Energy vs Climate: How climate is changing our energy systems

Climate and energy debates rest on predictions. How many years left to save the planet? How cheap will solar power get? We dive into the dirty world of making such projections. What’s the difference between climate models and energy system models? What do past forecasts tell us about the accuracy of these models? Hint: there’s no shortage of overconfidence.  On Episode 16 of Energy vs Climate, David, Ed, Sara, and special guest Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University debate the use and abuse of models in energy decisions, and share behind-the-scenes insight into how David and Ken helped Bill Gates learn these topics.Tune into the Youtube version of the episode. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

From personal transportation to long haul freight, how fast can we decarbonize, how much will be electrified vs other solutions, and what are the limiting factors affecting the pace of change?  On Episode 15 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara, Ed, and special guest Amy Myers Jaffe, research professor and managing director of the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University,  break down the steps to decarbonizing transportation and dig into what the transition will mean for Alberta and Canada in terms of demand for oil, changes to local transportation infrastructure, and the potential to capture a part of the new market. Check out the Youtube version of this episode. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

As Albertans we want to build Alberta back better. What does this mean for Albertans and Calgarians, the future of jobs in the energy sector, new technologies, and the roles of government and industry in addressing climate change? For Episode 14 of the Energy vs Climate show, we partnered with the Calgary Climate Symposium to produce a live symposium webinar/podcast. Watch a video version of this episode on Youtube. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

The Energy vs Climate show partnered with Solar Alberta to produce a live in-conference podcast at the 2021 Solar Show. Tune in to hear our thoughts on the role of PV generation in Alberta and what its growth could mean for the electricity grid, jobs, and Canada's climate targets. In particular, David and Ed debated the pros and cons of Alberta producing its own solar power versus importing it from jurisdictions like Arizona, with David arguing hard for the latter. As you'll hear, given that it was at a Solar Alberta conference, he once again showed his fearless ability to walk into a “room,” even a virtual one, and tell people exactly what they don’t want to hear.Watch this episode on Youtube. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

Canada needs a more realistic and honest dialogue about the trade-offs between energy policy, the economy, and climate protection. But how do we facilitate that dialogue?What are the challenges for climate/energy policy actors when working with reporters, and vice-versa? How can energy and climate stakeholders work with the media to better communicate the scientific and economic realities of the energy transition? On Episode 12 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara, Ed, and special guest Laura Lynch of CBC’s What on Earth share their positive and not-so-positive experiences communicating about climate and energy.A video version of this episode can be found on Youtube. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

Canada's new climate plan is big and bold. Will it deliver on our climate goals? Will it lead to “a healthy economy” as its title suggests, or crush it? What does a $170 per tonne carbon price by 2030 mean for Canadian industry? Is this a cost-effective way to cut emissions and get us to net zero? And, is it politically stable or might it be overturned with the next election?  On Episode 11 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara and Ed host professor and energy economist Mark Jaccard to examine Canada’s new climate policy and what we do (and don’t) know about the impact of carbon price.Check out a video replay of the show at www.energyvsclimate.com and on Youtube. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

Nuclear power: Our only solution to reach net zero, or threat to civilization and distraction from other low-carbon pathways?On Episode 10 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara, and Ed welcome guest Elizabeth May, MP and former leader of the Green Party of Canada to examine the nuanced role of nuclear power in Canada. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

'Climate finance' is an emerging field that aims to harness the power of finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation. From Blackrock Capital CEO Larry Fink’s game-changing letter to shareholders, to new clean finance reporting rules, and Canadian Mark Carney’s advocacy for climate finance as head of the Bank of England, climate finance is all over the news. In 2019, Canada’s Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance declared that "Finance is not going to solve climate change, but it has a critical role to play in supporting the real economy through the transition." How might this unfold? On Episode Nine of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara, Ed, and Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow Keith Forman address how much of the climate finance hype is greenwash versus practical reality and whether climate finance can help the oil and gas industry through its transition, at a time when capital for Canadian oil and gas projects has slowed to a trickle. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

Break down what the U.S. election results may mean for Canadian energy and climate policy with David, Sara, Ed, and special guest Dr. Leah Stokes on Episode 8 of Energy vs Climate. Dr. Stokes is an assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the author of Short Circuiting Policy. With her work on energy, climate, and environmental politics, Dr. Stokes is one of the most vibrant voices on U.S. climate policy. Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts

The Canadian federal government has committed to using "nature-based solutions to fight climate change, including by planting two billion trees." But is reforesting an area the size of a European country and managing that forest, naturally a good form of climate/energy policy and public investment? On Episode 7 of Energy vs Climate, energy experts David Keith, Sara Hastings-Simon and Ed Whittingham unpack the growing (but still abstract) field of natural ecosystem protection and climate mitigation with special guest Mark Tercek, former president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy and co-author of "Nature’s Fortune: How Business and Society Thrive by Investing in Nature." Get on the email list at www.energyvsclimate.comSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts