Best Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy Podcasts (2023)

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 76: Rare Earths with Scott Dunn (Noveon Magnetics) 59:22

2M ago59:22

59:22

This month we are talking all about rare earths, the role they play in today’s society and the efforts to improve their sustainability. While you may not be familiar with the 17 rare earth elements, the chances are very high that if you’re reading this right now, rare earths are actually a common part of your daily life. This episode is #sponsored …

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 75: The Energy Grid with Kristina Skierka (Power for All) 1:18:40

3M ago1:18:40

1:18:40

Our July episode is all about the energy grid! We discuss how electric grids work, the conditions of grids around the world, and emerging trends and policies that can improve grid sustainability and resiliency. We are joined in the episode by Kristina Skierka, CEO at Power for All. Power for All is an organization that envisions a world where all p…

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The Big Switch

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Part 5: A Crisis Reshapes the Energy Transition 46:30

3M ago46:30

46:30

This is the fifth episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first four episodes, we recommend you start there. In March of 2022, European officials unveiled a plan to push their energy transition much further, much faster – and rid their dependence …

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The Big Switch

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Part 4: Heat Pumps for Peace 23:35

3M ago23:35

23:35

This is the fourth episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first three episodes, we recommend you start there. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Germans and Poles installed heat pumps and residential solar panels to reduce their dependen…

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The Big Switch

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Part 3: Poland’s Coal Legacy and Nuclear Future 24:35

3M ago24:35

24:35

This is the third episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first two episodes, we recommend you start there. Even with a plan to phase down fossil fuel use, Poland still gets 70% of its electricity from coal. Can a country so dependent on coal make…

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The Big Switch

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Part 2: Inside Germany’s Race for Renewables 34:25

3M ago34:25

34:25

This is the second episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first episode, we recommend you start there. Germany has grown its wind and solar sectors dramatically over the past 20 years. And yet, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy …

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The Big Switch

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Part 1: An Energy Crisis in the Making 33:44

3M ago33:44

33:44

Putin’s assault on Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that sent Europe’s economies into a tailspin and put the European energy transition to the test. But how did the European Union, a leader in climate action, become so dependent on Russian oil and gas to begin with? This season, we look at the energy systems of Germany and Poland. Both have very …

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 74: Transparency with Dan Saccardi (Ceres) & Kathy Mulvey (Union of Concerned Scientists) 1:18:55

3M ago1:18:55

1:18:55

We are back this month with an episode on transparency. Historically, businesses have kept a lot of information guarded, but when it comes to sustainability, more companies are using transparency to make decisions, gain trust, and engage with their consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders. After an introduction going over the basics of all …

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The Big Switch

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A preview of season 3: Europe’s energy crisis 4:10

4M ago4:10

4:10

Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked supply shortages, fears of blackouts, and a scramble to find new sources of energy. In this season of The Big Switch we’re trying to answer the trillion-dollar question: Will the energy crisis speed up or slow down Europe’s clean energy transition? And what will it mean for the rest of the world? Over the next f…

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Sustainability Defined

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Atypical Ep 5: STAFFER Podcast Episode with Mike Boots (Breakthrough Energy and Gates Ventures) 1:00:22

5M ago1:00:22

1:00:22

We’re taking this month off, but we still have new content for you in the form of an episode of one of our favorite podcasts–STAFFER. STAFFER is a weekly podcast with former staffers sharing their stories of working on the Hill hosted by Jim Papa of Global Strategy Group. This episode features an interview with an accomplished sustainability profes…

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Sustainability Defined

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Bonus Episode: Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management (MS-ESM) Program 43:51

5M ago43:51

43:51

This new bonus episode introduces our Definers to the Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management Program, or MS-ESM program at Georgetown University. The MS-ESM program is a full-time, 11-month interdisciplinary program held on-campus in Washington, D.C. Over the 11 month time span, students complete courses that blend science w…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 73: Water Conservation with Ashley Fill (Procter & Gamble) 1:06:38

6M ago1:06:38

1:06:38

This episode is on water conservation and #sponsored by Procter & Gamble (P&G). Water is Earth’s most abundant natural resource, as more than 71% of the Earth’s surface is water. However, freshwater that can be used by humans is only a small percentage of this available water. Because of this we have to preserve, control, and manage our water resou…

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Sustainability Defined

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Bonus Episode: Yale's Financing and Deploying Clean Energy Certificate Program 56:36

7M ago56:36

56:36

We know Definers are always hungry for ways to maximize their impact within sustainability, so we're excited to focus today's bonus episode on Yale's Financing and Deploying Clean Energy Program. Yale’s Financing and Deploying Clean Energy (FDCE) online certificate program trains and connects rising leaders to catalyze an equitable transition to a …

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 72: Biodiversity with Dr. Paula Ehrlich (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation) 1:13:20

8M ago1:13:20

1:13:20

Biodiversity underpins many things we rely on (think food, water, and oxygen). In fact, half of the world’s GDP is dependent on natural resources. This means that about $44 trillion of economic value across the globe relies on nature and its interconnectedness. So... something worth paying attention to! Join us as we dissect this topic with the hel…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 71: Water & Agriculture with Ashwin Madgavkar (Ceres Imaging) 1:04:59

9M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

From the carrots you're munching on to the chocolate in your grande extra-whip double-mocha latte (no judgment), agricultural water use underpins most everything we eat on a daily basis. In fact, agriculture on average accounts for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals globally - enough to cover the entire United States in 2 feet of water each year. Jo…

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Sustainability Defined

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Bonus Episode: Conversation with David Sandalow (Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University; Zayed Sustainability Prize Selection Committee Member - Energy Category) 22:45

9M ago22:45

22:45

We're excited to partner with the Zayed Sustainability Prize to bring you a special pair of episodes focusing on this transformative global award that recognizes organizations and high schools driving impactful sustainability solutions across five distinct categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water and Global High Schools. Our first episode in this pa…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 70: 2022 Holiday Hodge-Podge 1:02:22

10M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Tis the season for our annual Holiday Hodge-Podge episode! Join Scott and Jay as they share their favorite 2022 Sustainability Defined moments, interesting sustainability articles, work and personal updates, and sustainable gift ideas - PLUS our Instagram holiday gift giveaway and an opportunity for your donation to a certain charity to be matched …

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The Big Switch

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In Kenya It’s Geothermal for the Win 25:44

10M ago25:44

25:44

Geothermal energy doesn’t get near the attention that wind and solar do. But to decarbonize our energy systems, we need a team of net zero technologies. And despite geothermal’s low profile, it’s an always-on, zero carbon technology that can complement intermittent renewables like wind and solar. So could geothermal become a bigger player on the ne…

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The Big Switch

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California’s Climate Czar on Banning Gas Cars 26:33

11M ago26:33

26:33

There’s been a pretty major shake-up in the world of transit decarbonization. This summer, the California Air Resources Board – a state organization that regulates air quality – approved a rule mandating that by 2035, all new cars sold in California will be zero-emissions. This rule will transform California's car market; and deliver some huge clim…

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The Big Switch

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From Landfill to Solar Farm in a Black Houston Neighborhood 28:04

11M ago28:04

28:04

In this episode, a former oil-and-gas man named Efrem Jernigan catches the solar bug. Inspired by the potential for lower energy bills and green jobs, he looks into bringing solar to the neighborhood he grew up in, a historically black part of Houston called Sunnyside. But for many Sunnyside residents, the technology is out of reach: Many are rente…

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The Big Switch

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Taking Co(a)l out of Colorado 23:23

11M ago23:23

23:23

On this show we talk a lot about the “big switch” to zero-carbon energy sources. But there’s another kind of switch that needs to happen, too. You might have heard the term “just transition” before – the idea that as we make the switch to new energy sources, we also have to help transition the workers and communities that produce that energy to new…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 69: Air Pollution with Molly Rauch & Almeta Cooper (Moms Clean Air Force) 1:22:57

12M ago1:22:57

1:22:57

We hope this episode is a breath of fresh air on a critical topic. In 2019, 99% of the world's population lived in places where the World Health Organization air quality guideline levels were not met. Air pollution is widespread and can have tremendous negative impacts on public health and the environment. Listen in as we talk with TWO incredible g…

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The Big Switch

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EV charging stations have an equity problem 25:52

12M ago25:52

25:52

Frogs. Bees. Finicky software. There are a lot of things that can cause an electric vehicle charging station to break. We need to replace fossil-fuel powered vehicles with EVs as soon as possible—but if the stations don’t work, it will slow the adoption of EVs. In Los Angeles, two Black women have started training a small army of technicians to fix…

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The Big Switch

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Clean heat for all 23:06

1y ago23:06

23:06

We’re switching things up a bit for the next few weeks. Instead of continuing our sector-by-sector decarbonization tour, we’re taking you to the front lines of the energy transition – to communities where the big switch to a zero carbon future is already underway. We’re starting with New York City, where there’s a project underway that’s tackling d…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 68: The "Forever Chemicals": PFAS with Lauren Gropper (Repurpose) 1:12:09

1y ago1:12:09

1:12:09

We know, another acronym to remember, but it’s an important one. PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are a group of chemicals that have made certain useful products possible (e.g., rain jackets and non-stick pans) but what are their environmental and physiological impacts? In this episode, we dive into the science behind PFAS and its potenti…

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The Big Switch

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Cookin' with Electrons 22:15

1y ago22:15

22:15

Building codes: they might sound boring, but they’re actually the front lines in a nationwide battle to decarbonize our buildings. And they do a lot more than keeping your home from falling down over your head. They regulate everything from energy efficiency, to the kind of fuel your stove runs on, to whether your building has an electric vehicle c…

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The Big Switch

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1-800-DECARBONIZE-MY-BUILDING 25:32

1y ago25:32

25:32

There are 5.5 million commercial buildings in the U.S. Why are only 700 of them net-zero? We have the technology to slash carbon emissions from commercial buildings, which account for 16% of all U.S. emissions. And retrofitting commercial buildings saves money and energy for building owners. So what gives? In this episode, Melissa talks to Dr. Paul…

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The Big Switch

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Who Gets AC in a Heatwave? 21:36

1y ago21:36

21:36

It’s officially summer in North America, and that means one thing – it’s getting hot. Every year, heat waves are the deadliest extreme weather event, and they’re only getting more severe. Often, the people who fall victim to heatwaves are those who are left without access to air conditioning. Dr. Diana Hernández has a name for this phenomenon: ener…

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The Big Switch

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Retrofitting Homes for Net Zero 20:39

1+ y ago20:39

20:39

In this episode, we’re touring a home with a buildings doctor. Ian Hamilton is a professor of energy, environment and health at University College London. Together, Melissa and Ian show us the parts of our homes we need to upgrade to zero out carbon emissions—and to keep us safe in a more dangerous, changing climate. They talk about insulation, hea…

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The Big Switch

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A road map to net zero buildings 21:17

1+ y ago21:17

21:17

This week on the show, we meet someone on a mission: to decarbonize America’s buildings. Decarbonizing buildings is is actually a huge piece of decarbonizing our economy: carbon pollution from heating, cooling, and powering our buildings accounts for 30 percent of U.S. carbon emissions – that includes our homes, schools, hospitals and office buildi…

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The Big Switch

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The Hydrogen Rainbow 20:05

1+ y ago20:05

20:05

Ninety-five. That’s the number of times we've mentioned hydrogen on The Big Switch over the past 18 episodes. This week, we’re taking a step back to ask what IS hydrogen? And how can it help decarbonize the economy? It turns out, there’s a whole rainbow of hydrogen fuel – gray hydrogen, blue hydrogen, even pink hydrogen. But the kind of hydrogen th…

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The Big Switch

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Crossover Episode: Watt It Takes 49:43

1+ y ago49:43

49:43

Hydrogen could be essential for the zero-carbon economy, especially for cleaning up concrete, steel, and chemicals. It’s also a promising fuel source for transportation and electricity that's attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in global investment. But there’s a problem. Every year, the world produces millions of tons of hydrogen through a d…

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Sustainability Defined

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Atypical Ep 4: Washing Laundry in Cold Water with Todd Cline (Tide) 38:13

1+ y ago38:13

38:13

We often get asked, “What are simple things I can do to act on climate change?” and after hearing this episode we think you’ll agree that one simple thing you can do is use cold water when doing laundry. Are you a Definer who uses hot water when doing laundry? Well, if you use cold water instead, you can reduce your energy use from doing your laund…

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The Big Switch

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The Race to Green Steel 24:14

1+ y ago24:14

24:14

Steel goes into pretty much everything around us – from buildings and bridges to the furniture in our homes. And decarbonizing the steel industry is essential because we need steel to decarbonize the world. Think about it. Solar panels, electric vehicles, even our power grid; steel goes into everything we need to fight climate change. But there’s a…

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Sustainability Defined

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Ep 67: Sustainable Weddings with Gina Lett-Shrewsberry (Inspirations by Gina) 1:07:20

1+ y ago1:07:20

1:07:20

The bells are ringing and love is in the air! To commemorate Jay getting married in June, we've put together an episode that focuses on what practices can be taken to make weddings more sustainable. Listen in to learn more about the environmental impact of weddings, the leaders in the sustainable wedding space, and how Jay is implementing sustainab…

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