The Climate Conversation

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Earthshots Initiative set technical and financial goals for key clean energy challenges, growing to a portfolio of eight “shots” for technologies like hydrogen, long duration storage, and more. Today’s episode features one of the leaders who helped catapult the Earthshots at DOE, Dr. Geraldine “Geri” Richmond, who served as the agency’s Under Secretary for Science and Innovation during the Biden-Harris Administration. Geri sat down with co-hosts Daniel and Alison to share her vision for public-private partnerships to continue advancing the Earthshots, and her insights on women in STEM and international scientific cooperation.

Show notes:

Welcome to Season 9 of The Climate Conversation podcast! How many issues can you think of that 94% of U.S. voters agree on? Probably not very many. But a poll commissioned by U.S. Nature4Climate in 2024 revealed that 94% of voters across the United States support the expansion of natural climate solutions—actions that reduce emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, farms, grasslands, and wetlands—in public policy. To kick off the new season of EESI’s podcast, co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis sit down with the bipartisan pollsters who led the survey, Lori Weigel of New Bridge Strategy and Dave Metz of FM3 Research.

Show notes:

As 2024 draws to a close, many people are wondering what to expect from the next Congress and presidential administration on climate change. But sometimes, the best way to look forward is to look back. Co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis sit down with Jay Hakes, author of The Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics from Eisenhower to Bush, for a discussion about the intersection of climate science and political processes in the White House.

Show notes:

Atmospheric satellite data can provide key information about climate change, including measurements related to the ozone layer, air quality, methane, and more. In today's episode, Dr. Pieternel Levelt, a scientist and associate director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, joins Daniel and Alison to talk about satellite instruments like OMI (the Ozone Monitoring Instrument) and TROPOMI (the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument). These instruments provide essential data to scientists and policymakers all over the globe.

There are many tools and solutions available to help offset the global rise in temperature caused by greenhouse gas emissions. One such method that has been gaining traction in recent years is the use of solar reflective materials in the built environment. The degree of solar reflectance (or “albedo”) of our roofs, walls, and pavements, can impact local temperatures as well as the Earth’s energy balance. High albedo surfaces help to reduce the urban heat island effect, and a new report shines light on their effectiveness as a climate change mitigation measure. In this episode, EESI Board Member Kurt Shickman joins co-hosts Dan and Alison for a conversation with Seth Jacobson, Climate Solutions Officer at the nonprofit Climate Resolve. Seth leads the Shine On initiative, which was launched in 2023 to study the impact of albedo management of the built environment on climate change.

Show notes:

• Shine On: Increasing Local Solar Reflectance as a Means to Reduce the Greenhouse Gas Effect: https://www.climateresolve.org/shine-on-white-paper/

EESI recently held a reception at the Library of Congress to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and we were honored to welcome two members of Congress: Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.). This week on the podcast, we are resurfacing Rep. McClellan’s interview from earlier this year, when she joined us to discuss climate resilience and environmental justice in the Commonwealth and across the country.

The Gila River, which flows through New Mexico and Arizona, is the site of the first operational solar covered-canal in the United States, and will provide renewable energy to the people of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. This pilot project, also called the Casa Blanca Canal solar project, received nearly $6 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. For this week’s episode, EESI Policy Associate Molly Brind'Amour joins President Daniel Bresette to speak with George Cairo, the head engineer for the Casa Blanca Canal solar project, about the benefits and challenges of canal-based energy systems.

Show notes:

• The Promise and Potential of Solar Canals: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/the-promise-and-potential-of-solar-canals

Welcome to Season 8 of The Climate Conversation podcast! Many of us are returning from trips to the coast, where breezy beaches provided a respite from the brutal summer heat. But these coastal areas are important for more than just the occasional vacation. Wetlands and estuaries, which connect inland rivers to the open ocean, are critical ecosystems for climate adaptation and carbon sequestration. In this episode, co-hosts Dan and Alison—alongside EESI Policy Director Anna McGinn—talk about coastal restoration with Daniel Hayden, president and CEO of Restore America’s Estuaries.

Show notes:

• 2024 Coastal and Estuarine Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/110611bc-78c6-43ad-b053-a9afd2a4263a/summary 

It seems like almost every day there is another story about new advancements in Artificial Intelligence, or AI. By now, many of us are familiar with ChatGPT, but there is a wide variety of different models and applications for the rapidly-evolving AI technology. To wrap up Season 7 of The Climate Conversation podcast, Dan and Alison are joined by Helena Fu, director of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies. Helena discusses how AI can help modernize the power grid for a clean energy future and shares some of what DOE’s newest office has accomplished since it opened in December 2023.

Show notes:

• AI for Energy: Opportunities for a Modern Grid and Clean Energy Economy: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/AI%20EO%20Report%20Section%205.2g%28i%29_043024.pdf 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ten regional offices across the country that carry out the agency’s programs. In this episode, co-hosts Dan and Alison sit down with EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, whose office serves Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, DC, and seven federally recognized tribes. Adam shares his insights on Chesapeake Bay restoration and other EPA priorities in the region, as well as the importance of environmental justice and local partnerships.

Show notes:

• EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/a40840fe-b2dc-4848-81d6-dd2afdbe6c70/summary