jivetalking

Episode 74: Jennifer Pfister of CoCast (https://www.instagram.com/co.cast/) interviewed me on Coronavirus and related topics. Subscribe to CoCast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IoKvxVsaqFaXPzYG1HE0L

This episode's motto: "This crisis gives us an extremely valuable example of what it means to have all of our lives disrupted and how our civilization can cope with disruption."

Episode 73: Alexander Danilenko developed and managed the International Benchmarking Network of Water and Sanitation Utilities of the World Bank (IBNET) from 1998 to 2018. IBNET (https://www.ib-net.org) is the largest publicly available database of water utilities' performance. Alexander is directly involved in water reform agenda in many countries, where IBNET performance assessment tools are being used for the sector development. He works with water sector development of Uganda now. Alexander holds PhD in Environmental (Physical) Chemistry from Kazakh National Academy of Sciences and MSc in Resource Economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Episode motto: "The public provision of data creates more value than it costs."

Links:

IBNET database: https://database.ib-net.org/DefaultNew.aspx

Tariffs' database: https://tariffs.ib-net.org/

[David] How to price water for conservation and fiscal stability

https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2015/04/how-to-price-water-for-conservation-in-california/

Episode 73: Giulio Giandoso (https://www.linkedin.com/in/giuliogiandoso/), 36 and currently living in Padua, is a real estate agent focussing on commercial letting in the Veneto Market. He has a background in teaching and training (HR) in both the corporate and public sectors. He speaks 7 European languages and has a PhD in linguistics. In his free time he trains in the martial arts. Giulio supports the EU, but keeps his eyes wide open.

This episode's motto: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face"

Giulio recommends this article (use Google translate) on the lockdown of 47 million Italians: https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/un-mese-lockdown-47-miliardi-mese-ecco-com-e-cambiata-vita-italiani-AD57CFJ

Episode 72: Paul Behrens (https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/paul-behrens#tab-1) is an Assistant Professor in Energy and Environmental Change. Paul’s research focuses on the energy-climate nexus using tools such as environmentally-extended, input-output analysis, as enabling the flourishing of human societies within environmental constraints such as climate change is a critical global challenge. Paul's recent projects include estimating the impact of energy policy on environmental, social, and economic systems -- and writing a book!

Episode motto: "We can can handle challenges if we work together."

You can pre-order Paul's book here:

https://www.theindigopress.com/the-best-of-times

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Times-Worst/dp/1911648098

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/paul-behrens/9781911648093

NB: David's coughing was *not* coronavirus but an old cough that's slowly getting better :)

The 3.5% tipping point: https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/resource/success-nonviolent-civil-resistance/

Civil resistance, quantified: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/why-civil-resistance-works/9780231156820

How minority views become majority views: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-25-revolution-how-big-does-a-minority-have-to-be-to-reshape-society/

Clare Farrell (XR) says it's better to do something...

https://dezwijger.nl/magazine/podcast-65-clare-farrell

David sees the glass as half-empty

https://one-handed-economist.com/?p=23

David's review of the Limits to Growth (1972)

https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2010/06/the-limits-to-growth-the-review/

Episode 71: In this AMA, David answers 12 questions [see below] on the social-economic-political impacts of coronavirus and Covid-19.

Blog post on C-19 and climate change

https://one-handed-economist.com/?p=1691

Do less, better research

http://www.the100.ci/2020/03/26/crisis-research-fast-and-slow/

Good for sustainability?

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2020/03/26/the-epidemic-provides-a-chance-to-do-good-by-the-climate

Big Brother will save you

https://www.economist.com/briefing/2020/03/26/countries-are-using-apps-and-data-networks-to-keep-tabs-on-the-pandemic

https://dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/coronavirus-vs-the-mass-surveillance-state-which-poses-the-greater-threat/

Questions

Diego from the Netherlands: Is is probable that there will be a big financial crisis (2008 level or worse)? :)

Isaura from Portugal: The world economy right now is doing pretty bad. Stocks are down, industries are temporarily shut and there's a 2008-magnitude recession coming. How much can we blame covid-19 for what is happening right now? Is the virus just hurrying the crisis or are is it the main cause of it?

Damian from Berkeley: Most recessions have vague causes, but this one's cause is obvious. If C19 disappears, things will resume, perhaps better than before (due to reforms, etc.). Would this imply a WWII, rather than 2008 scenario? What are the lessons of WWII? Also, if WWII is the scenario, then stimulus is inappropriate, right? -- except to help people survive. Or, are there macroeconomic worries that economic policy can address?

Robert from Boulder: Are you aware of ways to regionally forecast virus-spread based on a computer model with data on weather, sick people, etc? Could we use a model to avoid shutting down low-risk areas?

Gabi from Den Haag: is there going to be a sustained disruption in how we manage our economy? Maybe we shoudnt outsource so much? Maybe we care too much for meaningless things? and WHY toilet paper?!?!?

Antoine from Switzerland: With a synchronised experiment of working from home, what will happen with productivity? Will some people realize they have nothing to do? Will academics write dozens of (useful) papers?

Edward from the Netherlands: What are your expectations regarding Universal Basic Income in the context of the corona crisis? Do you expect this to go through, and if so, do you expect it to linger past the initial shocks?

Hannah from Den Haag: Do you agree with Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine theory where she claims the crisis will be used to transform social and cultural values into capitalistic power and profits?

Judi from Leiden: Can this Corona crisis be a game changer towards more economic equality in the world in the longer run, or is it more likely to ultimately make things worse?

Daniel from Den Haag: Do you think there will be violent social movements towards restructuring our current business-as-usual economy?

Daniela from Peru: Do you think this crisis will have a long-term impact on sustainable practices?

Isaura from Portugal: Portugal’s Prime-Minister declared a state of emergency, and people's lives are paused. Assuming you have watched Black Mirror, then how would you "end" the episode?

Episode 70 (6 Mar 2020): Tim is a Research Analyst at the World Benchmarking Alliance (https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org). He graduated in 2015 with a Master of Science coordinated by the Central European University, University of Manchester, and University of the Aegean, with his thesis focusing on adaptive water governance and drought (mis)management in California. Tim first worked as an innovation consultant on various EU-funded projects and then as a business analyst for a startup developing biosolar water reuse technology. After working over a year for the Access to Seeds Index in Amsterdam, investigating the role of private seed-companies in supporting smallholder farmers, Tim joined the World Benchmarking Alliance, first focusing on the Seafood Stewardship Index but is now focusing on circularity.

Episode motto: "Impact is hard to measure but measurement is necessary."

Links of interest:

Some explanation on our narrative and focus around the seven key transformations:

https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/system-transformations/

Seafood Stewardship Index:

https://seafood.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/

SDG2000: list of companies WBA will benchmark by 2023

https://sdg2000.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/

Episode 69: Michel Ivulic (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-ivulic-648398123) was born in Croatia and raised in The Netherlands. He attended LUC wanting to “change the world”, but ultimately ended up stressing about life and grades so much he forgot about that goal. After graduating in 2016 with a BSc in Sustainability, he went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Energy Science looking for something a little more hands-on with calculations and programming. He graduated in 2019 after interning for over a year with a startup developing algorithms for automated electricity trading. Now, he is working as a Data Science & Engineering trainee at the ANWB. Getting to this point required him to realise that grades didn’t really matter as much as he thought; mental health does matter a lot more than he thought; and being honest and genuine creates great opportunities.

This episode's motto: "Don't let a problem eat you alive."

Episode 68: Tom Jenney is a writer living in Phoenix, Arizona. On Twitter (@JenneyTom), Tom is a “Jesus freak, happy dad and hubbie, backpacker, libertarian market fundamentalist --- and rabblerouser.” Most recently, he worked for twelve years as a grassroots organizer, policy wonk, lobbyist and fundraiser for Americans for Prosperity, an organization associated with the Koch Brothers. In the past, he also worked for the libertarian Cato and the Goldwater Institute think-tanks.

This episode's motto: "We all want liberty but we all don't agree on what that means."

Links of interest

_From Tom_

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Problem_of_Political_Authority

https://openborderscomic.com

http://daviddfriedman.com/laws_order/index.shtml

_From David_

https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2018/02/review-the-cartoon-introduction-to-microeconomics/

https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2012/04/a-decentralized-path-to-development-and-freedom/

https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2018/02/united-we-stand-divided-we-fall/

Episode 67: Brandon Zicha (https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/brandon-zicha#tab-1) is Assistant Professor of Policy Science at LUC. His research and teaching interest focus on how information is processed by social and political institutions and used to make collective decisions in modern societies, as well as the careful use and informed understanding of quantitative scientific methods for understanding social issues.

This episode's motto: "Diverse perspectives and knowledge lead to better choices."

Links:

Yuval Levin "How Did Americans Lose Faith in Everything?" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/opinion/sunday/institutions-trust.html

Kathleen Thelen's "How Institutions Evolve" https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/how-institutions-evolve/41C3108269725FA3AF2C4AE87A50685E

Episode 66: Catherine E. Semcer ( https://www.perc.org/people/catherine-e-semcer-2/)is a Research Fellow with the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) where her work focuses on rights and market based solutions to policy challenges in environmental security, conservation finance and sustainability... [continued below....]

This episode's motto: "Owners are the best conservationists."

__Links__

Habitat Loss and the Great Migration: https://www.perc.org/2019/12/04/will-the-circle-be-unbroken/

IWCC Testimony: https://www.perc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IWCC_Testimony_3_18.pdf

Conservationists Should Support Trophy Hunting: https://www.perc.org/2019/09/06/conservationists-should-support-trophy-hunting/

CECIL Act Testimony: https://www.perc.org/2019/07/18/the-role-of-hunting-in-conserving-african-wildlife/

David on hunting elephants: https://kysq.org/aguanomics/2016/09/demand-for-elephants-can-save-elephants/

[Bio continued...] Catherine is the past COO of Humanitarian Operations Protecting Elephants (H.O.P.E.), a boutique NGO delivering training, advisory, assistance and procurement services to African counter-poaching programs. During her tenure with H.O.P.E. she was responsible for leading the opening of projects in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Ethiopia.

Prior to working with H.O.P.E. Catherine served as Senior Washington D.C. Representative for Sierra Club, where she worked to advance conservation programs in the Department of Defense to increase training range sustainability as well as further efforts to conserve the Greater Sage Grouse. Her work led to her being recognized by the USDA-NRCS for “outstanding contributions” to their Sage Grouse Initiative. Catherine began her career with McKinsey & Company where she supported the Environmental and Non-Profit Practices.

Catherine’s research and commentary has appeared in the International Journal of Environmental Studies, The Hill, and other publications. She has also been a guest on programs including Intelligence Squared US and EconTalk, where she has debated and discussed the political economy of African wildlife conservation.

In addition to her work with PERC, Catherine serves as a research fellow with the African Wildlife Economy Institute at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. She is a member of Sustainable Use and Livelihood Specialist Group International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Protected Areas Finance Working Group of Conservation Finance Alliance. Catherine is also a contributing editor to Conservation Frontlines and a past field editor of African Indaba, the official African publication of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC).

Catherine is a graduate of Muhlenberg College. In her spare time she enjoys fly fishing, upland bird and waterfowl hunting, and sailing.