Climate One

After PG&E pled guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the 2018 Camp Fire, Patti Poppe was brought on as the utility’s new CEO. Her stated mission: to fix it.

Now, rising electricity prices, repeated power outages, and the growing impact of climate change have put PG&E in the crosshairs of the public and legislators. Again.

This summer, California lawmakers rejected a bill that would have capped the utility’s liability if their equipment sparks another fire. In response. PG&E announced it would defer roughly $2 billion in capital investments planned for 2027 as it works to strengthen its finances and, in Poppe’s words, “reinvent” the company. That means plans to connect new housing projects, clean energy initiatives, and some technology upgrades may be put on hold.

In a climate-changed world, is the investor-owned utility model still sustainable? Are utilities putting too much emphasis on profits at the expense of maintenance? And how do utilities across the country balance the needs for affordability, reliability, and climate resilience?

Guests:

Patti Poppe, CEO, Pacific Gas & Electric

Ryan Reed, Co-Founder, FireGeneration Collaborative

Kyle Trefny, Seasonal wildland firefighter; Co-Founder, FireGeneration Collaborative

For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit our episode page.

00:00 – Introduction

03:30 – PG&E CEO on rising costs of electricity

06:50 – Is PG&E beholden to Wall Street instead of Main Street?

10:00 – Why the utility hasn’t put more power lines underground

12:00 – Poppe on how data centers could help normal ratepayers with lower costs

19:00 – Can the grid handle all this new demand from data centers and electrification?

20:45 – Wildfire risk and liability

27:30 – Customer outrage about power outages, more calls to break up PG&E

30:00 – How much would it cost for San Francisco to buy out PG&E

32:00 – Lightning round

40:00 – Ryan Reed and Kyle Trefny on history of wildfire and fire suppression

45:00 – Reed and Trefny on the work of FireGen Collaborative

49:00 – “Good fire” versus catastrophic, climate-fueled wildfires

57:00 – Climate One More Thing

On November 5 at 5:30 p.m., join Climate One and the Children & Nature Network for an evening with Richard Louv, author of the internationally bestselling Last Child in the Woods. Tickets are available at climateone.org/events

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Climate scientist Kate Marvel made headlines this year when she publicly resigned from NASA, drawing coverage from Bloomberg to The New York Times. Marvel says her resignation wasn’t newsworthy on its own. What made it notable is that she was one of more than 10,000 Ph.D. scientists to leave the federal government during President Trump’s second term, part of what she calls a “mass nerd exodus.”

She is now senior climate scientist at Project Drawdown and author of “Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet.” Marvel argues that scientists need to stop hiding their feelings behind the data.

“When we pretend we don’t have emotions, that’s not making us more credible, because that’s lying,” she says. “You can feel a whole range of human emotions and still get the numbers right.”

Guests:

Kate Marvel, Senior climate scientist, Project Drawdown; author, “Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet”

Michael McPhaden, Senior oceanographer, University of Washington

For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.

Highlights:

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:24 Kate Marvel on if leaving NASA was newsworthy

00:08:05 Kate Marvel on why science should be publicly funded

00:12:18 Kate Marvel on “emergency break” solution

00:15:01 Kate Marvel on why feelings are a major topic in her book

00:18:11 Kate Marvel on which emotion was hardest to write about

00:23:06 Kate Marvel on which emotion isn’t discussed enough

00:26:27 Kate Marvel on when she felt wonder

00:30:36 Kate Marvel on how to talk about climate change

00:33:28 Kate Marvel on why it’s not too late

00:37:18 Michael McPhaden on this year’s El Niño

00:39:40 Michael McPhaden on the hurricane season

00:41:06 Michael McPhaden on the Climate change and El Niño connection

00:46:12 Michael McPhaden on what people should look out for

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On October 20 at 6 p.m. join us, in partnership with The Redford Center, for a screening of the short film In Earth We Trust, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker, the film’s central figure, and other faith leaders. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

On November 5 at 5:30 p.m., join Climate One and the Children & Nature Network for an evening with Richard Louv, the internationally bestselling author of Last Child in the Woods. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

Support Climate One by going ad-free! Subscribe to Climate One on Patreon for exclusive access to all future episodes, free of ads. Sign up today.

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The war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz created a global energy supply crisis. And while gasoline prices didn’t reach the extreme highs some predicted a few months ago, the global markets are still in flux.

“What has been disrupted most is the confidence in the old energy system where you could reliably and affordably dig up a source of energy thousands of kilometers away from where you expected to ignite it and expect that process to be smooth,” says Gerald Butts, chairman of political risk consultancy the Eurasia Group.

What has the war in Iran meant for energy markets? How much have shortages and price spikes pushed more companies and countries toward renewable energy? As China reaps the benefits of decades of investment in clean tech and renewable energy, will the U.S. be left behind?

Guests:

Gerald Butts, Chairman and Senior Advisor, The Eurasia Group

Scott Marlow, Founder and CEO, Long Rows Consulting; Agricultural policy expert

Alex Wang, Law Professor, UCLA; Faculty Co-Director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment

Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Last decade of geopolitical turmoil on energy markets

07:00 – Responses of countries like Canada, China

13:30 – Risks of the U.S. being “Overpowered” according to The Eurasia Group

17:30 – Decarbonization is happening but it’s going to be slower than science demands

21:00 – How high diesel prices impact farmers

27:00 – How farmers cope with all the pressures of their business plus climate impacts

33:00 – We’re on the cusp in major change in how we farm in U.S. – Scott Marlow

42:00 – Alex Wang on China’s pivot towards pollution reduction and investments in clean tech

49:45 – How China flexed its oil demand during recent global energy crisis

54:00 – Last few months showcase two different paths towards energy supplies between China and U.S.

For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit ⁠⁠our episode page.

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Join us on October 14 at 6 p.m. for a conversation with PG&E CEO Patti Poppe on energy affordability, outages, and public outrage. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

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On October 20 at 6 p.m. join us, in partnership with The Redford Center, for a screening of the short film In Earth We Trust, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker, the film’s central figure, and other faith leaders. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

***

On November 5 at 5:30 p.m., join Climate One and the Children & Nature Network for an evening with Richard Louv, the internationally bestselling author of Last Child in the Woods. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

***

Support Climate One by going ad-free! Subscribe to Climate One on Patreon for exclusive access to all future episodes, free of ads. Sign up today.

***

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New York set some of the country's most ambitious climate goals, from slashing emissions to bracing for rising seas. But living in the city is freaking expensive. So what does it take for NYC to be affordable and climate-conscious?

In collaboration with Grist, we put that question to the city’s chief climate officer, a Grist reporter, and a grassroots leader during New York Climate Week. Listen as we discuss the places where climate, decarbonization, and affordability collide – and the ways people are working to make life better for New Yorkers while keeping both costs and carbon down.

Guests:

Daphany Rose Sanchez, Executive Director, Kinetic Communities Consulting

Jake Bittle, Staff Writer, Grist

Louise Yeung, NYC Chief Climate Officer

Jonathan Gilmour, Co-Executive Director, The Impact Project

Highlights:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:10 Jake Bittle on New York delaying climate goals

00:03:53 Daphany Rose Sanchez on the impact of delaying climate goals

00:05:31 Daphany Rose Sanchez on what’s missing in the affordability conversation

00:08:12 Jake Bittle on the affordability and climate connection

00:11:13 Daphany Rose Sanchez on the projects she’s excited about

00:14:37 Louise Yeung on the ability to address climate and affordability

00:18:25 Louise Yeung on the role of a public utility advocate

00:21:57 Louise Yeung on the battery powered food card pilot program

00:29:50 Louise Yeung on the challenge of implementing policy citywide

00:34:32 Louise Yeung on the headwinds facing climate work

00:37:23 Jonathan Gilmour on what motivated him to host community climate gatherings

00:40:34 Jonathan Gilmour on what people talked about at the community gatherings

00:43:21 Jonathan Gilmour on preserving climate data

00:48:38 Jonathan Gilmour improving the climate data that was preserved

For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org.

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Join us, on October 14 at 6 p.m. for a conversation with PG&E CEO Patti Poppe on energy affordability, outages, and public outrage. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

On October 20 at 6 p.m. join us, in partnership with The Redford Center, for a screening of the short film In Earth We Trust, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker, the film’s central figure, and other faith leaders. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.

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How should Democrats campaign on climate? Some are quietly shelving climate-specific language ahead of the midterms in favor of terms like “energy crisis” and “affordability.” But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island has been talking about climate change on the Senate floor for more than a decade, and he has no plans to stop now.

“The most important thing that can be accomplished on the climate front is to end the pollute-for-free business model of the fossil fuel industry. It is morally wrong, it is economically wrong, it is an environmental sin, and there's literally no merit to it, which is why the fossil fuel industry has to prop it up with all this dark money and lies,” he says.

Plus, geothermal energy is having a moment – getting interest from data center developers and support from the Trump administration at a time when other renewable energy sources are getting the ax. What should we expect from the industry in the next five years?

Guests:

Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senator (D-RI)

Jamie Beard, Founder and Executive Director, Project Innerspace

Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Sen. Whitehouse on his “Time to Wake Up” speeches

05:40 – Influence of the Citizens United decision on bipartisan climate action

07:45 – Progress on permitting reform bill

12:50 – Climate hushing and its impact on the midtems

14:00 – People want to hear more about climate change

18:00 – Off-shore wind projects getting on the grid in Rhode Island

23:00 – Sen. Whitehouse on data centers and their impacts

27:30 – What’s possible if Democrats win big at midterms

34:40 – Jamie Beard gives update on the state of the geothermal energy industry

43:30 – The odd and complicated politics of Trump administration supporting geothermal

46:00 – Potential impact of Geothermal Energy Advancement Act

51:00 – Geothermal’s bigger price is heat, not electricity

58:00 – Climate One More Thing

For transcripts, show notes, and related links, visit our episode page.

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Join Climate One for a town hall event on September 28 at 6 p.m. on navigating AI, climate, and the future of democracy. How do we ensure that AI and data centers serve the public good? How does a democracy function when AI is distorting our sense of shared truths? Tickets available at climateone.org/events

Also: We’ll be having an electric conversation on October 14 at 6 p.m. between PG&E CEO Patti Poppe and California State Senator Scott Wiener about energy affordability, outages, and whether cities like San Francisco are ready to break up with the investor-owned utility model. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

On October 20th at 6 p.m. join us, in partnership with The Redford Center, for a screening of the short film In Earth We Trust, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker, the film’s central figure, and other faith leaders. Tickets available at climateone.org/events

Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices