The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate
Summary
Ezra Klein interviews Bill McKibben on the rapid economic shift toward green energy, which now meets most new global electricity demand. They discuss how solar and wind have become cheaper than fossil fuels, enabling technological abundance despite political setbacks like the gutting of the Inflation Reduction Act. The conversation also addresses accelerating climate crises, including extreme heat and potential ocean current collapse, urging a political narrative focused on prosperity rather than sacrifice.
Topics discussed
Sponsor message: New York Community Trust
Introduction: Climate fragility and political disarray
Bill McKibben on the economics of clean energy
Electrification: Heat pumps and induction cooking
Australia's solar abundance and battery storage
China's role in driving down solar costs
Global energy transition and battery technology
Renewables overtaking fossil fuels globally
Air quality improvements in China and India
The benefits of electrification: E-bikes and heat
Agrivoltaics: Combining farming and solar power
Sponsors: Everytown and Squarespace
Wealth concentration and the fossil fuel industry
Climate politics: Subsidies and 'climate hushing'
Historical cycles of climate activism
Climate impacts: El Nino and AMOC collapse
Political resistance and the path forward
US policy challenges and permitting reform
Sponsor: The Athletic
US-China competition and transmission lines
Streamlining solar permits and balcony solar
Agrivoltaics and the Vatican's solar transition
Conclusion: Hope, affordability, and future politics
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