Political Climate

2020 has been a remarkable year. It witnessed the coronavirus pandemic, an economic crash, a historic and divisive U.S. election, widespread protests for racial justice and more. And yet, amid all of the turbulence, the world took several major steps toward realizing a low carbon future. The numbers are still coming in and the trends are still formalizing, but we have a pretty good sense of how the climate and energy landscape evolved over the past several months. On this episode of Political Climate, hosts Brandon Hurlbut, Shane Skelton and Julia Pyper discuss how climate action and the clean energy transition fared in 2020. Recommended reading:Reuters: Solar the new 'king of electricity' as renewables make up bigger slice of supply: IEAS&P: Global emissions peaked in 2019 as pandemic hastens energy transition – reportDITCHED: Why 2020 Could Be a Tipping Point for Fossil FuelsInside EVs: Global Plug-In Electric Car Sales October 2020: Near Record LevelE&E: Biden's energy agenda hinges on FERC, red statesAtlantic: Why the 2020s Could Be as Dangerous as the 1850sPC: David Roberts on 'Radical' Climate Action and Political Tribalism Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

Cities and states have powerful roles to play in divesting from fossil fuels and directing investments toward sustainable industries. There are a number of ways for these sub-national actors to participate in the divest/invest movement and help pave the way for more widespread action.  In this episode of Political Climate’s DITCHED series, we go to the home of Wall Street and look at steps being taken by New York City and New York State to accelerate the movement of funds from brown to green resources.  We speak to NYC’s chief climate policy advisor Dan Zarrilli about the city’s pledge to fully divest its pension funds from fossil fuels. Then, in the second half of the episode, we speak to NY Green Bank President Alfred Griffin about how green banks operate and the role they fill in transforming financial markets. *Since this podcast aired, New York State announced it will divest its $226 billion pension fund from fossil fuels, becoming the largest pension fund to make such a commitment to date. Both New York City and New York State have now pledged to fully divest from fossil fuels. New York State went even further by setting a 2040 carbon-free target for all parts of its portfolio. Recommended reading:NYC: Mayor, Comptroller, Trustees Announce First-In-The-Nation Goal to Divest From Fossil FuelsSmart Cities Dive: 12 major cities pledge fossil fuel divestmentInside Climate: Could New York’s Youth Finally Convince the State to Divest Its Pension of Fossil Fuels?NRDC: First Global Survey of Green Banks Finds Rapid Growth in their Numbers and Importance in Low-Carbon FinanceVox: New York just passed the most ambitious climate target in the country Catch all DITCHED episodes in addition to our regular Thursday shows! Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

When Neil Chatterjee was appointed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by President Trump in 2017, stakeholders in the climate and clean energy space were concerned about what his agenda would be. Headlines dubbed him “McConnell’s coal guy” and “fossil fuel champion Chatterjee,” referring to his role as a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).  But Chatterjee has proven to be much more than a “coal guy,” despite his sympathies for struggling Kentucky coal communities. The Republican leader recently voted in favor of rules supporting distributed energy resources and carbon pricing, and views these decisions as powerful steps in advancing the energy transition.  His openness to supporting policies that benefit clean energy may have cost him his leadership position at FERC. President Trump demoted Chatterjee from the chairman role last month, although he remains on the commission and will serve alongside two new appointees confirmed by the Senate this week. In this episode, we speak to FERC Commissioner Neil Chatterjee about several of the agency’s recent rulemakings, past controversies and his outlook for the future of U.S. energy policy in today’s shifting political landscape. Recommended reading:GTM: Why Rick Perry’s Coal-Friendly Market Intervention Was Legally DoomedGTM: FERC Orders PJM to Restrict State-Backed Renewables in Its Capacity MarketUtility Dive: FERC confirms carbon pricing jurisdiction in wholesale markets, Chatterjee 'encourages' proposalsUtility Dive: Competitive generators move away from FERC's PJM order, toward carbon pricingGTM: ‘Game-Changer’ FERC Order Opens Up Wholesale Grid Markets to Distributed Energy ResourcesQuartz: How one obscure federal agency is clearing the path for a US carbon priceThe Hill: Senate approves two energy regulators, completing panel Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate!

2020 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for fossil fuel divestment.  Despite economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a growing number of countries, companies and financial institutions are committing to quit coal and are beginning to ditch oil and gas projects, too.  In this episode of Political Climate’s special DITCHED series, host Julia Pyper speaks to Tim Buckley at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) about what’s driving the increase in fossil fuel exits around the globe, including in historically coal-dependent economies such as China and India.  Will 2020 prove to be a tipping point in the energy-finance transition? Recommended resources:IEEFA: Why 2020 is turning out be a pivotal year for fossil fuel exitsIEA: Renewable power is defying the Covid crisis with record growth this year and nextArgus: Coal India to diversify into solar powerPV Tech: Indian solar tariffs fall to record low following SECI auctionReuters: Satellites reveal major new gas industry methane leaksIEEFA: Is the Gas Industry Facing Its Volkswagen Moment? Episodes of DITCHED will air Mondays over the next several weeks. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! You can also find DITCHED episodes via Our Daily Planet.

The coronavirus pandemic has created an opportunity to reboot the American economy in a way that is cleaner and helps to mitigate climate change for future generations. But it’s not only that, this is also a moment to build back the U.S. economy with more resilience.  The word “resilience” is thrown around frequently. But what does it really mean? And how should leaders be factoring resilience into their recovery efforts? In this episode, we speak to Norfolk, Virginia City Councilwoman Andria McClellan about how her coastal city, home to the world's largest naval station, is coping with rising seas and worsening flooding. And we hear what she hopes lawmakers in Washington D.C. will do to help address the growing crisis.  But first, we check in with Josh Freed, founder and leader of Third Way's Climate and Energy Program. We discuss how President-Elect Joe Biden’s administration is shaping up and what to watch for on the policy front post-election.  This is the fourth episode in our "Relief, Rescue, Rebuild" series supported by Third Way. The series theme song was created by @AYMusik. Recommended reading:E&E: Here are Biden's next moves on climateWaPo: Climate Change Turns the Tide on Waterfront LivingSciAm: A Running List of Record-Breaking Natural Disasters in 2020New Deal Forum: Policy Proposals for Growing a Clean Economy and Protecting CommunitiesThird Way: Clean Energy Targets are Trending Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate!

A growing number of financial institutions are moving their investments from fossil fuels into less polluting projects and resources. So what do oil and gas companies make of this shift? Some of them are waking up to the clean energy transition in response to investor pressure. But there are leaders and laggards when it comes to oil and gas companies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There are also valid concerns about greenwashing. And yet, some of these firms are fundamentally reshaping the way that they do business. In this episode, the latest in Political Climate’s special DITCHED series, we look at the pressures oil and gas companies are under to go low-carbon with Valentina Kretzschmar, vice president of corporate research at the research firm Wood Mackenzie. Recommended resources:FT: Why ExxonMobil is sticking with oil as rivals look to a greener futureWoodMac: Could clean energy be the winner in the oil price war?NYT: Shell and Total report big drop in profits, but made clean-energy investments.Earther: Maybe It's Time to Retire the Phrase 'Big Oil'E&E: How one fossil fuel company became a green giantPolitical Climate: Is There a Role for Oil and Gas in a Green Recovery? Episodes of DITCHED will air Mondays over the next several weeks. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! You can also find DITCHED episodes via Our Daily Planet.

In the past two years, climate change has gone from the back burner to the center stage. Why? It all started with a protest in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office in 2018.  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez teamed up with a then-obscure youth activist group called Sunrise Movement to launch the fight for a Green New Deal. It took a lot of planning, courage, and luck to make the protest happen. We bring you the inside story of the Pelosi sit-in on this special episode from Generation Green New Deal, a new podcast from Critical Frequency. Host Sam Eilertsen takes a look at how scrappy organizations led by teenagers and twenty-somethings have brought the U.S. closer than ever to addressing the issue that will define the future of humanity: climate change. This episode features Varshini Prakash and Sarah Duckett of Sunrise Movement and Waleed Shahid of Justice Democrats. Listen and subscribe to Generation Green New Deal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

Banks don’t just hold on to your dollars and cents, they also play a role in addressing the climate crisis.  In the latest episode of Political Climate's DITCHED series, we take a closer look at the banking sector and what institutions like JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others can do to fight global warming. Patrick McCully, climate and energy director at the Rainforest Action Network, explains how activists are pressuring banks to clean up their act through initiatives like Stop the Money Pipeline.  Plus, Joe Sanberg, founder of the financial firm Aspiration, explains how this traditional bank alternative is putting climate at the center of its business strategy.  But first, we kick off the episode with Monica Medina and Miro Korenha, founders of leading independent environmental news platform Our Daily Planet, which Political Climate is thrilled to be partnering with to bring you the DITCHED podcast series! Recommended reading:Reuters: Fed moves closer to joining global peers in climate-change fightCeres: Measuring and Addressing Climate Risk for BanksFortune: How one of the world’s biggest banks plans to tackle climate changeRAN: Banking on Climate Change 2020Banking Dive: Aspiration CEO banks on customers' social conscience Episodes of DITCHED will air Mondays over the next several weeks. Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

Young Americans voted in record numbers during the 2020 election and played a key role in tipping the scales to Joe Biden. Early research shows that climate change was a major driver of that robust turnout. The Sunrise Movement and other environmental groups mounted extensive campaigns to register and mobilize voters to oppose President Trump and vote climate champions into office.  Biden’s climate platform isn’t the Green New Deal plan that many climate activists called for, and Democrats will have a tough time passing progressive climate policies unless they win both Senate runoff races in Georgia. Still, Donald Trump’s defeat gives the planet a better chance of avoiding an apocalyptic future.  We speak to first-time presidential election voters, Troy Distelrath in Michigan and Gabriela Rodriguez in Florida, about what they want to see next from their political leaders. Plus, while Biden’s win represents a new era in the climate fight, the United States remains deeply divided and the policy path forward remains murky. So in the second half of this episode, we speak to Andreas Karelas about his critically acclaimed new book Climate Courage, and how to advance climate solutions in these polarized times.  Recommended reading:Inside Climate: Young Voters, Motivated by Climate Change and Environmental Justice, Helped Propel Biden’s CampaignBoston Globe: Biden has a climate mandateTufts CIRCLE Report: Election Week 2020Climate Courage Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @Poli_Climate.

Americans are waiting with bated breath for the results of a long and contentious election. At the time of publication, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden looks poised to take the White House, while Republicans are likely to hold on to the Senate. But the final outcome of this unprecedented pandemic election remains uncertain, with ballots still being counted in several key states. In this episode, we discuss what we know so far — from the top of the ticket down to local ballot initiatives — and what those results mean for climate and clean energy policy.  Then we look at what a divided Congress would spell for a Biden presidency and the future of his ambitious climate plan. From solar tax credits, to vehicle fuel economy standards, to oil drilling permits, what's likely to advance and what doesn't stand chance? We discuss with Glenn Schwartz, director of environmental and energy policy at Rapidan Energy Group.  Recommended reading:NYT: Democrats’ ‘Blue Wave’ Crashed in Statehouses Across the CountryWashington Examiner: Republicans win key House races with energy policy implicationsGTM: Prospect of Republican Senate Majority Narrows Democrats’ Options on Clean Energy PolicyLaw 360: Nevada Voters Approve Renewable Energy Mandate Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

What comes after November 3? As presidential candidates make their closing arguments, many stakeholders in the climate and energy community are already looking beyond Election Day.  In this episode, experts discuss the top action items they’re watching for in a potential Biden versus returning Trump administration. What are the most tactical policy moves? Who will be making decisions? How will the private sector respond? What role will the courts play? We hear from Josh Freed, founder of Third Way’s Climate and Energy Program. Podcast co-hosts Brandon Hurlbut, senior advisor at NGP Energy Technology Partners III, and Shane Skelton, energy policy consulting firm S2C Pacific, also weigh in.  In the second half of the show (39:00), we discuss the ongoing health and environmental crisis in cities with high levels of lead poisoning. While it doesn’t appear in print, grassroots activists say tackling this issue is very much on the ballot this year. We speak to Michelle Mabson of Black Millennials for Flint about what she wants to see from political leaders.  This is the fourth episode in our "Relief, Rescue, Rebuild" series supported by the think tank Third Way. The series theme song was created by @AYMusik. Recommended reading: HuffPost: EPA Veterans Eyed As Potential Picks To Lead The Agency If Biden WinsE&E: House races to watch on energy, environmentThird Way: The Election ClimatePath to Zero Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts!

At least 40 million Americans have already cast a ballot in early voting, with still more than a week until Election Day.   In this episode of Political Climate, we examine if environmental issues are mobilizing voters the way that analysts anticipated. Who are those voters and do they hold sway? We discuss with Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, a non-partisan organization focused on identifying inactive environmentalists across the United States and turning them into reliable voters in every election.  This year, the stakes are especially high. Control of the U.S. Senate is very much in play, while Joe Biden and Donald Trump duke it out for the White House with wildly different policy platforms. Could environmental voters tip the scales? We also consider how fracking and natural disasters are playing into the 2020 election cycle, as well as the rise of “big green” political donors. Plus, we check in on a Texas election bet.  Recommended reading:WaPo: Early Voting Numbers So FarNPR: Wall Street Is A Big Source Of Campaign Cash For DemocratsNYT: 'Climate Donors’ Flock to Biden to Counter Trump’s Fossil Fuel MoneyGuardian: Trump has made fracking an election issue. Has he misjudged Pennsylvania?NPR: MacArthur 'Genius' Brings National Attention To Local Fight Against Sewage Failures Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate. 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 is a lot of money in American politics. Campaign spending in 2020 is expected to reach $11 billion dollars — making it the most expensive election in U.S. history.  In light of these growing dollar figures, a group of billionaire donors from across the political spectrum say they’re laying down arms and joining forces to transform politics and tackle critical issues, such as climate change.  The action plan is entitled: In This Together. In this episode, we speak to Dallas real estate scion and environmentalist Trammell S. Crow about why he and social entrepreneur Bill Shireman launched this new collaborative effort and how they plan to redirect billions in political spending toward solutions that can unite a governing majority of Americans, from left to right. **From now until November 3rd the Political Climate podcast will donate $2 for every new subscriber to the American Red Cross for every new subscription to the show! If you’re already a subscriber, share the podcast with a friend.  To participate, simply have a new subscriber send a screenshot of their subscription on whichever podcasting platform they like best to politicalclimatepodcast@gmail.com. Or send us a message via Twitter or Instagram @poli_climate. That’s it!** Recommended reading:In This Together: How Republicans, Democrats, Capitalists and Activists Are Uniting to Tackle Climate Change and MoreDallas Innovates: EarthX’s Trammell S. Crow Launches ‘World’s Only’ Environmental Conservation Streaming PlatformThe Hill: EarthX Founder Trammell S. Crow talks about EarthX and the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate. 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.

How do you elect political candidates who will make tackling climate change a priority? In this episode, we speak to two groups attempting to figure that out and put climate change at the center of races up and down the ballot.  In 2018, Caroline Spears launched the Climate Cabinet Action Fund to offer bespoke climate data, policy ideas and messaging suggestions to candidates and lawmakers. The organization currently focuses on the state level, where races are low-budget but highly consequential.  We speak to Caroline about the policy “menus” that Climate Cabinet creates for individual candidates, and dig into the role that special interests play in the election infrastructure of both the Republican and Democratic parties.  Later in the show, we turn to Karyn Strickler, founder and president of Vote Climate U.S. PAC, a political action committee tracking key races in the U.S. House and Senate and ranking candidates based on their climate record. There are 26 days until the contentious 2020 election and climate issues could sway the outcome. **From now until November 3rd the Political Climate podcast will donate $2 for every new subscriber to the American Red Cross for every new subscription to the show! If you’re already a subscriber, share the podcast with a friend.  To participate, simply have a new subscriber send a screenshot of their subscription on whichever podcasting platform they like best to politicalclimatepodcast@gmail.com. Or send us a message via Twitter or Instagram @poli_climate. That’s it!** Recommended reading:CNN: New climate group will offer district-specific policy 'menus' to every congressional candidateGTM: Virginia Mandates 100% Clean Power by 2045Pew Research: How important is climate change to voters in the 2020 election?Climate Cabinet: The Divided States Of Climate ActionVote Climate U.S. PAC: 2020 Climate Change Voter’s Guide Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate. 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.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced off in their first debate this week. To the surprise of many, Fox News moderator Chris Wallace asked the presidential candidates a series of questions on climate change. Energy and environmental issues got more air time on Tuesday night than at all 2016 presidential debates combined. On this week's episode of Political Climate, our hosts discuss takeaways from the debate (from snippets in between interruptions). Did Trump shift his tone on climate? Did Biden successfully sell his vision for a clean energy economy? Later in the show, we address what changes at the Supreme Court could mean for the future of climate policy and discuss prospects for clean energy legislation currently moving through the House and Senate. Plus, we ask: is there an electric vehicle that can accommodate three car seats? And more! Recommended reading:NYT: The Trump Administration Is Reversing 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List.PolitiFact: Fact-Check: Have Carbon Emissions Increased Under Trump?The Hill: House passes sweeping clean energy billNRDC: House Bill Would Deliver Needed Steps Toward a Clean EconomyGTM: Clean Energy Gets a Surprisingly Big Role in First Presidential Debate Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate. 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.