Energy Switch

Dr. Steve Koonin, a former U.S. Secretary of Science, and Dr. Michael Greenstone, Director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, discuss how climate change is reshaping communities worldwide.

Dr. Naomi Boness and Rachel Fakhry discuss the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the energy sector, its role in replacing coal with gas, and how this shift reduces, but doesn't eliminate, carbon emissions.

Robert Bryce and Leia Guccione discuss the potential for wind and solar to power the world, how these sources provide only 4% of global electricity today, and the challenges of scaling them up.

Leia Guccione and Robert Bryce discuss the potential to scale up solar and wind power, concerns over materials, mining, and land use, and whether these sources can one day power the world.

Countries are excited about hydrogen as a way to reduce their CO2 emissions, but costs need to come down and continued technological and manufacturing developments will be required for hydrogen to compete. Dr. Julio Friedmann, a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Dr. Steve Hamburg, the Chief Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, discuss.

Transitioning the developed world toward lower carbon energies, and the developing world toward having enough energy, are grand and sometimes conflicting challenges. Both will cost trillions of dollars. Where will this money come from? Deborah Byers, Partner and Americas Industry Leader at EY, and Ken Medlock, the Senior Director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University, discuss.

The world is changing - and so is the world of energy. Many experts think coal, oil and natural gas will remain our largest global energy sources. Meanwhile, solar and wind become more affordable, encouraging their growth worldwide. Secretary Ernie Moniz, the 13th United States Secretary of Energy, and Dr. Daniel Yergin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, discuss the new geopolitics of energy.

Nuclear proponents say we can't meet climate goals without expanding the fleet and pursuing new nuclear technologies, while opponents say cost and time are the main issues. Will nuclear power play a role in decarbonizing the electricity sector? Dr. Arjun Makhijani, the President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, and Michael Shellenberger, a best-selling author, discuss.

If we are to meet decarbonization targets, each nuclear plant could take over a decade to permit and construct, while alternatives could be deployed in a few years. The conversation continues between Dr. Arjun Makhijani and Michael Shellenberger about whether or not expanding nuclear power will play a significant role in decarbonizing the electricity sector, in the US and globally.

Energy sustainability can be grouped into three areas: Environmental: can an energy resource operate in equilibrium with the environment? Sociopolitical: do its benefits enrich broad society? Economic: can it operate profitably to support itself. Dr. Bridget Scanlon, Senior Research Scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology, and Sean O'Donnell, Partner at Quantum Energy, discuss.

Carbon-based fuels provide more than 80% of global energy. To reduce emissions will take time and money. What are the benefits of a carbon tax? Or would it be more effective to encourage carbon-reducing technologies? Dr. Billy Pizer, the Vice President of Research and Policy Engagement at Resources for the Future, and Sasha Mackler, the Executive Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center discuss.

The oil and gas industry provides 10 million US jobs and billions to the economy. Cheap, available oil makes transportation and products affordable. Abundant gas has offset coal in power generation, and can balance intermittent renewables. But the economic benefits can be cyclical, and investors in the US and Europe are fleeing due to CO2 concerns and declining returns. Other environmental challenges include methane leaks, water use, and oil spills. Does the US need a thriving oil and gas industry? Or should we more actively transition to lower carbon emission energies. Could a system built on those realistically replace the benefits of oil and gas? Dr. David Victor, a Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at UC San Diego, and Matt Gallagher, former President and CEO of Parsley Energy, weigh in.

Liquifying natural gas and shipping it around the world in tankers could make it available to all at a global market price. While this could boost industry and help developing nations choose gas as an alternative to coal, some say LNG import terminals are too expensive and its trade may increase emissions. Octávio Simões, CEO of Tellurian, and Jake Schmidt, Senior Climate Director at NRDC, discuss.

The electric grid, and all its attached generators and transformers, has been called the largest machine in the world. In part 1, we'll discuss how it powers our lives and the modern world, and as our electricity demands grow, how it could better meet them in the future. ERCOT CEO, Brad Jones, and Southern California Edison CEO, Steven Powell, discuss.

The electric grid powers our cities and industry, workplaces, homes and increasingly, our cars. For that, we'll need more electricity, and we'd like it to be lower carbon. Can we build national electric systems that are more extensive, more reliable and affordable, with less impact on the environment? Southern California Edison CEO, Steven Powell, and ERCOT CEO, Brad Jones, weigh in.

Recent IPCC reports show less warming than predicted a decade ago. Emission growth is slowing, but has not yet plateaued, and while climate scientists say we're not on track to meet Paris climate goals, the news is better than we often hear. Roger Pielke, Environmental Studies Professor at UC Boulder, and Daniel Cohan, Environmental Engineering Professor at Rice, discuss.

CO2 emissions from energy get most of the attention, but there's a more immediate concern: particulate air pollution. Burning coal, wood, diesel and animal dung causes millions of premature deaths each year. We'll look at air pollution and ideas to reduce it, with Angel Hsu from the University of North Carolina, and Amod Pokhrel, UC Berkeley health sciences researcher.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning could improve energy efficiency and allow for better prediction of electricity resources. Are the algorithms and computing power sufficient to realize these promises? Pamela Isom, Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office for the US Department of Energy, and Anima Anandkumar, Director of Machine Learning Research at NVIDIA, discuss.

All energy facilities must be sited somewhere. All energy requires extracting something from Earth- fuel must be drilled for and materials must be mined. Transmission lines and pipelines cover many miles. What are the impacts of energy on land, and how could we reduce them? Mark Mills, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Gurcan Gulen, Principal at G2 Energy Insights, discuss.

Battery technology has already made incredible leaps, making electric vehicles commercially viable and attractive to consumers. Could it also revolutionize the electric grid itself? Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University discuss.

What are the potential new materials to make batteries more affordable, safer and less environmentally impactful? What could this mean for the future? Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University, and Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and Professor of Molecular Engineering in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, discuss.

Countries, states and companies have pledged to get their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. What technologies, policies and investments would this require? Is it likely to be achieved? If not, is there a more achievable target? Dr. Melissa Lott, Sen Dir of Research, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA., and Terry Keeley, Managing Director at BlackRock, discuss.

Energy and water are tightly linked. We use extraordinary amounts of energy for municipal water systems and irrigation. And we use huge volumes of water in energy too. How could we use less energy and water to make more of both? Afreen Siddiqi, research scientist at MIT, and Newsha Ajami, the Chief Development Officer for Research at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab discuss.

80% of the world lives in developing nations, but uses just 20% of global energy. To provide them access to a modern life, we'd need to double energy production globally. Can we do it affordably, while reducing energy's environmental impact? Ashvin Dayal from The Rockefeller Foundation, and Robert Stoner, Deputy Director at the MIT Energy Initiative, discuss.

The US is the only country with permanent storage for low and intermediate-level nuclear waste. But we're one of the few countries with nuclear power plants that don't have a plan for high-level waste. Dr. Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy at DOE, and Dr. Allison Macfarlane, Former Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, discuss potential solutions.

One solution to reducing carbon emissions is to capture and store them underground. But there are challenges in capturing, transporting and storing the CO2, and determining who will pay for it. Dr. Sallie Greenberg, formerly with the Illinois State Geological Survey, and Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, discuss current projects and how CCS could contribute in the future.

China is the world's largest energy producer and consumer, the largest exporter of solar, the current leader in nuclear, and emits 1/3 of global CO2. This makes China's energy and climate policies of vital concern to all nations. Dr. David Sandalow, Founder and Director of Columbia's US-China program, and Dr. Wei Peng, Assistant Professor, Princeton University.

While China continues to build coal plants, they intend to reduce their use, to manage local air pollution and meet peak CO2 and net zero goals, while prioritizing their energy security. Can it be done? Dr. Wei Peng, Assistant Professor, Princeton University, and Dr. David Sandalow, Founder and Director of Columbia's US-China program, conclude their thoughts.

Two advanced energy students share their thoughts on the future of nuclear, carbon capture and storage, solar and wind, batteries, energy reliability, climate change and their hopes for the future. Shadya Taleb, a graduate research assistant in carbon capture and storage at the Bureau of Economic Geology, and Grace Stanke, a nuclear engineering student and Miss America 2023, discuss.

Geothermal energy can be found everywhere below the surface, at varying temperatures, depending on how deep and where you are. We can use it to warm homes and buildings, generate electricity, and hopefully to produce high heat for industrial processes. Lauren Boyd, Acting Director of Geothermal Technologies at the DOE, and Carlos Araque, Co-founder and CEO of Quaise Energy, discuss.

Electric cars are fast and efficient and produce no local emissions. But they're also expensive, with issues around the metals for their batteries. Dr. David Rapson, Economic Policy Advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank and Professor of Economics, University of California, and Dr. Beia Spiller, Director of the Transportation Program, Resources for the Future, discuss these issues.

Subsidies for electric cars have helped make them popular, but have gone mostly to the wealthy. These and mandates may have unintended consequences. We need more affordable EVs, even if they have lower range, say Dr. Beia Spiller, Director of the Transportation Program at Resources for the Future, and Dr. David Rapson, Economic Policy Advisor for the Fed and Professor of Economics, UC Davis.

Millions of solar panels are nearing end of life. Today they're going to landfills or interim storage because recycling is expensive and immature. We need to build a recycling system. Dr. Serasu Duran, Assistant Professor, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, and Dr. Garvin Heath, Distinguished Member of the Research Staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, discuss.

Critical minerals and rare earth elements, essential for new energy technologies, are largely controlled by China. Global supply and demand and potential new mines in the US are pressing issues. Dr. Nedal Nassar, Chief of the Materials Intelligence Research at the US Geological Survey, and Dr. Adam Simon, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, discuss.

Europe is in an energy crisis, which has encouraged a 'war mentality' about energy and climate, and fast-tracked new energy projects. What will this mean for the continent and its international allies? Jonathan Elkind, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, and Dr. Carlos Batlle, Visiting Scientist at MIT Energy Initiative, discuss this complex topic.

Europe's energy crisis has fostered cooperation between member states and the EU governing body and strengthened the push for more wind and solar though some call for technologically neutral decarbonization. Dr. Carlos Batlle, Visiting Scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative, and Jonathan Elkind, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, conclude.

Fission, the splitting of atoms, makes the heat that drives our nuclear reactors. Fusion, the fusing together of atoms, powers the stars, including our sun -- which means that fusion already powers Earth, just not in a way that we can control. If we could harness fusion, it would transform our world, producing limitless energy, safely and without emissions -- the holy grail of energy.

Everything in our modern lives has energy inputs and emissions outputs -- and that's certainly the case for our food. It's not just all the energy that powers the equipment required to grow, transport and process our food. And the energy inputs for fertilizer required by global agriculture. But also the emissions from land, and livestock, and particularly from food loss and food waste.

Cement and steel have created the modern world: they make our buildings, roads, machines and products. These two industries emit nearly as much CO2 as our entire electricity system but they're difficult to decarbonize. We'll talk about challenges and potential solutions to do so, including changing their production processes, replacing the coal they now require, and more efficient use.

In Part 1 of this discussion, we heard ideas to decarbonize cement and steel. We'll conclude with a look at fertilizer, which has made modern agriculture possible, and petrochemicals and plastic, which go into nearly every product. Solutions could include switching from oil and natural gas to hydrogen and bioproducts, but the technologies are still in development, and currently expensive.

There are many paradoxes in climate and energy: people want energy for their homes and cars but don't want new power lines or pipelines that could provide it. Nuclear is a zero-carbon energy source yet many climate advocates oppose it. Some states impose EV mandates but prohibit mining for battery metals. We'll look to resolve these with two experts in economics, energy and climate policy.

Six hundred million people in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have modern energy -- so African nations are working to develop their energy resources. For many, the energy they do have comes from hydro. But Africa also has huge volumes of natural gas. Some funders, concerned about emissions, don't want them to develop it. Others consider it essential to lift Africa's people out of poverty.

Sea level has been rising since the end of the last Ice Age, when continental ice sheets began to melt. In island nations and low-lying coastal areas sea level rise is contributing, among other things, to high tide flooding, and saltwater encroaching into farmland and freshwater aquifers. We'll talk about what the future could bring, and ideas of how communities could adapt to sea level rise.

The US energy system, particularly our electric grids and pipelines, is constantly at risk from extreme events, like hurricanes, winter storms, heat waves and wildfires. And increasingly from cyber attacks, from hostile foreign powers and criminal elements. Enough that the energy industry and the US government are investing billions of dollars and working together to counter these threats.

Everything in the modern world relies on the electric grid. To keep the grid reliable, system operators order electricity from dispatchable generation, like coal, gas, hydro and nuclear, to balance intermittent generation, like wind and solar. Together, these must meet our enormous electricity demand, which varies by the second. It's a hugely complicated task, and it's facing real challenges.

For our ongoing 'youth voice' series, we created an energy and climate survey and asked two current and recently graduated university students to help administer it to hundreds of peers across the country, from diverse political backgrounds. The results provide a broad look at the energy and climate opinions, and knowledge, of young Americans -- and will test yours too.

India is the third largest energy consumer and carbon emitter in the world, with the fastest growing energy demand. Today coal makes three-quarters of their electricity, with the other 25% solar and other non-carbon sources. If they follow China's path and develop further on coal, it may be impossible for the world to meet its climate targets -- making India's energy choices of vital importance.

In part 1, we focused on India's electricity, and the potential to expand it using coal and/or solar. We continue with the growth of 2- and 3-wheel electric vehicles in India, the potential to manufacture their batteries domestically, the growth of air conditioning to combat heat waves, decarbonization targets, green building and the importance of efficiency.

Plastic is cheap, lightweight, strong and versatile, so we use it in millions of products. But there are challenges with disposal and recycling, meaning plastic is increasingly in our oceans, our water, our food, even our bodies. We’ll talk about all this, and plastic’s energy and emissions footprints, with Dr. Anja Brandon from the Ocean Conservancy and Holli Alexander from Eastman.

Everyone loves electricity…and no one loves powerlines. But we need more of them. New lines face many challenges, in permitting, siting and eminent domain; allocating costs among stakeholders; and working with property owners and environmental groups who oppose them. We discuss with Mark Christie from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Emily Fisher from the Edison Electric Institute.

Warming temperatures and their potential impacts are predicted to escalate in the coming decades. Dr. Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist, argues for urgent action to reduce emissions. Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, a political scientist, maintains that climate change is a smaller problem than others we face, like poverty and education. Pursuing those would allow us to better adapt to a changing climate.

To wrap up this discussion, Dr. Bjorn Lomborg and Dr. Andrew Dessler lay out their strategies for addressing climate change. One favors adaptation, and tackling other pressing global problems that could lead to greater prosperity. The other argues for urgent action to reduce emissions to manage the risk of damage from a changing climate. They agreed on a greater focus on new energy innovation.

We use a lot of biofuels in the US -- corn ethanol now makes up 10% of every gallon of gasoline. Ethanol made from cellulose, from agricultural waste or non-food crops, has been in development for years and may eventually become commercial, along with new kinds of aviation biofuels. Dr. Valerie Reed, Bioenergy Director at the DOE, and Yiying Xong from the Great Lakes Research Center.

Working in energy, particularly oil and gas, is not as popular as it once was in the US. Electricity and lower carbon energies are more readily embraced by young people. We’ll talk to two young professionals, Natan Battisti from Harbour Energy and Maya Barwick from ATC, to see why they chose jobs in oil and electricity, how they’ve found the experience, and if they’d recommend it to their peers.

The US is contemplating massive new offshore wind projects. Proponents see these as part of decarbonizing our electricity system. Opponents worry about impacts to fisheries, marine mammals, tourism and property values, plus the challenges of onshoring the electricity. Lisa Linowes from Industrial Wind Action and Peder Hansen from PH Consulting debate.

In part 1, we talked about the size of planned offshore wind farms, and potential impacts to fisheries, marine mammals and property values. Now we discuss the cost to build offshore wind farms, the role of subsidies to do so, and how much these projects may or may not reduce US CO2 emissions. Our guests again are Peder Hansen from PH Consulting and Lisa Linowes of Industrial Wind Action.

General readers want straight answers on climate. But climate science is complex and full of nuance. This excites scientists, whose research explores the leading edge. But it makes climate reporting difficult. Journalists must understand the science, then competently simplify it for readers, no easy feat. We’ll discuss with two editors: Dr. Michael White from Nature, and Justin Worland from Time.

The US natural gas pipeline network carries gas from where it’s produced to the many places it's used: power plants, factories and millions of homes. Proponents want more pipelines, to replace more coal here and abroad. Opponents worry about methane leakage and local environmental impacts. We discuss with former Congressman Tim Ryan and Gillian Giannetti from Natural Resources Defense Council.

There are more wildfires in some areas, though globally they’re down. Climate change contributes, but there are other factors which have made forests and cities more fire prone and fires more damaging -- while millions of Americans now live in fire areas. We explore with Lori Moore-Merrell, the US Fire Administrator, and Brian Buma, Senior Climate Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund.

Small reactors have been used on aircraft carriers for decades. Similar designs are now proposed for power generation and industrial heat. They could be built in factories and assembled on site, with potential economies of scale, but face challenges. We explore with José Reyes, CTO & co-founder of NuScale Power, and Adam Stein, Director of Nuclear Energy Innovation at Breakthrough Institute.

The common narrative about human population -- that it will grow forever -- is dead wrong. Demographic experts now agree that population will peak soon and begin to decline, with profound impacts on every aspect of global society, including energy and the environment. Explore these surprising revelations with Darrell Bricker, author of Empty Planet, and Dean Spears, author of After the Spike.

To curb global warming, governments often focus on reducing CO2 emissions. But many are now also adapting to a changing climate, from expanding air conditioning and passive cooling techniques, to engineered and nature-based solutions to counter sea-level rise. We discuss with Vijay Limaye from the National Resources Defense Council, and Susan Asam, VP of Climate Planning at ICF, a consultancy.

Carbon markets were created to try to reduce CO2 emissions. There’s a compliance market, in which governments set emission limits and companies comply, often by trading credits. And a voluntary market, where companies and consumers voluntarily buy credits. We’ll explore both with Jamie Keech, Executive Chairman of Vida Carbon, and Kaya Axelsson from University of Oxford Net Zero.

In part 1, we explored compliance and voluntary markets. Now we look at brokers and traders, market forces that help set prices, the emissions reduction potential of low vs. high price credits, and the importance of better regulation and verification. Expert guests again are Kaya Axelsson, Head of Policy and Partnerships at University of Oxford Net Zero, and Jamie Keech of Vida Carbon.

Using water to generate power has been a staple in our electricity system for a century. We look at conventional reservoir dams and pumped hydro storage; the state of hydropower in the US, Canada and internationally; and challenges that hydro faces. With expert guests Malcolm Woolf from the US National Hydropower Association, and Debbie Gray of the International Hydropower Association.

Energy is so intertwined with the functioning of society that it’s a basic need. Yet not all Americans have equal access to safe, reliable, affordable energy. We’ll discuss energy justice initiatives that aim to spread the benefits of energy to more Americans, with Margo Weisz, Executive Director of Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, and Monisha Shah from the EPA’s Solar For All program.

Large-scale batteries on our power grid could balance the intermittency of wind and solar, along with the normal irregularities of the grid. And they’re becoming ever more affordable. I’ll discuss the potential benefits and challenges with John Zahurancik, President of the Americas for Fluence, a battery storage company, and Paul Denholm, a Senior Energy Analyst at National Renewable Energy Lab.

Subsidies support energy infrastructure and development to benefit consumers. And we pay for them. In tax credits for producers and investors. Direct payments and mandates for low carbon technology. Accelerated expense schedules for oil and gas. And R&D funding. We explore with Jonathan Lesser, President of Continental Economics, and Ryan Kellogg, Professor at the University of Chicago.

Our guests argue against conventional wisdom, that oil companies must be part of decarbonization. That solar and wind will never replace them. And that we don’t value our environment enough to take meaningful action anyway. You may not agree, but you’ll still want to hear from Dr. Nate Hagens, of the Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future, and Tisha Schuller, CEO of Adamantine Energy.

Every text, email and social media post. Every digital photo, web search and credit card transaction. Every online purchase. Every streaming show. Nearly everything in our lives involves data coming in and out of data centers, with incredibly huge electricity demands. We discuss with Dr. Ayșe Coskun, from Boston University, and Josh Fluecke, who builds data centers for Syska Hennessy Group.

We often hear that climate change is driving extreme weather. To understand the trends, our guests dug into the IPCC data for heat waves and cold spells. Historic rainfall and current patterns. Storm frequency and intensity. What they reveal will surprise you. With Dr. Patrick Brown, climate scientist from Breakthrough Institute, and acclaimed environmental journalist Andrew Revkin.

Last episode, our experts referenced IPCC data to explain that heat, heat waves and precipitation are trending up. While floods, fires and storms are flat or down. However, in this episode we’ll see that risk and damages from these events have increased, and we’ll look at potential solutions. Again with acclaimed environmental journalist Andrew Revkin and climate scientist Dr. Patrick Brown.

Air conditioning has changed the world, allowing hot regions to develop, with increased comfort, health, and productivity. But these benefits come with challenges -- greater electricity demand and emissions. There are new ideas that could bring cooling to more people, with less impact. With Dr. Daniel Betts, CEO of Blue Frontier, and Dr. Chiara Delmastro from the International Energy Agency.

Russia’s energy exports fund its government and war efforts. It’s the world’s 2nd largest producer of oil and natural gas, behind the US, and has avoided energy sanctions through careful maneuvering. Because of its energy, Russia will continue to play an outsized role in global politics. With Dr. Margarita Balmaceda from Seton Hall and Harvard, and Dr. Caroline Kissane, Associate Dean at NYU.

The Clean Air Act has reduced particulate matter pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, ushering in capture technologies that have improved air quality and health. Further improvements, however, may be difficult to achieve. With Dr. Tracey Holloway, from the University of Wisconsin and NASA, and Emily Schilling, a law partner at Holland & Hart.

Fertilizer drives modern agriculture, to feed the world. It turns natural gas, nitrogen from the atmosphere, and mined minerals into plant nutrients, which end up on our plates to nourish our bodies -- but with large energy and greenhouse gas footprints. We’ll discuss benefits, challenges and potential solutions with Chrystel Monthean from Yara and Dr. Jason Haegele from ICL Group.

Twenty years ago, wind, solar, grid-scale batteries, and the powerlines to connect them were rare. Now they’re mainstream. Our two guests have been there since the beginning. We’ll hear how they’ve led alternative energy development and investment companies with great success. With Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy, and Michael Harrington, Chief Investment Officer for Actis.

Coal is still the dominant source of electricity worldwide. That’s because it’s available domestically in many countries, and is cheap and easy to mine, transport and burn. But those benefits come with serious downsides: local air pollution and global CO2 emissions. We discuss with Dr. Rahul Tongia from the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, and Dr. Mark Thurber from Stanford University.

Energy and climate have become increasingly partisan, resulting in slow, or no, political progress. Our guests discuss subsidies, climate and energy strategy, recall a time when senators collaborated more than they conspired, and how they might come together again to help solve today’s energy and climate challenges. With former Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Joe Manchin.

There are 10 million Native Americans in the U.S. Those on reservations are often the last customers on the power line, getting the worst service at the highest prices. But many tribes are working to fix this, building diverse energy projects on tribal lands that could change their future. With Cheri Smith, CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, and Ken Ahmann, COO of Colusa Indian Energy.

Two veteran pollsters tell us not what they think, but what we think -- Democrats, Republicans and Independents -- about the environment, climate and energy. Some of their insights will certainly surprise you. Featuring Ashley Grosse, Executive Vice President at YouGov, and Alec Tyson, Senior Vice President at Ipsos Public Affairs, two leading survey and data companies.

Using less energy saves money and can even reduce prices. It also reduces emissions and frees up energy for other uses without building more power plants and power lines. We discuss the benefits to consumers, businesses and utilities with Maggie Molina, Executive Director of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, and Laurie Wiegand-Jackson, CEO of Utility Advantage.

Two very promising PhD candidates discuss their energy research, federal funding cuts and how they may affect the academic and science environments today and tomorrow, and their job prospects and future careers. With Kelsey Richardson, pursuing her PhD in Chemical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, and Teagan Reasch, PhD candidate in Energy and Environmental Policy at Ohio State.

The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. Melting sea ice has opened northern shipping lanes but exposes more water to the warming sun. Melting land ice raises sea levels. Changing weather can bring cold air south to the rest of us. We’ll look at these with research scientists Nancy Fresco from the University of Alaska and Twila Moon from UC Boulder.

Shipping brings us almost every product because it’s the lowest cost of any transport. This makes it extremely important globally, yet it faces many challenges, especially in the U.S., where the shipbuilding industry has nearly stagnated. We’ll hear insider perspectives from Anna Silva, Manager of Cruise Ops at Port Everglades Terminal, and Margaret Doyle, Director of Transparensea Fuels.

In part 1, we learned the basics of the industry. Now we look at CO2 emissions and the UN’s goals to reduce them, alternative low-carbon fuels and challenges to adopt those. We’ll hear what effects that might have on the industry, again with expert guests Margaret Doyle, a Director of Transparensea Fuels, and Anna Silva, Manager of Cruise Ops at the Port Everglades Terminal.

Degrowth advocates say we’re overusing Earth’s resources, which will degrade living standards and harm the environment, so we must reduce. Ecomodernists say we’re fine: Technology, agriculture and energy will raise living standards while demanding less of nature. We discuss with Ted Nordhaus, co-founder of Breakthrough Institute, and Josh Farley, an economist from the University of Vermont.

We hear conflicting information about solar and wind energy. They’re the cheapest form of electricity. But they make electricity more expensive. They’re the fastest growing electricity. But they make only a small portion of total energy. Are they the future? Or uncompetitive without subsidy? Dan Kammen, energy scientist from Johns Hopkins, and Robert Bryce, energy author and journalist, debate.