive climate plan for Democrats.We discuss how the left came to unite around the concept of pursuing rapid decarbonization through sector-specific standards, large-scale public investments, and a commitment to justice and equity (as Vox's David Roberts first reported). We also learn how Thomas and her colleagues crafted Inslee’s environmental justice plan — a plan that’s all the more relevant in light of recent protests. Plus, we get a read on the most politically attractive elements of the crystalizing climate platform. Are there policies that progressive Bernie Sanders supporters, moderate Biden fans and perhaps even some Republicans could support?Recommended reading:Evergreen Action PlanVox: At last, a climate policy platform that can unite the leftVox: Joe Biden has a chance to make history on climate changeMedium: A Week of Podcasts for the Advocate New to Climate JusticeWaPo: I’m a black climate expert. Racism derails our efforts to save the planet.Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is also supported by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The EarthxOcean virtual event takes place June 9-June 11. Tune in to learn about protecting ocean life support systems. Register at www.earthx.org/earthxocean.

Buckle up. Electric vehicle sales are expected to take a big hit this year amid the current health and economic crisis. Industry analysts say the long-term prospects for EVs remain strong, but the jury’s still out on how quickly the market will rebound. The EV market outlook could have a major impact on the U.S. economy overall. Boosting government investment in clean transportation is being championed by advocates and several lawmakers as a way to put Americans back to work and build out of the coronavirus downturn. The EV growth trajectory will also have a direct impact on whether or not the U.S. will be able to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.In the sixth episode of Political Climate's monthly “Path to Zero” series, supported by the public policy think tank Third Way, we discuss what it will take to decarbonize the transportation sector, with a focus on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. We speak to Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, representative for Michigan's 12th congressional district, about what it will take to reboot the American automotive industry and get the U.S. EV market back on track coming out of the economic recession.We also speak to James “Jim” Chen, vice president of public policy at the high-profile electric vehicle startup Rivian. The Detroit-based company set out on a mission to “keep the world adventurous” by building rugged, long-range, high-performance electric trucks and SUVs. Rivian’s R1T and R1S have generated a lot of fanfare (and raised a lot of money). But are electric adventure vehicles really going to make a dent in reducing transportation emissions?Plus, Political Climate co-host Brandon Hurlbut describes what he likes about driving electric and the killer deal he got on his EV purchases. Recommended reading:Detroit News: Rep. Dingell aims to jump-start Washington electric-vehicle debatePolitico: The One-Woman Campaign to Get Michigan Back for the DemsVerge: Rivian races ahead of other EV startups with $1.3 billion in new fundingAxios: These electric vehicle companies have the best shot at survivingGTM: 4 Takeaways From Amazon’s Huge Electric Delivery Van OrderPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

The skies may look clearer these days. But don’t get too excited. Levels of smog and other short-lived climate pollutants (remember HFCs?) are still high and climbing.The good news: there’s a long track record of international cooperation to get these harmful pollutants in check. The challenge: finding the political will to eliminate them entirely.Short-lived climate pollutants include black carbon or soot, methane, hydrofluorocarbons and tropospheric ozone, or what we think of as city smog. In addition to heating up the atmosphere, they dirty our air, make people sick and affect the ozone layer.In this episode, we speak to legendary environmental litigator, professor, author and advocate Durwood Zaelke about why the world needs to prioritize non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases and what’s being done to curb them (with support from both sides of the political aisle).Zaelke is the founder and President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development in Washington, DC and Paris, where he focuses on fast mitigation strategies to protect the climate. He’s received numerous awards for his work on the Montreal Protocol and his efforts to enact the Kigali Amendment to phasedown HFCs for climate protection.Recommended reading:NPR: Traffic Is Way Down Because Of Lockdown, But Air Pollution? Not So MuchThe Hill: Trump drags feet on climate treaty, and Republicans aren’t happyThe Guardian: Study finds shock rise in levels of potent greenhouse gasShort-Lived Climate PollutantsPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Eavor, the first truly scalable form of clean baseload power. Learn more at eavor.com.This episode is also supported by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The EarthxOcean virtual event takes place June 9-June 11. Tune in to learn about protecting ocean life support systems. Register at www.earthx.org/earthxocean.

Late last year, the European Union introduced a $1 trillion plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and achieve a just transition away from polluting technologies.Europe’s Green Deal enjoys strong backing from many of the EU’s top political figures. But it faces pushback from coal-heavy member states. Implementation of the Green Deal has now been further complicated by the urgent need for governments to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.On this episode, we bring you a conversation with EU Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis about the implications of COVID-19 for Europe’s energy and climate agenda.Not only that — we also discuss the fallout from plummeting oil prices, what to do with stranded fossil fuel assets, the outlook for a U.S. green recovery plan, and corporate clean energy commitments amid coronavirus with a stellar panel of experts from Google, The Aspen Institute and elsewhere. This episode you'll also hear from:Nikos Tsafos, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International StudiesKevin Book, managing director of research at Clearview Energy PartnersMarsden Hanna, head of sustainability and climate policy for the government affairs team at GoogleGreg Gershuny, executive director of the Aspen Institute's energy and environment programPolitical Climate host Julia Pyper moderates this conversation, which originally took place as a virtual event hosted by the EU Delegation to the U.S.Recommended reading:GTM: Moonshot Moment: Europe Announces Green DealGTM: EU Green Deal Should Be Canceled Because of Coronavirus, Czech PM SaysEuractiv: EU leaders back ‘green transition’ in pandemic recovery planVirtual event: How COVID-19 affects the climate and energy agendaPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you with support from Eavor, the first truly scalable form of clean baseload power. Learn more at eavor.com.

Are progressive ideas on how to tackle climate change a political poison pill? New opinion polling challenges this commonly held assumption.On this week's episode of Political Climate, we discuss how data is helping decode where the American public stands on progressive issues with Julian Brave NoiseCat, vice president of policy and strategy at the left-wing think tank Data for Progress.We dig into new polling on the Green New Deal and passing a green stimulus bill in response to COVID-19. We also look at public views on nationalizing the U.S. oil and gas industry and potential Democratic picks for vice president.Plus, Julian puts a question to co-host Shane Skelton about the Republican response to climate change. As always, we end with our segment “Say Something Nice.”Recommended reading:Politico: What AOC Gets that Bernie Didn’tData for Progress: Voters Want a Green StimulusData for Progress: The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Made Voters More Supportive of the Green New DealData for Progress: Nationalize the Fossil Fuel IndustryNo Place Like HomePolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate! Tweet at our hosts at @JMPyper @BrandonHurlbut @ShaneSkelton.Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

African Americans are struggling with a disproportionate death toll from COVID-19 and severe financial strain from the economic downturn. This crisis has exposed preexisting racial disparities created by deep-seated social, economic and political factors. These same underlying issues make African Americans more vulnerable to health damage from pollution, as well as from heat waves, storms and other effects of climate change. Meanwhile, African Americans are missing out on wealth creation opportunities in the clean energy economy, which could be an effective solution to some of these underlying issues — bringing jobs and environmental benefits to communities that need it the most.In this episode of Political Climate, the fifth in our "Path to Zero" series with Third Way, we look at how COVID-19 and climate change are affecting Black communities, and how these issues can be tackled in tandem. We speak to Jared DeWese and Akunna Cook at Third Way about the multiple crises facing Black Americans today. We also hear from Naomi Davis, a grassroots leader and green village builder in Chicago’s Southside, who succeeded in shaping a landmark clean energy bill in Illinois. Finally, we speak to Tony Reames, assistant professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, about the issue of “energy injustice.” We also discuss takeaways from preliminary research on how African Americans are thinking about climate and energy issues in 2020.Recommended reading:National Geographic: African Americans struggle with disproportionate COVID death tollNYT: New Research Links Air Pollution to Higher Coronavirus Death RatesQuartz: The overwhelming whiteness of US environmentalism is hobbling the fight against climate changeISEA: Future Energy Jobs Act Workforce Development ProgramsHuffPost: Solar Power Has A Diversity ProblemPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

John Kerry isn’t pleased. As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the former senator and secretary of state says a profound lack of leadership is causing the United States to fall behind on climate action and clean energy innovation.In this episode of Political Climate, we speak to Secretary Kerry about his outlook on combatting climate change. We get his views on abolishing the Senate filibuster, decarbonizing the power grid, the future role of fossil fuels, American leadership (or lack thereof) on the international stage, and more.We also get an update on Kerry’s World War Zero coalition. The initiative was launched last year with a high-profile cast of founding members to mobilize mass action to combat the climate crisis. The coalition's main goal is to host more than ten million “climate conversations” in 2020 with citizens from across the political spectrum. Has the star-studded effort been successful so far?Finally, we turn to a brief interview with Tia Nelson, environmental leader, climate program director at the Outrider Foundation and daughter of former Senator and Governor Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.Nelson was 13 years old on April 22, 1970 — the first Earth Day ever. We get her thoughts on how the environmental movement has evolved over time. Recommended reading:WaPo: John Kerry: Why I’m an optimist this Earth DayWBNS: Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Kerry, John Kasich hold town hall on climate change at OtterbeinHeated: A conversation with John KerryIsthmus: Earth Day turns 50When the Earth Moves FilmPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival is being held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

The 2020 election is crawling forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. Former Vice President Joe Biden has become the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party, with Senator Bernie Sanders announcing his withdrawal from the race.With the primary settled, the next question is: can Biden win over Bernie’s climate supporters? And how much do these supporters matter?Speaking of support, clean energy stakeholders say they're in dire need of government help. Industry researchers project that the clean energy sector could lose more than a half million jobs — or 15 percent of its total workforce — in the coming months if no additional policy actions are taken by Congress.More than 106,000 workers already lost their jobs in the month of March alone, according to a new analysis by Environmental Entrepreneurs, the American Council on Renewable Energy, E4TheFuture and BW Research. In light of these numbers, will a Republican-led Senate step in to save the clean energy workforce?We discuss on this week’s episode of Political Climate.Recommended reading:Axios: Biden and Sanders vow joint climate work as part of endorsementNYT: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Never Spoken to Joe Biden. Here’s What She Would SayGTM: Virginia Mandates 100% Clean Power by 2045The Atlantic: Coronavirus Killed the Policy PrimaryE2: 106,000 Jobs in Clean Energy Lost in March Due to COVID-19 Economic CrisisPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

The coronavirus outbreak continues to loom large over the world. Across the globe, countries face major challenges as consumer demand contracts, employee payroll is cut, and capital shrinks as billions of people remain in quarantine. The combination of an economic downturn, cheap oil and gas, and global supply chain disruptions will have big consequences for clean energy markets and climate action in the U.S and abroad. But is it all bad news?In this episode, we bring you a conversation on the implications of COVID-19 for climate and clean energy with four expert voices. Drawing on data and experience, speakers weigh in on the future of sustainable finance, low-carbon technology deployment, and government stimulus efforts.This discussion was recorded earlier in the week at virtual event presented by the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center and moderated by podcast host Julia Pyper.Joining her this episode are:Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas at Bloomberg New Energy FinanceRachel Kyte, former CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts UniversityRich Powell, executive director of the ClearPath FoundationAdnan Amin, former Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency and Distinguished Fellow and the Atlantic Council's Global Energy CenterRecommended reading:GTM: Coronavirus Derailed COP26 Talks, But Not Europe’s Appetite for Climate ActionVox: How the Covid-19 recession could become a depressionCNN: Here's what America's oil CEOs discussed with TrumpAtlantic Council: COVID-19: Clean energy and climate impactsPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

Climate change didn’t stop while the world turned its attention to combating the coronavirus. Will leaders seize the moment to tackle more than one crisis?The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act offered no explicit support for the energy sector. Will Congress use the next stimulus bill to accelerate the green economy as part of the COVID-19 recovery? If so, when and how? Or will climate friendly stimulus measures fall by the wayside for now?Plus, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will allow companies to break pollution laws during the pandemic and did not set a timeline to start implementing the laws again. We discuss how this compares to the crisis response of past administrations.. We end with some tips on how to weather through COVID-19 and related economic troubles, including a breakdown of the financial support available to cleantech startups under the recently passed CARES Act.Recommended reading:E&E News: Does climate change still matter in the election?The Guardian: Trump administration allows companies to break pollution laws during coronavirus pandemicMedium: A Green Stimulus to Rebuild Our EconomyWired: The Analogy Between Covid-19 and Climate Change Is Eerily PreciseThe Guardian: Polar ice caps melting six times faster than in 1990sPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. The Earthx2020 Conference and Film Festival will be held virtually from April 22-27 to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Find more information at www.earthx.org!

Labor groups and environmentalists have a complicated relationship.Efforts to mitigate climate change stand to create new employment opportunities in a thriving, low-carbon economy. But they also stand to eliminate many unionized jobs, particularly in the fossil fuel industry.So how can organized labor and the environmental movement work together to promote a just and sustainable society? We discuss in a candid conversation with Lee Anderson, director of government affairs at the Utility Workers Union of America, and Anna Fendley, director of regulatory and state policy at the United Steelworkers.We also explore how policymakers can support blue collar workers and expand job prospects, while dramatically cutting down carbon emissions. Does the prospect of another economic stimulus bill in response to COVID-19 present an opportunity to accelerate America's blue-green economy?This is the fourth episode of Political Climate’s monthly “Path to Zero” series, brought to you by the public policy think tank Third Way. The series explore how people are being affected by the transition to cleaner energy resources, and the economic challenges and opportunities created in the process. It examines the technologies and policies we will need to implement to drive down carbon emissions, and the politics driving this dialogue. Listen and subscribe to all “Path to Zero” episodes here!Recommended reading:Solidarity for Climate ActionPolitico: Energy Issues in Stimulus LimboA Green Stimulus to Rebuild Our EconomyPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

With cases recorded in more than 140 countries, the novel coronavirus has become a global health crisis. In the U.S., bars and offices have been closed, conferences cancelled and kids kept home from school in an attempt to slow the spread. President Trump has declared a national emergency and invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate the virus response.So why aren’t we reacting as swiftly to climate change -- another human-propelled global catastrophe that could harm human health and wellbeing for generations to come?These threats are not the same, but they do share certain attributes. We discuss with risk and behavioral scientist Sweta Chakraborty, founder of Adapt to Thrive and co-host the live weekly radio show “Risky Behavior.”Recommended reading:NBC: Me, worry? For coronavirus, it depends on your politicsGTM: For Wind and Solar Sectors, Biggest Coronavirus Risk May Be a Damaged EconomyGreenBiz: COVID-19 and climate change: A healthy dose of realityLondon Real: Jonathan Haidt - Climate Change IdeologyPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. Looking for a new activity? Challenge yourself to take on the 50 for 50 Challenge — 5 Pledges x 10 Actions = 50 Ways to Protect our Planet in honor of Earth Day's 50th anniversary. Sign up at www.earthx.org!

Center Director Bob Shrum moderates a discussion exploring how the primary campaigns and developments in Washington are shaping the general election landscape. The panelists include: Rob Collins - Republican strategist; Former Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Christian Grose - Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC Dornsife; Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy Betsy Fischer Martin - Emmy-winning journalist; Former TV news executive; Executive Director, Women and Politics Institute, American University Mike Murphy - Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; political analyst for NBC News; former Senior Strategist for John McCain

Center Director Bob Shrum moderates a discussion exploring how the primary campaigns and developments in Washington are shaping the general election landscape. The panelists include: Rob Collins - Republican strategist; Former Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Christian Grose - Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC Dornsife; Academic Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy Betsy Fischer Martin - Emmy-winning journalist; Former TV news executive; Executive Director, Women and Politics Institute, American University Mike Murphy - Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; political analyst for NBC News; former Senior Strategist for John McCain

It's been pretty hard to miss the latest news. Coronavirus spreads! Oil prices plummet! Stock market crashes!What does all of this have to do with climate and clean energy? A lot, actually.On Monday, oil prices had their worst day since the 1991 Gulf War, falling 24 percent to around $34 per barrel. So how did we get here? And what does the combination of rock bottom oil prices and the coronavirus mean for clean energy?We break it down on this episode of Political Climate in an interview with David Livingston, senior analyst at the political risk consultancy Eurasia Group with a focus on energy and global macroeconomics.Recommended reading:E&E News: EVs, shale and Trump: 5 takeaways from the oil crashWaPo: White House likely to pursue federal aid for shale companies hit by oil shock, coronavirus downturnGTM: Coronavirus May Challenge Solar Industry’s Tax Credit StrategyPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the EarthX Expo, Conference and Film Festival in Dallas, Texas. This event is for everyone, including you! Visit earthx.org to learn more and register.

Joe Biden had a super, Super Tuesday. We discuss the results and what they mean for climate in the 2020 Democratic Primary. We also touch on the sweeping Senate energy bill that could come to a vote any day now.Plus, there was another big winner this week! We share the results of our policy bracket competition from last week’s Decarb Madness episode.In the latter half of this show (26 min), we discuss how to pick the best policies for decarbonizing the U.S. economy with experts at the think tank Energy Innovation who created the policy simulator we used to evaluate last week’s policy brackets.If you haven’t heard the Decarb Madness episode yet, we recommend going back to give it a listen.Recommended reading:WaPo: Sweeping Senate Energy Bill Could Come to a Vote This WeekGTM: Sweeping Senate Energy Bill Could Come to a Vote This WeekEnergy Innovation: A Policy Pathway To Reach U.S. Net Zero Emissions By 2050Decarb Madness: How Would You Build a Policy Bracket to Decarbonize the Power Sector?Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the EarthX Expo, Conference and Film Festival in Dallas, Texas. This event is for everyone, including you! Visit earthx.org to learn more and register.

From a live podcast at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, an interview with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on California's housing and homelessness woes. Full Event: https://priceschool.usc.edu/unhoused-addressing-homelessness-in-california/homelessness-live-webstream/ Produced by Jakob Lazzaro

Welcome to Decarb Madness! The policy bracket game for energy wonks who don’t want to play with our future. With March Madness just around the corner and a climate crisis closing in, Political Climate challenged four energy experts to build their ideal policy bracket for decarbonizing the electricity sector.For the third episode in our “Path to Zero” series, contestants were asked to select five federal-level policies that they think will win the day — both in terms of carbon reductions in 2050 and political feasibility.Decarb Madness 2020 features Jesse Jenkins, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering Princeton University, and Leah Stokes, assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Political Climate co-hosts Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton also gave it a shot. In round one, each player explains why they made their respective policy picks. Following that, host/referee Julia Pyper steps in to explain how each bracket ranks on emissions reductions using the Energy Policy Simulator, a computer model developed by the nonpartisan climate policy firm Energy Innovation.In round two, each contestant makes the case for why their policy bracket is the most politically and technologically feasible. And then you come in! As soon as you hear this episode, head over to the Political Climate Twitter page @poli_climate and vote for whose bracket you think is the best. We will announce the winner on our next show.Game on.Recommended reading:Policy listJesse's policy bracketLeah's policy bracketBrandon's policy bracketShane's policy bracketPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.“Path to Zero” is created in partnership with the public policy think tank Third Way. Episodes air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

Is the United States positioned to lead long-term as the global energy mix continues to shift?Fossil fuels have shaped the geopolitical map over the last two centuries. Now, the rapid deployment of renewables has set in motion a global energy transition that could have profound geopolitical consequences.In this episode of Political Climate, we speak to Daniel Simmons, assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, about how the U.S. Energy Department is thinking about intersection of geopolitics and cleantech.We also discussed the DOE’s new Energy Storage Grand Challenge and how the agency is deploying capital to support clean energy innovation more broadly under President Trump — and how the DOE is defining “clean energy innovation” under President Trump.Plus, we hear from Matt Myers, vice president of EarthxCapital. He’s just launched a new, bipartisan initiative with the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions to address commercialization barriers for cleantech solutions. We’ll learn more about it. Finally, the Political Climate crew couldn’t ignore the latest news. So we also touch on this week’s fiery Democratic debate and Jeff Bezos’ new $10 billion commitment to fund climate action. Recommended reading:Washington Examiner: Bloomberg: US can't afford to ban fracking 'for awhile'GTM: What Would It Take for the US to Become an Energy Storage Manufacturing Powerhouse?Report: Bridging the U.S. Environmental Technology Gaps to MarketPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Listen and subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast or any of these other services. Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate! Follow our hosts at @JMPyper @ShaneSkelton and @BrandonHurlbut.This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the EarthX Expo, Conference and Film Festival in Dallas, Texas. This event is for everyone, including you! Visit earthx.org to learn more and register.

We’re off to the races! The Democratic primary started slow off the blocks in Iowa, but the nomination process is now well underway following the New Hampshire vote.What have we learned so far in this election? Where have we seen climate and energy play in? And what’s to come next?On this week’s episode of Political Climate, we discuss the latest developments in arguably the most consequential ⁠— or at least the most contentious ⁠— election in U.S. history. Plus we touch on a handful of energy policy updates.Recommended reading:The Nation: Climate Is on the Ballot in New HampshireGTM: Time to Reinvent BP, Says New CEONYT: In Crucial Pennsylvania, Democrats Worry a Fracking Ban Could Sink ThemEarther: The Trump Administration Is Withholding Almost $1 Billion in Renewable Energy FundingPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Listen and subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast or any of these other services. Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate! Follow our hosts at @JMPyper @ShaneSkelton and @BrandonHurlbut.This episode is brought to you by the nonprofit environmental forum EarthX. This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the EarthX Expo, Conference and Film Festival in Dallas, Texas. This event is for everyone, including you! Visit earthx.org to learn more and register.

What the heck happened in Iowa? Democratic co-host Brandon Hurlbut shares a first-hand account of the caucus reporting glitch and top voter issues in the first state to hold a presidential nominating contest. We look at where climate ranked.Meanwhile in the capitol, House Democrats have unveiled draft legislation and policy roadmap to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Is this the kind of bold climate leadership that advocates have been calling for? And are there proposals in the CLEAN Future Act that Republicans could back? Co-host Shane Skelton argues that there are.Not to be left out, House Republicans are floating their own climate plan that focuses on planting trees, removing plastic pollution and funding clean energy innovation. But is it the kind of innovation that the planet needs or is it a smokescreen? A good first step or pure optics?We discuss what innovation means to Republicans and where there's common ground with Democrats on this week's episode of Political Climate!Recommended reading:WaPo: Climate change among top concerns for Iowa Democratic caucus-goersNPR: Iowa Farmer Says He's Disenchanted With President TrumpE&C: E&C Leaders Release Draft CLEAN Future ActAxios: What’s in Republicans’ new climate-change pushVox: “Innovation”: the latest GOP smokescreen on climate change policyNRDC: Promising Bipartisan MovementPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Listen and subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast or any of these other services. Find us on Twitter @Poli_Climate! Follow our hosts at @JMPyper @ShaneSkelton and @BrandonHurlbut.

Science tells us we must reach net zero emissions by 2050 to stave off the most devastating impacts of climate change. But do we have all of the technologies we need to do it?In the second episode of Political Climate's “Path to Zero” series, we put that question to physicist, professor, Nobel Laureate, and former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.Under his leadership, the DOE launched several new initiatives to help put the United States at the forefront of cleantech development, including the creation of Energy Innovation Hubs and the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, or ARPA-E. Chu also oversaw $90 billion in Recovery Act funding for strategic clean energy investments.Together these measures helped jumpstart America’s modern green economy. But what now? Do we have what we need to reach net zero?Find out in this episode of “Path to Zero” series, presented with support from Third Way — a leading public policy think tank based in Washington, DC that champions thoughtful and data-driven climate solutions to put the United States on the fastest and fairest path to net-zero emissions by 2050.“Path to Zero” episodes will air monthly on the Political Climate podcast feed. Episode one "The Urgency of Reaching Net Zero" is available here. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!Recommended reading:The Atlantic: The 'Silent Green Revolution' Underway at the Department of EnergyThe Onion: Hungover Energy Secretary Wakes Up Next To Solar PanelPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Listen and subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, Overcast or any of these other services.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There has been no shortage of climate related news in recent days ⁠— from President Trump’s attack on California’s emissions-trading system to Senator Schumer’s $450 billion electric vehicle proposal, and disastrous wildfires raging in the West to the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy in the East.It’s a grab bag of climate headlines on this week’s episode of Political Climate.We begin by revisiting the wildfire crisis in California, as co-host Shane Skelton copes with a power outage and warnings that his community may soon have to evacuate. Governor Gavin Newsom's administration inherited this challenge, but now that he's in power what's his plan for coping with it?Next we look at the Trump administration's attack on a foundational California climate policy: its cap-and-trade system. Did California overstep by partnering with the province of Quebec? We also look at the latest developments in the clash over California's clean vehicle standards.Finally, we check in on the new bipartisan climate caucus in the Senate and debate the Republican backlash over the Democrats' climate agenda in the House.Recommended reading:Vox: Wildfires and blackouts mean Californians need solar panels and microgridsSacBee: Gov. Newsom calls for Warren Buffett to buy PG&E as widespread power shutoffs continueWSJ: Trump Administration Sues California Over Cap-and-Trade MarketReuters: Senate Democrat Schumer proposes plan to swap gas cars for electric vehiclesReuters: GM, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler back Trump on California Emissions ChallengeWashington Examiner: Republicans mount counter to Democrats’ ‘100 by 50’ climate planPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Are cites the world’s best hope for combating climate change? Many cities have committed to meeting the Paris Agreement goals. But are those targets translating to action on the ground?In this episode of Political Climate, we look at San Diego’s quest to achieve 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2035 and what other cities can learn from this experience. We recorded this episode at the UCSD School of Global Policy and Strategy, where we were joined by Cody Hooven, the first chief sustainability officer for the City of San Diego.We covered everything from how the city’s Republican mayor pushed through a bold climate action plan, to the community choice aggregation program San Diego is pursuing, to how cities are coping with the intersection of climate and equity issues. Before delving into the role that cities play in the fight against climate change, we touched on a few federal climate related news items. Here’s that conversation, we hope you enjoy.Recommended reading:Politico: Trump to nominate Dan Brouillette as Energy secretaryThe Hill: Senate Dems lose forced vote against EPA power plant ruleWSJ: City Pledges for ‘100% Renewable Energy’ Are 99% MisleadingSan Diego Tribune: San Diego City Council takes the leap into community choice energyGTM: San Diego Moves Ahead With 100% Clean Energy Community Choice ProgramPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Last week, Pacific Gas & Electric, intentionally cut the power off to 800,000 electricity customers in Northern California — affecting roughly 2 million people — in an attempt to avoid sparking another potentially deadly wildfire. Classes were cancelled, businesses closed, food spoiled and people who rely on medical devices panicked. There was no fire, but the blackout has caused tempers to flare and political tensions to rise. How did we get to a point where California’s largest utility is resorting to planned power outages to prevent destructive wildfires? And how will politicians manage the increasing risk that wildfires present going forward?We discuss on this week’s episode of Political Climate with Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University and a member of California's Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery (begins 17:00).We kick off the show with a look at the fourth Democratic presidential debate, plus Brandon announces his 2020 candidate! As always, we end with our segment: “Say Something Nice.” Political Climate is recording a live show at UC San Diego on Monday, October 21st. The event begins at 5pm and it’s free. You just need to sign up here. So if you’re in the San Diego area — come join us! Recommended reading:GTM: California on Edge as PG&E’s Power Outage Plan Goes Into EffectLA Times: There’s a quick way to help prevent wildfires: Shut off the power gridGuardian: California power shutoffs: when your public utility is owned by private investorsNPR: PG&E's Blackouts Panic California's Vulnerable PopulationLA Times: Newsom and legislative leaders decline to embrace changes to California’s wildfire liability lawWaPo: Green groups grapple with how to respond to Hunter Biden's gas company roleEventbrite: Political Climate podcast live showPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

This week, we bring you a special episode from our friends at The Years Project. David Gelber, creator of the Emmy Award-winning series “Years of Living Dangerously,” has teamed up with Jeff Nesbit, executive director of Climate Nexus and author of the book This is the Way the Earth Ends, on a new podcast called Climate 2020. Each week David and Jeff will discuss the latest developments in the political fight to mitigate the climate crisis in the lead up to the 2020 election. In this episode, they speak with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes about where the Democratic candidates stand on climate and which policy proposals make the most sense. They also discuss the recent climate strikes and UN Climate Action Summit, as well as new climate news project from veteran journalist Kyle Pope. Then they hear from voters in a Pennsylvania swing district. Political Climate has a shared mission to create a robust climate action dialogue in the lead-up to the 2020 election, so we’re publishing the first episode of Climate 2020 this week on the feed. Next week, we will return to our regularly scheduled programming. Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Millions of young people took to the streets last month to demand governments take bolder action on climate. Days later, world leaders assembled at the United Nations for the Secretary General's high-profile Climate Action Summit, where dozens of countries pledged to strengthen their climate goals.But did any of this resonate with American policymakers? In this week’s episode of Political Climate we discuss takeaways from the Climate Strikes and UN climate summit, and how these events have (or haven't) influenced U.S. politics. We share excerpts from an exclusive interview with Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, host of the upcoming COP25 climate talks set to take place in Santiago this December. And we analyze how calls to action are being received by U.S. politicians.Recommended reading:Vox: The UN Climate Action Summit was a disappointmentKCRW: The UN: Climate change and future generationsNPR: 'Game Recognizes Game': A Bipartisan Bond In The Age Of ImpeachmentAtlantic Council: Exclusive interview on climate leadership with H.E. Sebastián Piñera, president of ChilePolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Federal news tends to steal the limelight, but when it comes to spearheading innovative climate and energy policy states are really where the action is at.World leaders gathered at the United Nations Climate Action Summit earlier this week, where Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on countries to boost their commitments to fighting the climate crisis with concrete plans rather than platitudes. But while President Trump stopped by the summit on Monday, the U.S. was effectively absent from the high profile event.In fact, the federal government has been pulling back on its climate commitments. But there is still climate leadership to be found in the United States ⁠— it’s just coming largely from the subnational level.In this week's episode of Political Climate, we discuss how states are leading the way on climate and clean energy policy in the absence of federal action.We'll share an interview with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on how she’s transitioning her fossil fuel heavy state to 100 percent clean electricity while also cleaning up the extraction industry.Then we'll bring you a conversation recorded live at the National Association of State Energy Officials annual meeting earlier this month , where we sat down with NASEO’s seasoned legal expert Jeff Genzer to discuss how both red and blue states (including some you might not expect) are implementing innovative carbon reducing policies. Recommended reading:NYT: At U.N. Climate Summit, Few Commitments and U.S. SilenceGTM: New Mexico Governor to Sign 100% Clean Electricity Bill ‘As Quickly As Possible’Reuters: Minnesota, New Mexico to adopt California vehicle emissions rulesEcoWatch: States March toward 100% Clean Energy – Who’s Next?CCL: Bipartisan climate working group forms in Senate, led by Sens. Coons, BraunPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Youth activists are spearheading a powerful political movement around addressing the climate crisis.For many people, this is a moment of both fear and hope — global carbon emissions continue to increase, at the same time as demands for global climate action grow louder. Will 2019 be remembered as the year humanity turned a corner in the fight against climate change?In this episode of Political Climate, we bring you a special interview with a group of leading youth activists ahead of the Global Climate Strike and United Nations Climate Change Summit.We speak with Kelsey Juliana and Vic Barrett, two of the 21 plaintiffs in the Juliana v. United States lawsuit over the right to a safe climate and livable future, as well as and Jamie Margolin, co-founder of the organization Zero Hour and a plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging Washington State has failed to adequately regulate greenhouse gases.But first we hear from Jonah Gottlieb, director of Schools for Climate Action and the executive director of the National Children’s Campaign, who is currently in Washington D.C. with famed teen activist Greta Thunberg and other youth leaders. What does it feel like for these young people to finally have so much attention on the climate threat?Recommended reading:Grist: How 21 meddling kids could force a major turnaround on climateNew Yorker: The Right to a Stable Climate Is the Constitutional Question of the Twenty-First CenturyCNN: NYC says its 1.1 million students can skip class for the climate strike (as long as their parents say OK)Rolling Stone: The Climate Crisis and the Case for HopePolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

Who stood out at the CNN Climate Crisis Town Hall? How did conservatives react? Did general voters even care?Democratic presidential candidates covered a lot of ground over the course of the seven-hour climate policy telethon — from fracking bans to a new CarbonStar program, coal worker retraining programs to a major environmental justice fund. While there was widespread consensus on the need for climate action, some key differences also emerged between the contenders.We discuss the top takeaways from town hall, as well as the latest candidate climate plans, in this week’s episode of Political Climate.To understand how the Democratic platforms resonated on the right, we’re joined by Charles Hernick, director of policy and advocacy at Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, a non-profit organization founded to engage Republican policymakers and the public on conservative solutions to meeting the nation’s energy needs while preserving the environment.Emma Foehringer Merchant, staff writer for Greentech Media, also joins the show to explain what’s new and novel in the latest release of candidate climate proposals. Recommended reading:GTM: Climate Town Hall Exposes Key Differences Among Democratic Front-RunnersNYT: 5 Takeaways From the Democrats’ Climate Town HallAP/US News: Democrats Step on Shaky Political Ground With Fracking BansGTM: Coal Miners Doubt Promises of an Inclusive Energy TransitionNational Clean Energy WeekPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and thanks to invaluable support from producer Victoria Simon.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Overcast or any of these other services.

The Democratic presidential primary is heating up, so we break down where the candidates stand on climate.Labor Day Weekend typically marks a shift in a presidential campaign. Things get more serious and the field starts to winnow down.And sure enough, the number of Democratic contenders is starting to decline with Jay Inslee, John Hickenlooper and Kirsten Gillibrand stepping out of the race in recent days.In this episode of Political Climate, we examine how the remaining candidates stack up on climate policy, and take a close look at new proposals from Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang.Emma Foehringer Merchant, staff writer for Greentech Media, has reported extensively on the Democratic primary candidates’ climate and energy plans and helps us walk through the numerous proposals.Recommended reading:GTM: Bernie Sanders Proposes Huge Renewables Build-Out and Publicly Owned PowerVox: Andrew Yang’s plan to tackle climate change, explainedCNN: Jay Inslee drops out of 2020 presidential electionGTM: The 2020 Democratic Primary: GTM’s Definitive Climate and Energy GuidePolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!

Is abolishing the filibuster necessary in order for Congress to pass meaningful climate legislation?A handful of Democratic presidential candidates have called for throwing out the Senate rule, claiming that it exacerbates gridlock in Washington DC.Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also believes that abolishing the filibuster is critical to passing legislation and tackling the most important issues facing the United States, including climate change. But could killing the filibuster end up making U.S. politics even more volatile?We discuss with Senator Reid himself on this week’s episode of Political Climate. Plus we get his views on the Green New Deal and whether or not he sees hyper-partisanship subsiding in the U.S. anytime soon.Recommended reading:NYT: The Filibuster Is Suffocating the Will of the American PeopleVox: The Democratic debate over filibuster reform, explainedWaPo: Where 2020 Democratic candidates stand on the electoral college, court packing and changes to democracyVice: Harry Reid: 'Of Course' Medicare for All and Decriminalizing Border Crossings Are Bad IdeasHood to Coast Relay FundraiserPolitical Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!

Political Climate is a bipartisan podcast on energy and environmental politics in America, presented by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Political Climate goes beyond the echo chambers to bring you civil conversations, fierce debates and insider perspectives, with hosts and guests from across the political spectrum. Join Democrat and Republican energy … Continue reading 6. You Actually Work Together?: Hosts of the “Political Climate” Podcast on what it’s like to spend every day working across the aisle →