Political Climate

With less than four months left in office, President Biden has green-lit another divisive climate-related policy. On October 2, Biden signed the Building Chips in America Act into law. The bill allows the manufacture of microchips—like the ones in smartphones, medical devices, cars and more—to bypass federal environmental review.  The bill’s supporters hope it will drive domestic production and maximize the potential of Biden’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. But a solid chunk of congressional Democrats oppose the bill, citing the health and environmental risks that chips production facilities pose. In today’s episode, the hosts unpack the nuanced political dynamics behind the bill and debate the impacts it could have on November’s elections. Also in the show—the hosts take a deep dive on the climate rhetoric in the recent vice presidential debate and offer an insider perspective on New York Climate Week. The episode wraps up with the lightning round segment, the Markup. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

The team returns back from a mid-season break rested and ready to dig into a new Congressional attempt to fast-track clean energy projects.  Earlier this month, GOP Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas introduced draft legislation to overhaul the long-standing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The plan could provide critical momentum to get clean energy (and fossil fuel) projects built faster. Yet it has also caught flak from some Democrats who describe it as extreme, and tie it to the controversial Project 2025. In today’s episode, the hosts consider the obstacles surrounding existing NEPA policy, as well as the impacts of Westerman’s plan and the criticisms surrounding it. Also in this episode: Brandon, Emily, and Julia discuss the energy and climate rhetoric in this month’s presidential debate, as well as a proposal from Harris campaign adviser Brian Deese to loan other countries billions of dollars to buy American clean energy tech.  The episode wraps up with the rapid-fire segment, the Mark-Up. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

In today’s episode, the Political Climate team takes us back behind the scenes of the 2024 Democratic National Convention to chat candidly with lawmakers and leading activists about some of the most pressing issues that Democrats will have to navigate after the election - no matter who occupies the Oval Office - and how they plan to tackle them. In this episode, we’ll hear from a range of experts and leaders: from Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Representative Sean Casten of Illinois to Maria Korsnick of the Nuclear Energy Institute and Boise, Idaho mayor Lauren McLean.  These climate advocates help unpack a series of top questions facing the country—how can the U.S. mitigate rising energy demands? What are the risks of embracing nuclear energy? Should Democrats take the imperfect Manchin-Barrasso permitting reform deal, or wait for a more appealing alternative? Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

In today’s episode – the first of a two-part dispatch – the Political Climate team takes us behind the scenes of the 2024 Democratic National Convention to chat candidly with lawmakers and leading activists about Democrats’ strategy for pitching climate policies in the lead up to November’s election. Although Vice President Harris barely mentioned climate policy in her marquee speech, clean energy advocates from the public and private sectors are championing the economic impacts of the IRA and other policies.  In this episode, we hear from a range of experts and leaders – from climate champions like Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts and former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, to activists like Saad Amer and congressional leaders like Representative Sean Casten of Illinois – who explain what’s working, and how to use climate issues to appeal to swing voters. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

Exactly two years ago, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. With more than $800 billion devoted to renewables, batteries, transmission, carbon removal, EVs, and the factories to build them, the bill is America’s largest-ever investment in climate solutions.  Yet the rollout of the IRA hasn’t been the smoothest. Some projects have been slow to come online, and polls show that many voters remain unaware of its impact. In today’s episode, the hosts are joined by veteran Democrat John Podesta, a key player in crafting the IRA. Podesta currently serves as senior adviser to President Biden for clean energy innovation and implementation In the interview, Podesta reflects on the bill’s triumphs over the past two years, and addresses concerns around its implementation–voters’ unfamiliarity with the bill, reports that 40% of IRA projects have been delayed or paused, and general apprehension that the bill can’t reach its full potential without expansive permitting reform. Later in the show, the hosts take a quick look at two new federal bills that could also impact the future of clean energy in America: a bipartisan stab at permitting reform from Senators Manchin and Barrasso, and a plan to bar Chinese companies from benefiting from the IRA. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

In today’s episode — the second of a two-part dispatch — Political Climate co-host Emily Domenech takes us behind the curtain at the 2024 Republican National Convention to chat with the lawmakers championing clean energy from within the GOP. We’ll hear from members of Congress like Rep. John Curtis of Utah and Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, as well as advocates like Jason Grumet of the American Clean Power Association and Heather Reams of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.  In this second installment, Emily and her guests discuss the urgency of permitting reform, and consider the fate of the IRA in a Republican administration. They also dig into the state of nuclear energy, and offer some climate policy advice for former President Trump’s campaign. At the end of the episode, all three Political Climate hosts gather to discuss and debate the policies that surfaced during Emily’s reporting trip, as well as Vice President Harris’ record on climate policy. This episode of Political Climate was made possible by ClearPath Action, a conservative energy advocacy organization focused on reducing global emissions. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech.

In today’s episode — the first of a two-part dispatch — Political Climate co-host Emily Domenech takes us behind the scenes of the 2024 Republican National Convention to chat candidly with lawmakers. Emily talks with Rep. John Curtis of Utah, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, as well as advocates like Chris Barnard of the American Conservation Coalition and Heather Reams of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.  This first installment focuses on the incremental shift within the GOP to change the conversation around climate change. Emily and her guests also explore the long-held belief in energy independence, and consider whether soaring demand for energy in the U.S. shifts the policy conversation. This episode of Political Climate was made possible by ClearPath Action, a conservative energy advocacy organization focused on reducing global emissions. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech.

Among members of Congress, few have approached climate change with the experience and diligence of Democratic California Representative Scott Peters.  Peters spent decades as an environmental lawyer and Environmental Protection Agency economist prior to becoming a US Representative. Now in his sixth term, Peters has put clean energy at the top of his priority list. In today’s episode, Representative Peters joins hosts Julia Pyper and Emily Domenech to explore a range of topics: from the Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down the Chevron doctrine, to his unexpectedly fruitful relationship with Republican Representative Bruce Westerman and how he believes a second Trump term could impact US energy policy. Peters, who serves on the House Energy & Commerce and Budget Committee, also digs into the details of his recent energy and climate related bills. The Fix Our Forests Act The Advanced Reactor Fee Reduction Act The SPEED and Reliability Act, which seeks to expedite the permitting process for new transmission lines The PROVE IT Act, which seeks to study the carbon footprint of twenty-odd industrial imports. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. Political Climate is co-produced by Boundary Stone Partners, a leading bipartisan climate change strategic advisory and government affairs firm. Their mission-driven approach combines innovative solutions with expertise in technology, finance, policy, federal funding, and advocacy. Learn more and get in touch today at BoundaryStone.com. Concerned about how the 2024 election might impact the programs, policies, and incentives that matter most to you? Let Boundary Stone Partners' Climate24 service help you navigate the political landscape with their policy navigator tool, resources, and bespoke services. Learn more at BoundaryStone.com/Climate24.

The past month proved to be a dramatic one for America’s long-stagnant nuclear sector. First, on June 10, TerraPower – the company co-founded by Bill Gates – broke ground on the Western Hemisphere’s first advanced nuclear facility, in Wyoming. A week later, the Senate passed the ADVANCE Act on a vote of 88-2. (The House already passed the bill by similar margins in February.) If signed into law, ADVANCE will streamline permitting and funding policies for future nuclear projects.  In today’s episode, the hosts are joined by Boundary Stone co-founder Jeff Navin – who also serves as TerraPower’s Director of External Affairs – to explore the momentum behind nuclear’s resurgence. Later in the show, Jeff takes us behind the scenes of TerraPower’s Natrium project to highlight its challenges, and its promise. The episode kicks off with a discussion of both the recent Presidential debate and the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the wide-reaching Chevron doctrine, which gave federal agencies like the EPA the room to implement ambiguous laws as they saw fit. In Chevron’s absence, those decisions will be left to Congress and the judiciary. Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. And listen to Climate One, a weekly podcast hosted by journalists Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious featuring discussions with climate advocacy experts on various aspects impacting climate change, from AI to inflation. You can find Climate One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Among Republicans in Congress, few, if any, have wielded as much influence on climate and clean energy as Louisiana Representative Garret Graves.  In the past few years, Graves served as the ranking member on the House Select Committee on Climate and ran the Republican Task Force on Energy, Climate, and Conservation. He also played a central role in last year’s debt ceiling negotiations, which included a bipartisan deal on infrastructure permitting reform that the Biden administration later revised, to many lawmakers’ chagrin. In this special episode of Political Climate, Graves sits down with co-host Emily Domenech in his Washington office to dig into Congress’ record on climate, as well as his own. In the interview, Graves champions natural gas, calls for an emotion-free approach to lowering emissions, reflects on the impacts of climate change on his home state, and considers the future of U.S. energy policy, among other topics. Later in the show, all three hosts gather to discuss Graves’ comments, find consensus, and highlight areas of disagreement. (On June 14, after both Emily’s interview and the hosts’ discussion, Graves announced that he will not seek re-election this November.) Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. And listen to Climate One, a weekly podcast hosted by journalists Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious featuring discussions with climate advocacy experts on various aspects impacting climate change, from AI to inflation. You can find Climate One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In recent weeks, carbon management has found itself in the spotlight – for reasons both encouraging and concerning for its proponents. On May 28th, the DOE unveiled the semifinalists for a new funding competition for carbon removal and storage companies, as well as a plan to buy over $30 million in carbon credits from the eventual winners. The same day, President Biden also revealed new policies that aim to guide and bolster the larger voluntary carbon credit market. These moves follow Biden’s much larger investments in carbon removal last year: $1.2 billion to fund two direct-air capture facilities in Texas and Louisiana, as well as nearly a billion to fund carbon storage and transport.  It’s not all good news for the sector, however. The week before the DOE’s announcement, on May 23, the trade group Edison Electric Institute joined a coalition of utilities providers to sue the EPA over new federal requirements to use carbon capture technologies in their power plants. The plaintiffs argue that the tech isn’t ready for wide-scale deployment. In today’s episode, we’ll consider whether these various forms of carbon management – from removal to capture and storage – are on a pathway to scalability, and whether industry resistance will slow their advancement. The show wraps up with the hosts’ rapid-fire hot takes in “The Mark-up.”  Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech. And listen to Climate One, a weekly podcast hosted by journalists Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious featuring discussions with climate advocacy experts on various aspects impacting climate change, from AI to inflation. You can find Climate One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the heels of a climate and energy rules blitz, President Biden has announced a plan to quadruple existing tariffs on Chinese EVs – from 25 all the way up to 100 percent – and dramatically hike tariffs on Chinese solar cells, batteries, and critical minerals as well. While these numbers look huge on paper, loopholes and caveats in the policy will likely dilute their impact. On this episode of Political Climate, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut, and Emily Domenech debate whether the tariffs will boost American EV and solar production, or if they add up to little more than political posturing. Then they zoom out to consider a series of new polls showing that despite the President’s wide-ranging efforts – and $1.6 trillion of funds in the IRA – a plurality of voters appear unaware of Biden’s efforts to fight climate change.  The show wraps up with some rapid fire hot takes in our new segment “The Mark-up.”  Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech.

With six months to go until the election, President Biden has unveiled a far-reaching rules package that tackles everything from power plant emissions and air toxins, to boosting the EV industry and upgrading transmission lines.  Despite their promise, many of these rules will face long rollouts and fierce legal challenges. On this episode of Political Climate, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut, and Emily Domenech explore and debate the pathways to implementing these policies. Then they zero in on one rule in particular: an effort to streamline permitting for new clean energy projects. While the policy aims to cut down the enormous existing backlog – 2.6 terrawatts’ worth, twice the capacity of the entire U.S. grid today – critics argue it could actually slow down the permitting process for clean energy and other infrastructure projects alike. The show wraps up with some rapid fire hot takes in our new segment “The Mark-up.”  Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech.

Since the Inflation Reduction Act became law in August 2022, we’ve asked ourselves a big question: could the government and the private sector actually get this sprawling set of climate programs up and running? So far, many would answer “yes.” The IRA has already created over 170,000 jobs and supported $110 billion in new clean energy manufacturing – with a majority of that investment headed to conservative-leaning states. Now, as we head toward November’s presidential election, many Americans are wondering whether a second Trump Administration could unravel much of the work that’s been done. In the first episode of the new season of Political Climate, hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlbut and Emily Domenech take stock of the IRA: they discuss how it’s been received politically, the roadblocks facing implementation, and look toward the different scenarios that could unfold after the election. The show wraps up with our brand-new segment, “The Mark-up.”  Subscribe to Latitude Media’s newsletter to get weekly updates on tech, markets, policy, and deals across clean energy and climate tech.

After a hiatus, Political Climate is back with more news, analysis, and bipartisan hot takes on the policy and politics shaping climate solutions — in what is sure to be a defining year. Julia Pyper is joined by Emily Domenech and Brandon Hurlbut to riff on top political stories and insider scoops – from state houses, to the halls of Congress to regulatory agencies, and international climate talks. They’ll explain how those developments are driving industry decisions today. Political Climate is a show for people who want authentic conversations from voices from across the political spectrum. Listen every other Friday to learn about how energy and climate policy is shaped within both political parties – from the people who have actually shaped it. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.