Did you know that Hawaii has the highest household electricity costs in the United States? To combat energy inequity in the state, Hawaii’s green bank, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), created its on-bill financing program known as the Green Energy Money $aver (GEM$) to make clean energy more affordable for low- and moderate-income households. In this episode, co-hosts Dan and Aaron speak with HGIA Executive Director Gwen Yamamoto Lau about some unique energy challenges and solutions from the island state’s perspective. Show notes: Hawaii: Green Energy Money $aver (GEM$) On-Bill Program: https://www.eesi.org/obf/case-study/hawaii Increasing Clean Energy Justice and Resilience for Faith Communities Through Solar Energy: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/increasing-clean-energy-justice-and-resilience-for-faith-communities-through-solar-energy Financing Climate Mitigation and Resilience: Lessons from Hawaii: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/032020hawaii Rethinking Tourism in the Wake of West Maui’s Wildfires: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/rethinking-tourism-in-the-wake-of-west-mauis-wildfires

In our second Congressional interview on The Climate Conversation, Dan and Alison speak with Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) about her fight for climate resilience and environmental justice in the Commonwealth and across the country. Rep. McClellan succeeded A. Donald McEachin in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023, making her the first Black woman representing Virginia in Congress. The conversation also includes an overview of some on-the-ground work happening in the state by Annette Osso of Resilient Virginia. Show notes: Representative Ro Khanna on the CHIPS and Science Act: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/5.8-representative-ro-khanna-on-the-chips-and-science-act Virginia’s Proactive Plan to Tackle Coastal Resilience: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/virginias-proactive-plan-to-tackle-coastal-resilience Environmental Justice: https://www.eesi.org/topics/environmental-justice/description

You have probably heard stories about how climate change is a major threat to some of the most cherished foods and beverages worldwide, such as coffee, chocolate, corn, and of course, wine. Because the grapes used for wine are so sensitive to temperature and other growing conditions, many winemakers are looking for ways to minimize the industry’s impact on the climate. For today’s episode, Dan and Alison sip with Jess Baum, senior director of regenerative impact at Bonterra Organic Estates, here to talk about sustainability in the wine industry. Jess explains why it is important to put a cork in certain winemaking practices (like using corks, for example). We promise you won’t be bord-eaux! Show notes: Grow Organic: The Climate, Health, and Economic Case for Expanding Organic Agriculture: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/032323ag Agriculture and Climate: https://www.eesi.org/agriculture-and-climate-series Talking about “The Octopus in the Parking Garage” with Rob Verchick: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.1-talking-about-the-octopus-in-the-parking-garage-with-rob-verchick

International climate finance has received a lot of attention in recent years during the annual United Nations climate change summit. But there’s a lot of work that needs to be done in between the climate summit every year, when developed countries need to follow up on their climate finance commitments and help implement project plans for the developing countries striving to reach their emission reduction and climate adaptation goals. Organizations like the Green Climate Fund, the world’s largest multilateral climate-focused fund, dedicate themselves to facilitating this work through international partnerships all year round. For today’s episode, Green Climate Fund Deputy Executive Director Henry Gonzalez joins Dan and Alison to talk about the role of U.S. leadership in international climate finance, and why an investment abroad is an investment at home. Show notes: Congress and International Climate Finance: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/102623cop COP Dispatch: What Congress Needs to Know from the U.N. Climate Talks: https://www.eesi.org/newsletters/cop-dispatch COP28 Announcement Tracker: Key Announcements from the 2023 U.N. Climate Summit: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/cop28-announcement-tracker-key-announcements-from-the-2023-u.n-climate-summit

Welcome to Season 7 of The Climate Conversation podcast! When it comes to clean transportation, the journey is the destination. Today’s episode covers GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit advancing access to renewable energy sources, that was brought on to California’s Communities in Charge project to ensure the equitable deployment of Level Two charging stations for electric vehicles. Dan and Alison sit down with Norah Kyassa, an outreach coordinator with GRID Alternative’s Clean Mobility Program, to talk about why clean transportation is so crucial for environmental justice. Show notes: California Puts Communities in Charge for EV Transition: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/california-puts-communities-in-charge-for-ev-transition Building Out Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/060222tech Gender Equality Can Drive the Electric Vehicle Industry Forward: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/gender-equality-can-drive-the-electric-vehicle-industry-forward

The way that climate change is covered in the media has a significant impact on public opinion as well as policy formation. In the Season 6 finale of The Climate Conversation, Dan and Aaron sit down with Evlondo Cooper, a senior writer with the climate and energy program at Media Matters for America, to discuss the extent of climate change coverage in 2022. In his reporting and in today’s conversation, Evlondo focuses on how national TV news networks talk about the climate crisis. Show notes: Public Polling on Climate Change: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/020923camp

As EESI prepares for our extensive coverage of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, we turn our attention to a topic that will be critical for global emission reductions—fossil fuel subsidies. Government subsidies are an important tool for stabilizing the economy, especially after a shock to the market, but they can also generate profits for polluting industries, as is the case with fossil fuels. Earlier this year, Canada made headlines by releasing the first national plan to eliminate inefficient subsidies to domestic fossil fuel companies. Dan and Alison are joined by Phil Gass and Laura Cameron of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to discuss Canada’s framework and the state of global fossil fuel subsidies in the lead-up to COP28. Show notes: Proposals to Reduce Fossil Fuel Subsidies (2021): https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-proposals-to-reduce-fossil-fuel-subsidies-2021 Fossil Fuels: https://www.eesi.org/topics/fossil-fuels/description What Congress Needs to Know About COP28: https://www.eesi.org/cop28-briefings

Extreme heat is the silent killer out of all climate-related disasters. Fatalities from extreme heat typically do not receive as much attention as those from other severe weather events like hurricanes, floods, blizzards, or wildfires, and yet heat is the top weather-related public health hazard in the United States. For today’s episode, Dan and Alison are joined by Kurt Shickman, the newest member of EESI’s Board of Directors, to hear his perspective as an expert on policy solutions for extreme heat. Kurt details many different strategies to combat heat that are both affordable and attainable, and how the right policies can bring these solutions to life. Show notes: Q&A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Response to Extreme Heat: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/qa-the-centers-for-disease-control-and-preventions-response-to-extreme-heat Living with Climate Change: Extreme Heat: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/062422climatechange In a Warming World, Urban Forestry Programs Help Residents Beat the Heat: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/in-a-warming-world-urban-forestry-programs-help-residents-beat-the-heat

The most complicated part of solving the climate crisis is not developing clean energy technologies—we’ve already made enormous strides there—but, rather, funding the deployment and widespread adoption of those technologies. The Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is working to overcome that barrier by financing large-scale energy infrastructure projects to help the United States reach its climate goals. In this episode, Dan and Alison are joined by LPO Chief Strategist Jonah Wagner to discuss DOE’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff Reports, the role of the private sector in the transition to a decarbonized economy, and some of the clean energy technologies on the front lines of this transition.

Idyllic water views may be great for tourists, but for homeowners and residents of coastal communities, they can be a foreboding red flag. With each passing year, the climate crisis brings more extreme storms, storm surge, and even sunny-day flooding—all on top of rising sea levels. This episode explores policy approaches to help build resilience for coastal communities. Dan and Alison sit down with Jeff Peterson, co-facilitator at the Coastal Flood Resilience Project, to talk about a wide range of solutions, including risk disclosure, strengthening infrastructure, supporting relocation efforts, and more. Show notes: Sea Level Rise: Policies to Anticipate Threats and Build Preparedness: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/051822climatechange A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/a-resilient-future-for-coastal-communities Celebrating Two Years of Coastal Resilience Solutions at EESI! https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/4.4-celebrating-two-years-of-coastal-resilience-solutions-at-eesi In the Face of Rising Sea Levels, Experts Call for Nationwide Coastal Management Approach: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/in-the-face-of-rising-sea-levels-experts-call-for-nationwide-coastal-management-approach Q&A: What Is the Future for New Jersey’s Coastal Marshes? https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/qa-what-is-the-future-for-new-jerseys-coastal-marshes

Last season, in Episode 5, we talked about the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers, or CASCs. These regional consortiums facilitate partnerships between universities, tribal nations, and other institutions to deliver science that helps fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. In this episode, Dan and Anna explore the South Central CASC and its work on the Red River Basin. They are joined by Barney Austin, president and CEO of Aqua Strategies Inc, and Newakis Weber, water resource manager for the Chickasaw Nation, to talk about why the Red River is so critical and how decision-makers in the region can increase resilience to the projected impacts of climate breakdown.

Welcome to Season 6 of The Climate Conversation podcast! To kick off the season, we are discussing a book, The Octopus in the Parking Garage: A Call for Climate Resilience. Since its publication earlier this year, The Octopus in the Parking Garage has helped non-expert readers understand climate resilience in a way that is not only accessible, but also empowering. Author Rob Verchick—a renowned climate law scholar and professor at Loyola University New Orleans—sits down with Dan and Alison to talk about the major themes and findings from his book, including public perception of climate and resilience, modern forms of casteism, and planning for an uncertain future. Show notes: A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: Federal Policy Recommendations from Solutions in Practice: https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/a-resilient-future-for-coastal-communities Climate Adaptation: A Review of Federal Legislation Enacted Since 2017: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/climate-adaptation-a-review-of-federal-legislation-enacted-since-2017 In the Face of Rising Sea Levels, Experts Call for Nationwide Coastal Management Approach: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/in-the-face-of-rising-sea-levels-experts-call-for-nationwide-coastal-management-approach Planning and Acting for a Resilient Coastal Louisiana: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/s3e2-planning-and-acting-for-a-resilient-coastal-louisiana Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/031822fed Public Polling on Climate Change: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/020923camp

Surprise! We are thrilled to share this Season 5 bonus episode, which came about from an unexpected opportunity to interview a member of Congress. From California’s 17th Congressional District, we are joined today by Representative Ro Khanna, who played a vital role in the formation of the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act. Rep. Khanna sat down with Dan and Alison to discuss how the CHIPS and Science Act contributes to climate policy, progress on implementation, the bipartisan appeal of the law, and more. Shownotes: How the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Work Together to Advance Climate Action: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/how-the-inflation-reduction-act-and-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-work-together-to-advance-climate-action Briefing Series: Scaling Up Innovation to Drive Down Emissions: https://www.eesi.org/tech2022 Content Tag: California: https://www.eesi.org/page/California

It’s the last episode of Season 5! Over the past six episodes, we have talked about growing the electrification workforce, how the Supreme Court shapes environmental protections, partnerships between universities and tribal nations for climate adaptation research, and much more. Before The Climate Conversation begins its summer hiatus, we are closing out the season with an exploration of the circular economy and how the private sector can incorporate circularity into their business models. The dominant economic system in the United States and around the world encourages a linear form of consumption resulting in excessive waste for the sake of an ever-higher GDP number. Dan and Alison speak with Pieter van Exter from Metabolic and Amy Aussieker from Envision Charlotte about how breaking away from the linear economy is good for business, good for people, and good for the planet. Progress being made in the Netherlands and Charlotte, North Carolina provides a framework for what policies and practices can support the transition to a circular economy. Shownotes: Rethinking Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Policies and Programs to Address Waste: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/042021waste Government Economic Models Fail to Account for Climate Change, Hindering Action: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/government-economic-models-fail-to-account-for-climate-change-hindering-action Reduce and Reuse: How to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Building Materials, Plastics, and Food: https://www.eesi.org/1221waste

In 2020, there were 4.1 million climate jobs in the United States. One sector of these jobs that is not well-documented but is growing rapidly is climate adaptation. As the threats from climate change continue to worsen and we tackle this challenge, it will be critical to grow this workforce so we can prepare our communities as best as possible. In this episode, we speak with Rachel Jacobson from the American Society of Adaptation Professionals and Frank Niepold from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about what these jobs are, how the government can track them, and strategies to increase equity and education within the adaptation workforce. Shownotes: Climate Jobs Fact Sheet: https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-climate-jobs Adaptation Jobs Explainer: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/adaptation-jobs-explainer-understanding-this-critical-and-growing-workforce Adaptation Legislation Article: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/climate-adaptation-a-review-of-federal-legislation-enacted-since-2017

Our work at EESI is always science-based, which means we need to keep up with the latest research so we can best educate others. One initiative that is strengthening climate adaptation research in particular is the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers, or CASCs, which are federal-university partnerships made up of a consortium of universities, tribal nations, and NGOs. Rather than isolating scientific research in academia, these centers involve lots of groups in decision making and make their results accessible. Dan and Emma speak with Dr. Jessica Hellmann from the Midwest CASC and Emma Kuster from the South Central CASC to learn about how these collaborations support students, elevate voices from tribal nations, and deliver key scientific research to natural resource managers. Shownotes: Climate adaptation programs briefing series: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/031822fed Briefing on coastal resilience in the Great Lakes: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/021320greatlakes Podcast on the USDA Climate Hubs: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/s2e7-planning-for-climate-adaptation-at-the-regional-level

At EESI, our work primarily focuses on the legislative and executive branches of the government. Yet, decisions made by the judicial branch touch all of our lives and can have a huge impact on the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat. In this episode, Dan and Emma discuss this power with Steph Tai, a Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, through examining two present-day cases: West Virginia v. EPA and Sackett v. EPA. These cases highlight how Supreme Court decisions can shape federal agencies’ ability to tackle the climate crisis, water pollution, and other environmental challenges. Shownotes: EESI press release on West Virginia v. EPA: https://www.eesi.org/press-releases/view/supreme-court-decision-makes-congressional-climate-action-even-more-critical Briefing on corporate climate risk disclosure: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/092022risk

Over the past two months, EESI has been running a four-part briefing series called Congressional Climate Camp to help get Congressional staff and other people working in the policy space up to speed with the legislative process and key opportunities for climate mitigation and adaptation action. This series covered four topics: budget and appropriations; public polling; non-CO2 greenhouse gases; and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. We had 17 amazing speakers across the panels share their knowledge and expertise with our audience. In this episode of the podcast, Dan and Alison recap some of the series highlights and discuss major themes across the four briefings, featuring clips of the briefing panelists. Shownotes: Congressional Climate Camp Briefing Series: https://www.eesi.org/2023climatecamps

We know that the world needs to rapidly transition from burning fossil fuels towards renewable energy to address the climate crisis. This includes in our homes: switching to electric appliances instead of using natural gas or oil to heat our spaces and cook our food. David Smedick from RMI explains how we have great technology in heat pumps and induction stoves and a pathway of incentives and rebates from the big climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, to make this transition happen. But there’s a big missing piece—the people to actually do these electrification installations. Dan and Emma speak with Dr. Janell Hills from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and Vaughan Woodruff from ReVision Energy about the challenges and opportunities of growing this critical workforce in an equitable way. Shownotes: - Inflation Reduction Act incentives article: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/new-climate-law-expands-household-efficiency-and-electrification-incentives - Reflection on switching to an induction stove: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/i-made-the-switch-from-gas-to-electric-cooking-heres-why-i-love-my-new-induction-stove - Clean energy educational resources: https://sustainableenergyaction.org/clean-energy-clearinghouse/ - IREC’s Clean Energy Career Maps: https://irecusa.org/career-maps/ - ReVision’s Electricians Will Save the World video: https://www.revisionenergy.com/solar-company/solar-careers-and-training/electricians-will-save-world

Welcome to Season 5 of The Climate Conversation podcast! We are starting off with a discussion about biodiversity and conservation, especially how this work connects with climate change and the role of policymakers in addressing biodiversity loss. EESI’s Dan and Emma speak with Barbara Martinez, a National Geographic conservation biologist and a member of EESI’s Board of Directors. Barbara shares her thoughts on the role of science in the federal government, the outcomes of the recent U.N. biodiversity conference, COP15, in Canada, and how Congress can boost conservation solutions. Shownotes: Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss article: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/climate-change-and-biodiversity-loss-twin-crises-interconnected-solutions Global Sustainable Development briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/100821unep Natural Climate Solutions briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/102822cop Microbes and Climate Change report: https://asm.org/Reports/Microbes-Climate-Change-Science,-People,-Impacts