Inevitable

In today’s episode, we cover:Role, function and mission of IIASAThe context around SR15UN Sustainable Development GoalsDr. Huppmann’s work on the message integrated assessment model for environmental scenario planningSignificance of selecting a decade as the timeframe for actionUnpacking the meaning of publicly stated thresholdsImplications of Dr. Huppmann’s modeling on humanityHow new research affects older predictive modelsDr. Huppmann’s view on carbon storageDelivering sustainability via initiatives that improve quality of lifeThe important role of carbon taxesOpen-source climate change data movementLinks to topics discussed in this episode:IIASA:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Institute_for_Applied_Systems_AnalysisSR15:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Report_on_Global_Warming_of_1.5_%C2%B0CMessage IX: https://message.iiasa.ac.at/en/stable/UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300European Green Deal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_enFridays For Future: https://fridaysforfuture.org/Young Summer Scientists Program: https://www.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/education/yssp/Young_Scientists_Summer_Program.htmlYou can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Enjoy the show! Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

In today’s episode, we cover:Her journey to elected office and the challenges she faced in her campaignHer inspiration to run for state officeWhat she discovered about the state of Albany politicsHow the campaign for state senator felt like a street fightHer upbringing in a politically-minded familyHow the existential problem of climate change underpins all other issuesWhat other actions concerned citizens can take beyond voting to combat climate changeThe viability of bipartisan collaborationHow she would allocate $100 billion in the fight against climate changeResources for elected officials to remain informed and develop onions about climate changeThe opportunity to introduce CLCPA-inspired bills in states that don’t have climate-focused legislationLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Senator Biaggi: https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/alessandra-biaggiClimate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s6599 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

In today’s episode, we cover:How Zahra landed at Buzzfeed covering climateThe Trump Administration and how its policies have affected climateHer audience and readershipThe positioning of her news room and editorsJournalism’s roleHer journey from studying geology at Brown to the world of climate journalismWhat she learned at Inside Climate NewsHow climate change has become increasingly topical and relevantEditorial decisions around what stories to coverDelivering impact vs. ad revenueJournalism’s shifting focusChallenges faced by journalism and the rise of disinformationLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Zahra Hirji at Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/zahrahirjiInside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/George Luber, “How A Bad Boss Remade Himself As a Climate Hero”: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/cdc-whistleblower-george-luber-investigation“New York Loses Climate Change Fraud Case Against Exxon Mobil”:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/climate/exxon-climate-lawsuit-new-york.htmlYale Program on Climate Change Communication: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

In today’s episode, we cover:David’s influential career in techHis advocacy of various causesDHH’s view that, regardless of one’s background, one should become versed in climate changeHow his attention first peaked with the California droughtHow the fires near Malibu made the crisis feel personal and urgent“The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace Wells helped inform him of the catastrophe brought about by a temperature rise above 2 degrees centigradeHow it’s remarkable to think that, since Seinfeld has aired, we’ve doubled GHGHis family’s carbon budget and how it showed him how much more complicated the problem is His belief that changes in consumer and voting behavior will only happen when people see the existential threat themselves (e.g. fires, floods, etc.)His pessimism that things won’t change until the situation becomes more direDo carbon offsets inhibit decisive action?The longer democracies fail to address climate change, the more society becomes ripe for the rise of dictatorsDHH’s recommended reading: “The Divide” by Jason HickelHis acceptance of the likelihood that he will live on an uninhabitable earth; that we’re not going to stay below 2 degrees CentigradeLinks to topics discussed in this episode:“The Uninhabitable Earth”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586541/the-uninhabitable-earth-by-david-wallace-wells/“The Divide”: https://www.jasonhickel.org/the-divideGreen New Deal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_DealYellow vests movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_vests_movement Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

In today’s episode, we cover:• Shayle’s journey from energy transition in the market intelligence space to climate change venture capital at Energy Impact Partners (EIP)• EIP, a VC with ~$1B in AUM whose LPs are a coalition of utilities• The sectors EIP invests in• Abe’s journey from Rockport Capital Partners, a cleantech private equity firm based, to cofounding Congruent Ventures in 2016• A history of the first cleantech wave• Lessons learned• How the current interest in climate tech compares/contrasts with the first cleantech wave • What types of innovation is needed in climate tech• What types of capital are the best for for which types of innovationLinks to topics discussed in this episode:• Energy Impact Partners: https://www.energyimpactpartners.com/• Congruent Ventures: https://www.congruentvc.com/• Rockport Capital Partners: http://www.rockportcap.com/• Solyndra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyndra• Thin-film solar cell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin-film_solar_cell• MiaSolé: http://miasole.com/• Alpha: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/alpha.asp• National Renewable Energy Lab: https://www.nrel.gov/• Lawrence Berkeley Lab: https://www.lbl.gov/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

In today’s episode, we cover:● The Rebound Effect and the ironic implications of improving energy efficiency● Harry’s journey into Climate Change● How Harry earned the moniker, “The Godfather of Rebound”● Contention around rebound and its Climate implications● Factoring in the welfare of those in developing countries and the plight of “energy poverty”● The integral role of nuclear in any clean energy strategy● Ecomodernism and the focus on GDP-driven solutions to Climate ChangeLinks to topics discussed in this episode:● Decision Processes Incorporated: http://www.decisionprocessesinc.com/● Khazzoom–Brookes postulate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khazzoom%E2%80%93Brookes_postulate● The Rebound Effect: https://blog.ucsusa.org/peter-oconnor/energy-efficiency-what-is-the-rebound-effect-946● Amory Lovins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amory_Lovins● Rocky Mountain Institute: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Institute● Ecomodernist Manifesto: http://www.ecomodernism.org/● Environmental Kuznets Curve: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuznets_curve#Environmental_Kuznets_curve Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Rob Hanson, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Monolith Materials, where he leads the development of next-generation technology for producing low cost, low emission hydrogen and carbon black, an important raw material used in the manufacture of rubber and plastic. Prior to Monolith, Rob served as the global director of product management for AREVA Solar, the solar division of the world’s largest nuclear company. He has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford, and has been a guest lecturer at Stanford, UNL, Foothill College and the University of Saskatchewan on topics ranging from thermodynamics to entrepreneurship. Rob also co-founded uforia studios, a 65-employee health and fitness company with locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto.In today’s episode, we cover:Rob’s journey from solar to the chemical sectorThe dirty process of traditionally producing carbon blackHow a generalist background (e.g. blending science and finance) can be positioned to make a big impact as an entrepreneur in the climate technology spaceScaling the method of cleanly creating carbon black from natural gasThe genesis of MonolithStaggered financing modelMarkets for carbon blackImportance of establishing a market “beachhead” with product-market fitReception of the clean “story” and value proposition among prospective customersOpportunities Rob finds interesting outside Monolith’s focusThe opportunity and importance of education in addressing Climate ChangeLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Monolith Materials: https://monolithmaterials.com/Carbon Black: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_blackAreva: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArevaImperative Science Ventures: https://imperative.vc/You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Enjoy the show! Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Matt Eggers, Investor & Company Builder at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a $1.1 billion, patient capital fund dedicated to building companies that will have a massive impact on greenhouse gas mitigation. He also serves on the Board of the Institute for Market Transformation.Matt is a seasoned cleantech leader, investor and advisor with 20 years of experience delivering results in diverse companies. Matt’s recent past experience includes serving as a Vice President with Yardi Energy. He has also been the Vice President of Sales, North America for Tesla and the Vice President of Operations for Sunrun, a national leader in home solar power service operating in 11 states. His earlier experience includes leading the stack operations team and serving as Director of Product Management at the fuel cell company Bloom Energy. In that role he led development of the plan to massively scale manufacturing of Bloom’s core cell technology and developed the features and specifications for the second generation “Bloom Box.” Before Bloom, Matt worked for Genentech where he led the commercial launch of Herceptin Adjuvant, a breast cancer drug with over $1 billion in sales. Matt’s early career experience includes serving as an Associate at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners where he championed investments in biotech and enterprise software companies. Matt has a BS in molecular biology from Duke University and an MBA from Stanford University.In today’s episode, we cover:Mission of Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and its high-network individual investment modelSuccess metrics anchored around half-a-gigaton carbon atmospheric reduction and financial return for investorsBEV’s long investment time horizon (20 years)BEV’s investment criteriaPivot Bio, a portfolio company, addressing carbon emissions found in fertilizer75F, a portfolio company, offering AI-driven software to drive efficiencies with HVAC systemsMatt’s climate journey from a farm in Iowa to BEVMatt’s perspective on the climate problem and its multifaceted solutionsPutting a price on carbon Inadequate funding in the climate spaceDisrupting the dairy industry’s carbon footprint via low-emission Casein The patience required with Climate Change investing  (cf. traditional software venture investing)The role of corporate strategic investors and banksPolicy developments at the municipality-level that factor in Climate Change and affect homeownersLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Breakthrough Energy Ventures: https://www.b-t.energy/“Additionality” with respect to carbon markets: https://resource-solutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RECs-and-Additionality.pdfConceptualizing a gigaton: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/07/01/meet-the-gigaton-the-huge-unit-that-scientists-use-to-track-planetary-change/Pivot Bio: https://www.pivotbio.com/74F: https://www.75f.io/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Casein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CaseinYou can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Enjoy the show! Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Phil Duffy, President & Executive Director at Woodwell Climate Research Center.Expertise Climate modeling, extreme weather risk, societal impacts of climate change, domestic climate policy, international climate change negotiations, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.Dr. Philip Duffy is a physicist who has devoted nearly 30 years to using science to address the societal challenge of climate change. Dr. Duffy frequently engages domestic and international policy- and decision-makers, including delegates at the United Nations climate conferences, and the United States Congress. Dr. Duffy is frequently quoted in major national media outlets such as The New York Times, the Washington Post, Science, the Boston Globe, NPR, CNN, and MSNBC. He serves on committees of the National Academy of Sciences and advises state and local policymakers. Dr. Duffy is particularly interested in working with diverse groups to address climate change, including faith leaders, business leaders, and thought leaders across the political spectrum.Prior to joining WCRC, Dr. Duffy served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and as a Senior Advisor in the White House National Science and Technology Council. In these roles he was involved in international climate negotiations, domestic and international climate policy, and coordination of US global change research. Before joining the White House, Dr. Duffy was Chief Scientist at Climate Central, an organization dedicated to increasing public understanding and awareness of climate change. Dr. Duffy has held senior research positions with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and visiting positions at the Carnegie Institution for Science and the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. He has a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Harvard in astrophysics and a Ph.D. in applied physics from Stanford.In today’s episode, we cover:Overview of Woods Hole Research CenterOrigin story & nature of the workRole of natural solutionsPhysical climate riskHow Phil’s views on the nature of the problem have evolved over the yearsWhat are the highest impact solutionsThe role of political willThe future of capitalism and GPD growthCarbon removal and direct air captureSolar geoengineeringNuclearHow Phil would allocate a big pot of money to maximize its impact in the climate fightPhil’s advice for others looking to find their laneLinks to topics discussed in this episode:Woods Hole Research Center: https://whrc.org/George Woodwell: http://whrc.org/staff/george-woodwell/John Holdren: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/john-holdrenSusan Natali: http://whrc.org/staff/susan-natali/Wellington and Woods Hole: https://whrc.org/wellington-management-and-woods-hole-research-center-announce-initiative/McKinsey and Woods Hole: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-investment-climate/climate-scientists-partner-with-mckinsey-to-push-companies-to-self-regulate-idUSKCN1T52CUNOAA arctic report card: https://arctic.noaa.gov/Report-CardYou can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Enjoy the show! Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

David Keith, a Harvard professor and founder of Carbon Engineering, is a leading voice in climate science and energy technology. He delves into solar geoengineering, discussing its potential and associated risks. With a focus on the importance of rigorous research and global consensus, he emphasizes ethical considerations in implementing these technologies. The conversation also covers the growing need for funding in this field, alongside the need for comprehensive strategies to effectively combat climate change.