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179 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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How air pollution and heat make pregnancy more dangerous
25 mei 2022 · 23 min
In early May, a leaked draft opinion showed that the Supreme Court could soon overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. So what does abortion access have to do with climate change? This week, we explore the link between heat, pollution, and reproductive justice.
In recent years, a strong and growing body of research shows that exposure to pollution and extreme heat increases the risk of stillbirth and preterm birth, particularly among Black parents. And restricted abortion access in a post-Roe America could further increase health risks and potential for criminalization.
We spoke to one of the pioneering researchers in this field to understand the link between exposure to heat and pollution and adverse birth outcomes – and what can be done to solve it.
Guests: Lees meerAlexandria Herr is a producer on our show. You can find her Atmos article on climate change and high risk pregnancy here.
Eve Andrews is a staff writer at Grist. You can find her article with Naveena Sadasivam on pregnancy in pollution hot spots here.
Dr. Rupa Basu is the chief of the air and climate epidemiology section at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more. -
Introducing Drilled: Bridge to Nowhere
25 mei 2022 · 23 min
We have a bonus episode from our friends at Drilled.
The sixth season of Drilled is all about the natural gas industry. In the last decade, the climate movement has begun to reject the idea of natural gas as a "bridge fuel.” As that story has become tougher to sell, the gas industry has shifted from greenwashing to all-out war with environmentalists.
The latest season of Drilled traces that shift, starting with the first gas ban proposed in Southern California and ending with the industry leveraging Russia's invasion of Ukraine to its benefit.
In this episode, we head to the college town of San Luis Obispo, California, where in April 2020 mayor Heidi Hartman announced a plan to become the first city in Southern California to ban gas in new buildings. The region's utility SoCal Gas – the largest gas utility in the country – sprung into action, threatening among other things to bus in large numbers of protestors to crowd the town and city hall, just as the pandemic was taking hold in the U.S.
Listen to Drilled anywhere you get podcasts. Lees meer -
The hidden history of California oil
11 mei 2022 · 27 min
Across California, oil wells pepper residential neighborhoods – often directly next to homes, schools, and businesses.
These residential wells have been linked to a host of health problems, from asthma to cancer. And these problems disproportionately affect California’s communities of color.
This week, producer Alexandria Herr goes on a crusade to prove that California is not the green state that everybody thinks it is.
We’ll explore hidden oil wells, the history of redlining, and the oil boom during World War II, to understand why residential drilling in California looks the way it does today.
Guests: Dr. David Gonzalez is a President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Sarah Elkind is the president of the American Society for Environmental History.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more. Lees meer -
Could Elon Musk’s risky Twitter takeover hurt Tesla?
4 mei 2022 · 21 min
A couple of weeks ago, Elon Musk offered around $44 billion to buy Twitter. A few days later, the CEO of the world’s biggest electric car company became the owner of one of the world’s biggest social media platforms.
When news of the deal hit, investors got a little spooked. The share price of Tesla dropped by nearly 20% over the following week. Many industry observers began to wonder whether this was going to pose a major problem for the company.
Among them was climate reporter David Ferris. Although many may regard these dramatic moves as simply part of the cost of investing in Musk’s company, David thinks this latest gambit unleashes a whole new set of financial, reputational and strategic risks.
This week on The Carbon Copy: Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has alarmed investors and consumers. Will his new shiny toy distract from Tesla’s mission-critical work?
Guest: David Ferris is an energy and environment reporter at E&E News. You can read his recent reporting on Musk’s purchase here.
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The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world — with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more. Lees meer -
How one company could crush the US solar industry
27 april 2022 · 23 min
A couple weeks ago, Canary Media’s Eric Wesoff found himself in the parking lot of a company called Auxin Solar.
Auxin is a small American solar panel maker based in California. It manufacturers 150 megawatts of solar panels a year – 100 times less than the biggest solar manufacturers. Despite its size, Auxin Solar just filed a petition with the U.S. government that could shake up the solar industry in a big way.
Auxin claims China is dodging U.S. tariffs by funneling products through other Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. And it wants the government to step in. And the complaint is already derailing large-scale solar projects.
This week: how a solar trade war spanning three presidents is causing problems for a domestic solar market that relies heavily on overseas panels.
Guest: Eric Wesoff is the editorial director for Canary Media. You can read his piece about Auxin Solar’s petition here.
We want to hear from you! Take our quick survey for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. This will help us bring you more relevant content.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more. Lees meerThe Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more.
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How bitcoin is keeping zombie power plants alive
20 april 2022 · 25 min
Bitcoin mining today uses a half percent of the world's electricity. Every year, as more shipping containers and warehouses full of high-powered computers are deployed to unlock more bitcoin, energy use grows by double digits.
As bitcoin mining operations scramble to find new power sources, they’re often turning to aging coal or fossil gas plants that offer cheap electricity.
This week, we’ll take you to Seneca Lake, upstate New York, where a group of unlikely activists is fighting back against a “zombie” power plant that is now fueling a Bitcoin mine.
What’s happening in Seneca Lake is not a one-off story. Across the nation, the companies that own dying, dirty power plants see cryptocurrency as a chance to extend their lives. Bitcoin mining is locking in fossil fuels – so what can we do about it?
Guests: Brian Kahn is the climate editor at Protocol. You can read his piece about the Greenidge power plant here.
We want to hear from you! Take our quick survey for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. This will help us bring you more relevant content.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more. Lees meerThe Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more.
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The ‘profound change’ from today’s energy crisis
13 april 2022 · 28 min
In 1973, when Arab countries cut off petroleum exports to the US, the price of oil quadrupled. People couldn't get access to gasoline. The economy shrunk.
The Arab oil embargo was framed almost entirely as a supply problem. But a few years later, a 28-year-old physicist named Amory Lovins published an article in Foreign Affairs magazine that completely shifted how we framed the issue.
Nearly a half century later, we revisit Amory’s writing in the face of another global energy security crisis. Fossil fuel prices have spiked to record highs as a result of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. Countries are now racing to stop buying Russian oil & gas as quickly as possible.
This week: Amory Lovins explains the profound changes taking place in the global energy system – and how Russia's war will accelerate them.
Guests: Amory Lovins, co-founder and chairman emeritus at RMI. Read his latest piece on how Russia’s war could accelerate the clean energy transition.
We want to hear from you! Take our quick survey for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. This will help us bring you more relevant content.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more. Lees meer -
A historic climate rule from America’s financial regulator
7 april 2022 · 25 min
Support strong climate journalism! Donate to Canary Media to celebrate its one-year anniversary.
Public companies have a legal obligation to report a wide range of information on financial performance and competitive risks. One risk they are not required to mention in corporate America: climate risk.
But that changed last week when America’s top financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, released a new proposal requiring companies to disclose their financial vulnerabilities to climate change.
This move toward greater corporate climate accountability in the U.S. builds on years of momentum. It’s the culmination of voluntary task forces, initiatives and mandatory disclosure regulations passed in other countries.
This week: How a historic proposal mandating climate transparency could change corporate America – and how it will face political and legal backlash.
Guests: Kathleen Brophy, U.S. climate finance senior strategist with The Sunrise Project.
We want to hear from you! Take our quick survey for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. This will help us bring you more relevant content.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Nextracker. Nextracker’s technology platform has delivered more than 50 gigawatts of zero-emission solar power plants across the globe. Nextracker is developing a data-driven framework to become the most sustainable solar tracker company in the world – with a focus on a truly transparent supply chain. Visit nextracker.com/sustainability to learn more. Lees meer -
Deadly Bronx fires reveal America’s energy insecurity crisis
30 maart 2022 · 20 min
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In January, fire tore through a major affordable housing development in the Bronx, killing 19 people. Officials were quick to blame the Twin Parks North West fire on a space heater and broken fire door. But the root cause of the fire runs much deeper.
America has an energy insecurity crisis. A third of U.S. households have trouble paying their energy bills, with energy costs falling most heavily on communities of color. Black households, in particular, spend 43 percent more on energy than white households; Hispanic households spend 20 percent more. These inequities stem from a long history of racist housing policies and disinvestment in public housing.
When people struggle to make ends meet, they resort to stopgap measures to get by. For residents of affordable housing developments like Twin Parks North West, that often means turning to space heaters to keep warm in the winter.
This week: The deadly consequences of America’s energy divide, and how we can solve it.
Guests: Dr. Diana Hernández is an associate professor of sociomedical sciences at Columbia University. You can read her op-ed on the fire’s root causes here.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. Climate Positive podcast features candid conversations with the leaders, innovators, and changemakers driving our climate positive future. Listen and subscribe wherever y… Lees meer -
The ‘inevitable industries’ that will decarbonize the world [branded content]
29 maart 2022 · 16 min
This is a branded episode, produced in collaboration with Intersect Power.
Sheldon Kimber has spent the last 20 years developing energy projects. He’s overseen the build-out of billions of dollars worth of large-scale solar plants.
Getting those solar projects in the ground wasn't easy. Abrupt national policy shifts, international trade wars, and local regulatory hurdles made every megawatt a fight.
The stunning price drops in wind and solar weren't inevitable. But they were predictable – partly because people like Sheldon were building renewable power plants at a consistent pace.
Today, all that cheap renewable power is opening up opportunities in other areas of the economy. And as CEO of Intersect Power, Sheldon is building a portfolio of massive solar and battery projects that can enable predictable cost drops for other low-carbon solutions.
In this episode, produced in collaboration with Intersect Power, Stephen Lacey talks with Sheldon Kimber about his vision for the inevitable industries that will arise from low-cost clean electricity.
Read Sheldon’s article on the “nexus of deep decarbonization.”
Intersect Power is a clean energy company bringing innovative and scalable low-carbon solutions to customers in retail and wholesale energy markets. Learn more about Intersect's projects and business model. Lees meer -
Why ‘maladaptation’ is getting so much attention
22 maart 2022 · 20 min
Climate researchers are increasingly using the term “maladaptation” to describe adaptation measures that bring unforeseen negative consequences to local communities.
From building levees that inadvertently increased flood risk in Bangladesh to a hydroelectric dam that cut off land access in Vietnam, examples of maladaptation are popping up all over the world.
In the U.S., Miami has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in stormwater pumps and elevated roads to combat flooding from rising seas. And it will need to invest billions more to save the city from chronic flooding. But the UN report says those early investments might have caused unintended impacts.
This week: the story of how Miami’s flood investments might be leading to maladaptation – and what other cities around the world can learn from it.
Guests: Alex Harris, climate change reporter for the Miami Herald; and Lisa Schipper, IPPC report author, and an environmental social science research fellow at the University of Oxford.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Russia forces an abrupt climate shift in Washington
11 maart 2022 · 16 min
President Biden entered the White House promising to use climate solutions as his main tool for raising wages, revitalizing infrastructure, and tackling inequality.
But almost overnight, that framing changed from transforming the American economy to protecting consumers.
Gasoline prices are at their highest levels in US history because of supply disruptions caused by Russia's attack on Ukraine. And Biden’s latest decision to ban Russian oil reflects the shifting mood in Washington.
A geopolitical crisis is transforming the domestic conversation around energy in Washington. Security is the new lens.
How will it impact Biden's narrow chance to do something ambitious on climate change?
Guest: Maxine Joselow, a Washington Post journalist who anchors the Climate 202 Newsletter.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Russia’s war hits energy markets hard
8 maart 2022 · 24 min
The civilian and military death toll from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is growing daily. More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries in the fastest refugee migration since WWII.
But the effects of this war aren’t just humanitarian; they’re economic. That’s because so much of it is tied up in global energy flows. Russia is one of the biggest fossil fuel producers in the world. Europe depends on Russia for 40% of its gas for heating and one quarter of its oil.
And since Russia is such a major exporter of oil and gas, its military actions are putting new pressures on a global supply chain already hurt by tight energy supplies driven by COVID-19 disruptions.
Europe, along with the rest of the world, is being forced to consider what a future without Russia’s fossil fuels could look like.
This week: a conversation with two experts watching the energy market’s impacts around the world.
Guests: Pierre Noël, Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy and Amy Myers Jaffe, Research Professor at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Will truck lovers go electric?
2 maart 2022 · 21 min
Six out of seven car commercials during this year’s Superbowl touted electric vehicles (EVs). That’s up from zero EV ads just four years ago.
Ford, Chevy, GMC and Toyota are all betting big on electric, and they’re hoping electric models of their most popular light-duty trucks will entice a whole new class of drivers.
It’s led many car manufacturers and analysts to call 2022 “The Year of the Electric Truck.”
The question remains: will this big push toward electric overcome infrastructure shortcomings, battery range concerns and a deeply-ingrained diesel car culture, especially in rural areas?
This week: a conversation with a driver and a dealer about how the electric truck revolution might play out.
Guests: Christopher Preston, Professor of Environmental Philosophy at the University Of Montana; and Whitney Olson, Vice President of Bison Ford in Great Falls, Montana.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
The military’s net-zero aspirations
23 februari 2022 · 23 min
Climate change is impacting people’s lives across the globe – from mass migrations to resource conflicts. For the US military, it’s become one of the nation’s top security risks.
After years of risk assessments, the military is now talking about how it intends to address those risks.
It all culminated in the military’s most ambitious plan to date: A new, comprehensive climate agenda that envisions microgrids on all Army bases, all-electric tactical vehicles, and a net-zero military by 2050.
This week: What does the Army's new net-zero plan reveal about how climate will influence America's national security strategy?
Guest: Erin Sikorsky, Director, The Center for Climate and Security.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Could a ‘green upheaval’ embolden Russia?
15 februari 2022 · 24 min
Note: this is a crossover episode between The Carbon Copy and Columbia Energy Exchange.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is intensifying. President Biden says that Putin could send troops into Ukraine any day.
Some NATO countries, including the US, are sending military equipment to Ukraine. But Germany is holding back. And that is partly because of fears over gas supply.
Jason Bordoff has been watching the diplomatic dance. And it is closely tied to the geopolitics of energy.
It reveals the tricky dynamics between Russia and the rest of Europe. Countries like Germany have invested vast amounts of money in renewables in the hopes of cutting dependence on imported fossil fuels. But they’re still deeply tied to Russia’s gas.
This week on The Carbon Copy: how a clean energy transition might actually strengthen petrostates like Russia, before finally changing who wields the power.
Guest: Jason Bordoff, Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy and host of Columbia Energy Exchange.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Greenwashing at the Beijing Olympics
9 februari 2022 · 21 min
For the first time ever, the Winter Olympic games will rely entirely on artificial snow.
It’s a reality that could become more common as the planet warms. And it has environmental experts concerned.
Nearly 50 million gallons of water are being piped in to serve the Beijing games, possibly setting reserves in this water-stressed region back by hundreds of years.
Meanwhile, China says this year's event is the most environmentally-sound winter games ever. But there's no system to track those claims – and some researchers say the Olympic games are actually getting worse for the environment over time.
This week on The Carbon Copy: why claims about the sustainability of the Olympics are often greenwashing.
Guest: Christian Shepherd, China Correspondent for The Washington Post. Read his article about the winter games here.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is supported by Atmos Financial. Atmos offers FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts that only invest in climate-positive assets like renewables, green construction and regenerative agriculture. Modern banking for climate-conscious people. Get an account in minutes at joinatmos.com.
The Carbon Copy is also supported by Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
The ‘white gold’ land grab for lithium in California
2 februari 2022 · 19 min
Batteries are everywhere. In our electronics, our power tools, our electric grid, and in our cars. And almost all those batteries use a lithium-ion chemistry.
To make an all-electric world possible, we're going to need a lot of lithium. Prices are up 400 percent over 2021. And demand is expected to increase fivefold over the next decade.
The Imperial Valley in southern California is home to the Salton Sea, a land-locked body of water that contains vast reserves of lithium. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the region the "Saudi Arabia of Lithium." If mined, it could completely reshape the global supply chain.
But locals who live near the Salton Sea – a region plagued by unemployment and pollution – worry that the rush to extract the resource won't benefit the people living there.
This week on The Carbon Copy: California has ambitious plans to fuel the global EV boom with the Salton Sea’s lithium. But will the people who need it most get left behind?
Guests: Independent reporter Aaron Cantú, who wrote about the Salton Sea’s Lithium industry here. And Luis Olmedo, executive director of Comité Cívico del Valle.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
Support for Carbon Copy comes from Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Why US carbon emissions are rising quickly
26 januari 2022 · 19 min
Note: this is a crossover episode between The Big Switch and The Carbon Copy. If you like what you hear, consider subscribing to both.
When Covid disrupted the economy and shifted energy use, it sharply brought down economy-wide carbon emissions. Many wondered: would the pandemic-related changes to our energy system help or hurt the path to a net-zero carbon economy?
Two years later, we have clearer data: a new report from the Rhodium Group on how emissions from fossil fuels have shifted since the pandemic started. In some cases, they've roared back faster than expected.
This week on The Carbon Copy: what the latest emissions data tells us about what has shifted -- and what hasn't -- across America's carbon-dependent economy.
Guest: Melissa Lott, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University and host of The Big Switch.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
Support for Carbon Copy comes from Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Adam McKay on how to make a movie about climate change
20 januari 2022 · 35 min
Note: this is a crossover episode between Volts and The Carbon Copy. If you like what you hear, consider subscribing to both.
Pop culture is increasingly grappling with climate change themes. And some of it is appealing to wide audiences.
But Hollywood films with climate themes are often dystopic and heavy-handed. They fail to consider the forces causing it right now in nuanced ways.
So when David Roberts heard about a new Netflix film last December called Don't Look Up, he figured it would be more of the same. But he was delighted when screenwriter and director Adam McKay flipped the disaster-movie premise.
It worked. Don’t Look Up became one of the most popular movies ever on Netflix. And it sparked an overwhelming online response among climate scientists, culture writers, and audiences responding to the angst.
This week on The Carbon Copy: a conversation between David Roberts and Adam McKay about the inspiration, themes, and impact of the film. Will it convince Hollywood to approach climate differently?
Guest: David Roberts, founder of the Volts Newsletter & Podcast. Read his review of the film. Listen to the extended version of his interview with Adam McKay.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
Support for Carbon Copy comes from Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
The risk of ‘unforced error’ in Hawaii’s coal transition
13 januari 2022 · 23 min
Hawaii wants a carbon-free electric grid by 2045. First, the island of Oahu must replace a major coal plant later this year.
But will there be enough renewable energy to fill the gap?
This week on The Carbon Copy: we examine the delays that are causing complications with Hawaii’s transition away from coal.
We’re joined by Canary Senior Reporter Julian Spector, who recently traveled to Oahu to investigate the story.
Hawaii has long been a nationwide leader in solar development. In 2015, lawmakers crafted a law mandating an all-renewable grid within a few decades. And last year, they passed a bill that would end coal production.
As large-scale solar and battery projects like the Kapolei Energy Storage facility break ground, Hawaii is inching closer to a fossil-free grid. But impediments to projects are causing concern that the grid will get dirtier – and maybe less reliable – when the AES coal plant shuts down.
“If things don't go smoothly, it certainly could give fodder to people who say that, it's dangerous to move too fast. That would be an unforced error for the energy transition because, technically there's no reason that this shouldn't work,” explains Julian.
Guest: Julian Spector, senior reporter at Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
Support for Carbon Copy comes from Climate Positive, a podcast from Hannon Armstrong, the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investing in climate solutions. 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. Lees meer -
Are Biden’s climate ambitions slipping away?
7 januari 2022 · 22 min
President Biden wants to slash America’s carbon emissions by half in a decade. He can’t achieve that goal without passing Build Back Better, a massive social-spending bill that devotes half a trillion dollars to clean energy.
Build Back Better would be the biggest American investment in climate technologies and programs ever. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
But with a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, a single dissenting vote legislator threatens to derail the bill. And right before Christmas, Senator Joe Manchin declared that he will not vote for it.
So are Biden’s climate ambitions dead? Not quite.
There’s still hope that Senator Manchin will come around – even if it means another period of intense negotiations.
This week: an insider gives an optimistic assessment of how we move ahead with America's most ambitious piece of climate legislation.
Guest: Katherine Hamilton, chair of 38 North Solutions.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Elon Musk is person of the year. What's his Tesla legacy?
22 december 2021 · 30 min
Every December, TIME magazine picks an individual or group of people to be the "person of the year."
This year, TIME picked a guy who equally inspires and infuriates: Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk is a culture-shifting CEO who brought the business of climate solutions into the zeitgeist in surprising – and sometimes weird – ways
He became the wealthiest person in the world partly because he sold his mission to make climate-positive technologies a reality – even when incumbents and skeptical investors never thought it could happen.
But Tesla's history is also filled with failed or missing products – or even outright lies.
This week: a brief history of Tesla. Has it lived up to Musk's original vision of building a sustainable energy company to vanquish fossil fuels?
Guest: Eric Wesoff, Editorial Director at Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Your ‘carbon footprint’ is a marketing ruse
15 december 2021 · 23 min
The term “carbon footprint” is everywhere. But it’s not rooted in the environmental movement. It’s rooted in a two-decade corporate marketing campaign created by an oil giant.
Mashable Reporter Mark Kaufman recently dug into the backstory of the term. He looked at the history of how companies have used advertising to shift the burden of responsibility for industry pollution away from them, and onto us.
And that brought him to BP, which launched a highly successful marketing campaign around “beyond petroleum” -- and put the carbon footprint at the center.
This week: The story of how that campaign is still fooling us about the real solutions to climate change.
Guest: Mark Kaufman, a climate reporter for Mashable. You can read his article about the history behind the carbon footprint here.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Florida is the latest battleground over fossil-fuel phaseouts
8 december 2021 · 19 min
At the start of the year, a city councilman in Tampa, Florida crafted a resolution for 100% clean energy by 2030.
The resolution was non-binding and quite common. Nearly 200 cities around America have vowed to get 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon resources.
But it also included language that would set off a political chain reaction in the state: an aspiration to phase out fossil fuels.
It scared the local gas and power utility, Tampa Electric, which used its lobbying power and money to launch a more aggressive counter-strike. And it spawned new Republican legislation that will restrict what cities can do about climate change.
This week: what Florida tells us about the new front in the conflict over climate policy across America.
Guest: Grist Reporter Emily Pontecorvo, who co-authored a story about the gas industry’s influence on Florida’s new laws.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Ithaca’s novel plan to eliminate carbon from buildings
30 november 2021 · 16 min
In 2019, the Green New Deal became a mobilizing force. Even without federal action, organizers started pushing cities across America to craft their own versions.
One of those cities was Ithaca, New York. Ithaca is making a bold promise: to eliminate all emissions from buildings by 2030.
To make the program a reality, the city needs to raise hundreds of millions of dollars. Ithaca's budget is $80 million.
In stepped Luis Aguirre-Torres, the director of sustainability for Ithaca. He found a way to tap private dollars in an unprecedented way to overhaul buildings.
This week: where the money is coming from, and how it could make the Green New Deal a reality in cities across the country.
Guests: Ithaca Climate Czar Luis Aguirre-Torres; 38 North Solutions Chair Katherine Hamilton.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
How the Glasgow climate deal nearly collapsed
19 november 2021 · 19 min
COP26 ended in Glasgow, Scotland last week with a final deal. It established a framework for reporting emissions and trading carbon credits, called on countries to step up their targets next year, and included a mention of fossil fuels for the first time.
That mention of a “phase out” of fossil fuels almost killed the deal altogether.
In the final moments of the conference, India lobbied to weaken the phrase. Behind the scenes, China and the US supported the change. That created a showdown over the final language that could have prevented passage of the final agreement.
This week: what the conflict says about how power is wielded in global climate talks.
Guest: Akshat Rathi, a London-based reporter for Bloomberg News. He has a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford, and a BTech in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Our oil addiction is worse than ever
12 november 2021 · 20 min
When the pandemic shut down the global economy in March of 2020, demand for oil and gas collapsed. It raised questions about whether we'd hit peak demand for petroleum.
But things look very different at the end of 2021. Oil and gas prices are now at multi-year highs.
And as world leaders gathered for climate talks in Scotland to discuss lowering fossil fuel use, there were calls to increase oil production to stabilize prices -- including from President Joe Biden.
This week: why oil is complicating global climate goals and threatening the pandemic recovery.
Guest: Deborah Gordon, a senior principal in the Climate Intelligence Program at RMI. Deborah’s new book is “No Standard Oil: Managing Abundant Petroleum in a Warming World.
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.
The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Oracle. Oracle unlocks the energy of everyone. With the most comprehensive technology solutions and a deep understanding of human behavior, Oracle is putting people at the center of the energy transition. Learn more about Oracle’s vision of making the distributed, people-centered grid a reality: go.oracle.com/energyofeveryone. Lees meer -
Introducing: The Carbon Copy
2 november 2021 · 2 min
Climate change is not a distant science story. It's a story about how everything in our carbon-based economy works -- and how it's getting re-worked.
The Carbon Copy is a weekly news analysis show that explains the changing planet through the lens of current events. In each episode, we talk to a journalist, executive, subject expert, practitioner or newsmaker to understand what their story tells us about how the planet is transforming.
The show is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media. Lees meer