Political Climate

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Biden's Climate Record, One Year In Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

President Joe Biden campaigned for the White House on a number key climate promises. When he officially took office, hopes were high that bold climate action would be at the center of the Biden policy platform. One year later, where does his record stand? On this episode of Political Climate, our hosts look at what the Biden administration has achieved during the president’s first year in office.

Of course, a big component of President Biden’s climate agenda is still in limbo. The Build Back Better Act would devote $555 billion to clean energy and climate measures, along with a suite of social programs. Prospects for passing the full bill in the Senate were quashed late last year. But now there’s talk of moving some provisions forward in a trimmed down version of BBB, one that could get the 50 Democrat votes needed to pass.

To kick off the show, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut and Shane Skelton evaluate the odds of a climate focused Build Back Better Act making it across the finish line.

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Political Climate is brought to you by Fischtank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy for bringing your work not only to wider audiences, but to the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.com

Political Climate is also 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

Unpacking Newsom’s Bold $22B Climate Plan in the California Budget Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed spending $22.5 billion on tackling the climate crisis this week, as part of his $286.4 billion budget proposal. The so-called California Blueprint includes funding for everything from electric buses and building retrofits to support services for firefighters.

As other states have stepped up on climate, some have accused California of falling behind. Could Newsom's plan reclaim the Golden State's title as climate change leader?

On this episode, we discuss the climate and clean energy provisions in Newsom's budget proposal with Lauren Sanchez, the governor's Senior Advisor for Climate and former advisor to the Biden-Harris administration.

Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

Recommended reading:

Political Climate is brought to you by Fischtank PR. From PR and digital marketing to content writing, the team at FischTank helps you develop a strategy of bringing your work to not only wider audiences, but the right audience. To learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and services, visit fischtankpr.com

Political Climate is also brought to you by MCE. Today, MCE offers nearly 40 Bay Area communities almost twice the amount of renewable energy compared to 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

How States Powered Climate Policy in 2021 Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

2021 was a productive year for climate policy – particularly for U.S. states. Both red and blue states passed ambitious climate bills last year. Several of the new laws address emissions from multiple sectors of the economy, include strong labor provisions and center environmental justice in meaningful ways.

In the first Political Climate episode of 2022,we look at some of the biggest political wins of 2021 that took place around the country. From Oregon and Illinois joining the party on 100% emissions-free electricity, to a wide-ranging cap-and-trade bill in Washington and a net zero goal in North Carolina, there was no shortage of action.

Host Julia Pyper speaks with Canary Media’s Jeff St. John about key elements of these new state policies, how they came to pass, and why they’re so significant.

Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

Recommended reading:

Canary Media: The top 6 ambitious state climate laws passed in 2021
Political Climate: Winning political messages with David Roberts
Canary Media: Washington state now has the nation’s most ambitious climate policy
Canary Media: Illinois’ new climate bill is ambitious, justice-focused and a model for the nation

Build Back Never? And Tackling Methane Emissions Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

Is Build Back Better really dead? Could the climate and clean energy provisions live on? Political Climate weighs in on the timely issue of Senator Manchin’s “no” on President Biden’s marquee legislation. Plus, Brandon, Shane and Julia share some 2022 predictions.

In the second half of the show we look at the troubling rise in global methane emissions. Methane is 80 times more potent as a global warming gas than carbon dioxide, and is responsible for roughly one-quarter of the climate warming we see today. Recognizing the scope and scale of the issue, the United States and European Union recently spearheaded a Global Methane Pledge at COP26, which has been signed by around 100 countries. In addition, the U.S. EPA has proposed new rules to tackle methane leaks from oil and gas production.

To round out the episode, we speak to Sarah Smith, program director of super pollutants at the Clean Air Task Force, about why methane emissions are such a big problem and what’s being done to address it.

Listen and subscribe to Political Climate on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get podcasts! Follow us on Twitter at @Poli_Climate.

P.S. All we want for Christmas are your Apple Podcast reviews! If you have a moment over the holidays, we’d love to get your feedback. Your ratings help us grow and if there’s a topic you’d like the podcast to cover, please let us know!

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