Political Climate

Latest Episodes:

What Conservatives and Climate Hawks Learned From the CNN Town Hall Sep 11, 2019

Show notes

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-Runners
NYT: 5 Takeaways From the Democrats’ Climate Town Hall
AP/US News: Democrats Step on Shaky Political Ground With Fracking Bans
GTM: Coal Miners Doubt Promises of an Inclusive Energy Transition
National Clean Energy Week

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.

How 2020 Presidential Candidates Stack Up on Climate (So Far) Aug 30, 2019

Show notes

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 Power
Vox: Andrew Yang’s plan to tackle climate change, explained
CNN: Jay Inslee drops out of 2020 presidential election
GTM: The 2020 Democratic Primary: GTM’s Definitive Climate and Energy Guide

Political 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!

Harry Reid on Why Democrats Need to End the Filibuster Aug 23, 2019

Show notes

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 theGreen 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 People
Vox: The Democratic debate over filibuster reform, explained
WaPo: Where 2020 Democratic candidates stand on the electoral college, court packing and changes to democracy
Vice: Harry Reid: 'Of Course' Medicare for All and Decriminalizing Border Crossings Are Bad Ideas
Hood to Coast Relay Fundraiser

Political 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!

Astronaut Scott Kelly: "What Are We Doing to This Planet?" Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

This summer, the United States celebrated the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Fifty years later, many people wonder: if we can get to the moon, surely we can fix the environmental issues here on Earth?

In this episode, we get NASA astronaut Scott Kelly’s perspective on fighting climate change, having seen the challenge we’re up against from the unique viewpoint of space.

Kelly has spent a whole lot of time in space — 520 days, to be exact. Upon his return from a continuous one-year mission, scientists were keen to study the impacts of spaceflight on his body, and compare the results to his identical twin, astronaut and politician Mark Kelly, who remained on Earth. Scott, meanwhile, used his time in orbit to study the impacts of humanity on the planet.

The Political Climate team sat down with Scott Kelly to discuss technology, politics and the unique perspective that traveling to space offers on the climate crisis.

We also ask if he’d ever run for office — like his twin brother Mark, husband to former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is currently campaigning for Senate in Arizona as a Democrat.

Recommended reading:

Newsweek: Scott Kelly Says View From Space Shows Earth Is Covered in Pollution and 'We Need Leadership to Protect It'
NYT: Scott Kelly Spent a Year in Orbit. His Body Is Not Quite the Same.

Political 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!

Climate Sees Some Legitimate Debate. Did Anyone Care? Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

There were several moments of legitimate engagement on climate change at last week’s Democratic presidential debates. But did any of it resonate with voters?

In this episode, we break down the key points candidates made on stage in Detroit — from promoting direct air capture to climate justice — with help from Jigar Shah, president and co-founder of Generate Capital and co-host of the Energy Gang podcast.

Plus, top Republican pollster, Frank Luntz, gives Senate Democrats a lesson on climate change communication. We discuss the GOP strategist’s about face on climate change.

Finally, lawmakers in Ohio just passed an enormous subsidy package for coal and nuclear plants, while gutting the state’s renewable energy and efficiency standards. Utility FirstEnergy lobbied hard and helped elect allies to office to get $1.1 billion in ratepayer funds for its aging nukes. We round out the show with a look at Ohio’s controversial new law.

Recommended reading:

Grist: In Detroit, Democratic candidates actually did some climate debating
Mother Jones: Joe Biden’s Climate Plan Melted During the Debate
The Hill: Democratic senators turn to GOP for help in reaching conservatives on climate messaging
Vox: Ohio just passed the worst energy bill of the 21st century
Inslee profile pic

Political 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!

The Environmental Voter Problem Aug 01, 2019

Show notes

The climate movement doesn’t have a persuasion problem; it has a turn out problem. Data reveal that environmentalists don’t show up to vote as often as the overall population in an election.

So what gives? And could this impact races in 2020?

In this episode of Political Climate we take a hard look at how many Americans care about climate issues, and how many of those people actually vote — or don’t.

To figure this out the podcast team sat down with Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, a non-partisan non-profit that identifies environmentalists across the United States and makes sure that they vote in every election.

We also discussed a new Democratic proposal to achieve 100 percent carbon neutrality by 2050. The idea was recently put forward by a group of more moderate, established Democrats rather than progressives. Is this a sign of policy alignment on the left? Or will this so-called Green New Deal alternative be a source of conflict within the party?

We recorded this show live on stage last week at the Sun Valley Forum in Ketchum Idaho. Take a listen!

Recommended reading:

Environmental Voter Project
ASU: House Committee Calls for Zero Greenhouse Gas Pollution by 2050
TNR: The Democrats’ New Climate Plan Can’t Be Serious

Political 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!

Tom Steyer on Why He's Running for President Jul 27, 2019

Show notes

Billionaire hedge fund executive and environmental activist Tom Steyer is officially making a run for the White House — and putting an aggressive climate action plan at the center of his campaign.

In this episode of Political Climate, we speak with the newest contender in the 2020 Democratic primary about why he entered the crowded race, and how he plans to use "emergency powers" to combat climate change.

After the first Democratic debate it looked as though the field of presidential candidates could be thinning out. That is, until Steyer entered the race, pledging to spend $100 million on his bid.

He boosted his campaign on July 25 with the launch of a bold climate action plan — the only climate action plan to effectively address the climate crisis with the urgency that it demands, according to Steyer.

Political Climate sat down with the candidate for an in-depth interview the day after he announced his new climate policy.

Recommended reading:

Politico: How Tom Steyer would address climate change
PBS: What does Tom Steyer believe? Where the candidate stands on 6 issues
Framework for a Justice-Centered Climate Plan

Political 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!

Climate Action or Climate Distraction? Jul 20, 2019

Show notes

What is going on in Washington D.C.? A bubbling House Democrat feud followed by a series of racially offensive presidential tweets has unleashed chaos in the U.S Capitol. Meanwhile, there’s one thing we’re not seeing much of: governing

In this episode of Political Climate we look at where we’re seeing attempts at climate action, and where we’re seeing a whole lot of climate distraction. A slate of clean energy bills have been introduced in Congress this year. Do they have any hope of passing before the 2020 election?

We also take a look at President Trump’s recent speech on the environment and the launch of a new Republican caucus on conservation. Does this prove that Republicans are seeing a real need to show leadership on the environment?

Finally, we check in on the Democratic presidential primary, which just saw billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer enter the race and momentum slide for a candidate forum of climate change.

Recommended reading:

GTM: Clean Energy Policy Push Faces Steep Climb Ahead of 2020 Election
The Hill: Republicans form conservation caucus to take on environment, climate change
Huffington Post: Fox News Cuts Into Trump Speech To Deliver A Brutal Real-Time Fact Check
Gizmodo: Update on Our 2020 Climate Summit
Politico: Schwarzenegger to Trump: 'You have to dial down Donald'

Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!

Candidates and Climate in the First Democratic Debates Jul 04, 2019

Show notes

Twenty Democratic presidential candidates faced off last week in the first debate of the 2020 election. It was a mixed bag — not only for the candidates, but also for climate.

There were more questions on climate change than in previous years, and yet climate issues saw just 15 minutes of airtime over the four hours the contenders were on stage. Did Democrats hit the right notes in their (brief) responses? Or did the first showing justify calls for a dedicated climate debate?

Also, who were the overall winners and losers? And are Democrats more united or divided heading into the race against President Trump?

In this week’s episode, we discuss how did candidates and climate change fared in the first round of debates.

Plus, what the heck happened in Oregon? Republican legislators fled the state last month to resist voting on a cap-and-trade bill, and then fringe right-wing militia groups said they would protect the politicians if law enforcement officials tried to bring them back. We discuss how a climate bill went off the rails and whether Democrats can ever count on Republicans to act in good faith on climate.

Recommended reading:

Inside Climate: First 2020 Debates Spent 15 Minutes on Climate Change. What Did We Learn?
HuffPo: Democrats To Consider Climate Debate Amid Mounting Pressure
NYT: Biden, Recalling ‘Civility’ in Senate, Invokes Two Segregationist Senators
NPR: Oregon GOP State Senators Go Into Hiding To Avoid A Climate Vote
Oregon Live: How Oregon’s climate-change bill ran out of gas

Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!

The Invisible Killer Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

We often can’t see or feel air pollution — and yet, it is taking a toll.

Air pollution is responsible for the early deaths of some 7 million people every year, around 600,000 of who are children, according to the United Nations. In this episode, we hear stories of how people around the world are calling attention to this invisible killer.

We speak to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a mother campaigning to have pollution officially named as her daughter’s cause of death [3:30].

We also talk to Beth Gardiner, the author of “Choked,” a book about science, politics and personal experiences linked to pollution [12:55].

We hear from entrepreneur Romain Lacombe at Plume Labs, about his mission to map out city pollution the way that Google maps out traffic [20:00].

And we learn about how a group of women in Southern California are trying to protect their town from the real-world health impacts of online-shopping in an interview with Grist reporter Justine Calma [28.05].

Recommended reading:

BBC: Ella Kissi-Debrah: New inquest into girl's 'pollution' death
Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution
Bloomberg: This Wearable Pollution Monitor Detects How Dirty Your Air Is
Grist: The town that online shopping built — and women are trying to save

Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!

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