ENERGY SWITCH

#901 Middle East Energy
Long description:
The Middle East produces one-third of the world’s oil, giving it an oversized influence on the global economy, as we’ve seen recently. But wealthy oil exporters are beginning to diversify beyond oil to future-proof their economies -- with global implications. With Dr. Carol Nakhle, CEO of Crystol Energy, and Dr. Jim Krane of Rice University’s Baker Institute.

Short description:
The global importance of the region’s oil, and its moves to diversify into other energies.


#902 Forests Store Carbon
Long description:
Plants absorb 1/4 of human emitted CO2 each year. Trees and forests do this through photosynthesis, storing carbon in wood and leaves, and returning it to the soil through their roots. While still shrinking in the tropics, forests are expanding in the Northern hemisphere, often through reforestation programs. We discuss with forest ecologists Dr. Sarah Keubbing and Dr. William Anderegg.

Short description:
How forests and other plants absorb 1/4 of human emitted CO2 each year.


#903 Arctic Energy
Long description:
The arctic provides 10% of the world’s oil and 25% of our gas -- but new production may be overly expensive and environmentally risky. So arctic nations are looking to hydro, wind, nuclear and solar for electricity -- while facing melting sea ice and permafrost. With Mark Myers, from the US Arctic Research Commission, and Sergey Vakulenko from Gazprom Neft, Russia’s 3rd largest oil company.

Short description:
The arctic produces huge volumes of oil and gas but new production may be too risky.


#904 Barriers to Nuclear
Long description:
Many now embrace nuclear energy as a low-carbon, always-on, domestic energy source. If the US wants to build more, we’d need to overcome budget and schedule overruns, complicated permitting, a stagnated industry and broken supply chain. Sama Bilbao y León, Director of the World Nuclear Association, and Adam Stein, Director of Nuclear Energy Innovation at Breakthrough Institute, offer solutions.

Short description:
Can the US overcome budget, schedule, capital, industry and supply chain challenges?


#905 Ocean Health, part 1
Long description:
Even if we live inland, we rely on the ocean -- for food, shipping, rainfall and more. In part 1 we look at the health of fisheries and other sea life, how CO2 and warming affect the oceans, and how both of those affect us. Expert guests are Dr. Margaret Leinen, former Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Dr. Rick Spinrad, former Administrator for NOAA.

Short description:
Fisheries and the impact of warming on the ocean, and how both affect us.


#906 Ocean Health, part 2
Long description:
In part 1, we looked at fisheries and the impacts of warming and CO2 on the ocean. In part 2, we discuss plastic pollution, fertilizer runoff and oil spills, coastal erosion and deoxygenation -- and potential solutions. Guests again are Dr. Rick Spinrad, former Administrator for NOAA, and Dr. Margaret Leinen, former Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Short description:
Plastic and other pollution, sea level rise, coastal erosion -- and potential solutions.


#907 An Energy Rich World
Long description:
7 billion people live in energy poverty. How to help them become ‘energy rich?’ Start with industry. Large electricity consumers draw international investment and provide utilities revenue to build power plants. Add regulation to protect workers and reduce corruption. With Katie Auth, from the Energy For Growth Hub, and Arjun Murti, from Veriten, an energy research and investing firm.

Short description:
How to end energy poverty with industry, investment and regulation.


#908 Climate Modeling
Long description:
Climate models are complex computer programs built on atmospheric science. Scientists input carbon emissions, warming, rainfall or other data to try to predict future climate. We’ll learn how they work with Dr. Natalie Mahowald, Director for Graduate Studies of Atmospheric Science at Cornell University, and Dr. Alan Robock, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Rutgers.

Short description:
How climate models work, what they tell us, and some of their limitations.


#909 Waste to Energy
Long description:
Beyond incinerators, today ‘waste to energy’ means capturing methane - natural gas - that leaks from landfills. Or using digesters and gasifiers to make methane, compost and biochar, while redirecting waste streams and creating jobs. We discuss with Julia Levin, who runs the Bioenergy Association of California, and Christine McKeirnan, Head Technical Officer for SJI Renewable Energy.

Short description:
Capturing landfill gas, and using digesters and gasifiers to make methane and biochar.


#910 Geoengineering
Long description:
Engineered solutions to reduce warming could be as simple as planting trees, or as controversial as injecting huge volumes of aerosols into the stratosphere to cool the entire planet, raising complex political and ethical questions. We discuss with Dr. Gernot Wagner from Columbia Business School, and Dr. Stephen Gardiner, Professor of Ethics at Williams, both authors on the subject.

Short description:
The potential and risks of injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to cool the planet.