Energy vs Climate: How climate is changing our energy systems

On Season 4, Episode 6 of EvC, Sara, David and Ed tackle the thorny and always controversial topic of carbon offsets, live at Avatar Innovations at The Energy Transition Centre in downtown Calgary. An offset in principle is paying someone else - a company, or a country - to reduce emissions that you yourself cannot, or simply will not reduce. What is the role of offsets in helping the world to avo...

David (just back from Egypt), Sara, Ed and special guest Adrien Abécassis, Chief Policy Officer of the Paris Peace Forum and former Advisor to the French President (also just back) unpack COP 27 and what it means for Canada and the world going forward on Season 4 Episode 5 of Energy vs Climate. EPISODE NOTES @1:31 Adrien Abécassis, former senior advisor to the French president, and the Chief Polic...

Published each year, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook (WEO) is a leading source of scenario-based analysis of global energy demand and supply. This year’s WEO explores the impact of both short-term volatility in energy markets and the long-term trend of decarbonization. What do the analysis and insights tell us about potential pathways for the world’s energy future and...

After months of uncertainty the United States passed the biggest climate bill in its history, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Coming on the heels of the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, and combined with executive action across government agencies, the actions represent a major turning point in US climate action at the federal level. But what is actually in the IRA, and what comes...

David, Sara, Ed, and climate economist Gernot Wagner of Columbia University discuss Europe’s energy crisis and its implications for Canadian energy exports, on Season 4 Episode 2 of Energy vs Climate. Episode Notes @1:12 Welcoming Dr. Gernot Wagner of Columbia University @2:18 How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlights the crisis and opportunity of the energy transition @4:00  Europe’s dependency...

On Episode 35 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara and Ed are back for Season 4! They interview acclaimed energy policy advisor, Hal Harvey , and award-winning New York times reporter Justin Gillis about their new book, The Big Fix: Seven Practical Steps to Save our Planet ; an examination of seven areas where communities and individuals can insert themselves into key political decisions to ensure th...

Sara, David and Ed are back for Season Four of Energy vs Climate on September 20th with a lineup of shows that we're really excited about. Until then we'd like to share Sara's guest appearance on an episode of The Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder from earlier this summer. The Energy Transition Show covers the full range of energy transition globally, including grid power, al...

Energy vs Climate is still on summer hiatus, but we wanted to pop in with a very special recording of an in-person event we hosted at the end of July at Annex Ale Project in Calgary.  In the show, we cover some thoughts on the climate news of the summer, answer some live audience questions, and tease some potential future topics we hope to cover on EvC.  We had a great time engaging with folks in...

Hi, Sarah here. We're still in a summer break, but we've got an exciting in person, Energy vs Climate meet and greet coming up that we wanted to tell you about.  Subscribers to our emails will receive the details next week. And tickets are limited.  So if you're not signed up for EVC emails, yet head over to energyvsclimate.com and subscribe today. Thanks and hope to see you soon. ...

David, Sara, and Ed are back for the final episode of Season Three, a special ask-us-anything episode dedicated to your audience questions. From nature-based solutions, to environmentally-responsible oil, hydrogen, geothermal, and more, they dig into a wide variety of topics. EPISODE NOTES: @2:27 Accounting Emissions to Consume with Care @3:53 The forests backing California's carbon offsets a...

The cement and concrete industry is an essential part of the Canadian and global economies. Concrete, made from cement, is a material that is used in virtually every building construction and infrastructure project across the country and the world. It’s also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Cement and concrete production account for roughly 7% of global emissions annually. On Episode 32...

Alberta has declared an intention to attract a new sector to the province – cryptocurrency. But the early experience has been rocky and the significant energy demands of the sector is reason for concern. What are the energy and climate impacts of crypto? Should Alberta and Canada chase this 21st century gold rush? And just how much did Ed and David make in their foray into crypto investing? Ed, Da...

Industrial policy is hot again, back with a new name (mission innovation) and a new target (climate change). Detractors point to past failures and the risk of costly mistakes and argue that governments should avoid picking winners and stick to carbon pricing. Is government-directed innovation a good tool for climate innovation? How can governments do it well? What should they avoid? And what lesso...

David, Sara and Ed are back March 23rd with a new episode of Energy vs Climate.  Until then, we'd like to share another podcast with you. Smart Prosperity: The Podcast with Eric Campbell offers fresh takes on the current affairs, business, technology and ideas behind the green economy. With a decidedly Canadian twist. The Smart Prosperity episode we’d like to share with you digs into Carbon c...

The cost of solar power has decreased by a factor of 1,000 over the last fifty years, and by a factor of 10,000 since it was first used to power a satellite in the mid-1950s. According to the International Energy Agency, in some sunny regions solar is now the cheapest energy available – cheaper than coal, gas and wind. What have we learned from solar's multi-decade cost curve decline? How did...

In the past year the number of companies committing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 has exploded. With the fifty largest companies by value accounting for 28% of global GDP, corporate action is critically important if we are to avoid dangerous climate change. But what does a net zero commitment for a company mean in practice? What distinguishes the good from greenwashing, and can we e...

On Episode 27 of EvC, from gas stoves to hot water heaters and furnaces, what might electrifying the home look like in Alberta and Canada? And should we? Guest Bruce Nilles of Climate Imperative helps David, Sara and Ed break down the future of natural gas in the home. @2:10 ecoENERGY for Renewable Power @2:14 AB Emissions reduction programs @2:37 Sierra Club Beyond Coal campaign @3:39 Climate Imp...

David, Sara and Ed are back next week with a new episode of Energy vs Climate. Until then, we'd like to share another podcast with you. ARC Energy Ideas explores the trends that influence the energy business, including political, environmental, technological, social and economic forces. The show is hosted by Peter Tertzakian and Jackie Forrest of the ARC Energy Research Institute. Jackie and...

David, Sara, Ed, and special guest Professor Jody Freeman of Harvard Law School break down what the first year of the Biden Administration means for Canadian energy and climate policy. EPISODE NOTES @1:32  @JodyFreemanHLS @2:46 Top-emitting Alberta oilsands site got government relief from pollution payments @6:47 Reframing incentives for climate policy @13:06 American Leadership on Clean Cars @13:...

On Episode 25 of Energy vs Climate , David, Sara and Ed tackle a topic they often get questions about: how to get into the low-carbon energy field.  They share advice for people looking to start or transition their careers from a variety of professionals across sectors, and offer stories of their own paths to working in low-carbon energy. EPISODE NOTES: @2:00 Jeremy Barretto - Cassels Brock &...

On Episode 24 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara and Ed are joined by Rolling Stone contributing editor and author Jeff Goodell , to discuss the impacts of heat on humans, the topic of Jeff’s current book project. From heat-wave deaths, to reduced ability to learn, to the effect on economic input, who will suffer the most, and what does it mean for the politics of the energy transition? EPISODE NOT...

When it comes to our transportation system, decarbonizing aviation is a very expensive ton of CO2 to go after. But potential solutions abound, including lower carbon liquid jet fuel, electrification, hydrogen and more energy efficient aircraft. On Episode 23 of Energy vs Climate Dr. Steven Barrett of MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics helps David, Sara and Ed assess those different p...

Coal is grabbing headlines – China has pledged to stop financing new coal plants abroad, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to ban thermal coal exports, and the Alberta government backtracked on a plan to open up the foothills and mountains to mining. Metallurgical coal is also under fire with a global push for carbon-free steel. So what is the future for coal in China, Canada and the world more...

David, Sara and Ed unpack what moved the dial on climate and energy this summer. They also look at this week's climate and energy news and preview what's to come on this season of Energy vs Climate. - - - @1:12 Sustainable Energy Development Masters Program at the University of Calgary @3:30 Energy within Environmental Constraints - Harvard Massive Online Open Course @6:37 Executives fro...

Hi, We hope you’re all staying well during this eventful summer. We have a favour to ask. We're doing a survey to help us understand what you’re looking for from Energy vs Climate and where we could make programming and format changes to better meet your needs. We would be very grateful if you took just a few minutes out of your summer schedule to complete this survey . Your feedback will hel...