Latest / How To Protect The Ocean / How US Climate Policy Affects Renewable Energy and Ocean Conservation
Transcript
- 1:00:00One of the things
- 1:00:01that's hard to
- 1:00:01put out is the
- 1:00:02entrepreneurial
- 1:00:03spirit.
- 1:00:04The
- 1:00:04entrepreneurial
- 1:00:04spirit of people
- 1:00:05who are getting
- 1:00:06into the
- 1:00:06renewable
- 1:00:06energy sector,
- 1:00:08the industry, who
- 1:00:09are trying to
- 1:00:09push forward
- 1:00:10renewable energy
- 1:00:11so we can
- 1:00:11depend less on
- 1:00:13fossil fuels and
- 1:00:14more on
- 1:00:14protecting the
- 1:00:15environment and
- 1:00:16still getting our
- 1:00:16energy needs.
- 1:00:18And that's what I
- 1:00:19was hoping to
- 1:00:20hear and I did
- 1:00:21hear in this
- 1:00:22interview with
- 1:00:23Chris Boyer
- 1:00:23today.
- 1:00:24We're talking
- 1:00:25about climate
- 1:00:25policy in the US,
- 1:00:26how it's changed
- 1:00:27over even the
- 1:00:28last few
- 1:00:28months compared
- 1:00:29to what it was
- 1:00:30over the last
- 1:00:30four years and
- 1:00:32the ups and downs
- 1:00:32of climate
- 1:00:33policy in the US
- 1:00:34in general and
- 1:00:35how that could
- 1:00:36affect and slow
- 1:00:37down
- 1:00:37renewable energy
- 1:00:38development
- 1:00:39in the US.
- 1:00:40We're going to
- 1:00:40talk about that
- 1:00:41on today's
- 1:00:41episode of the
- 1:00:42How to Protect
- 1:00:42the Ocean
- 1:00:43podcast.
- 1:00:44Let's
- 1:00:44start the show.
- 1:00:51Hey everybody,
- 1:00:51welcome back to
- 1:00:52another exciting
- 1:00:52episode of the
- 1:00:53How to Protect
- 1:00:53the Ocean
- 1:00:54podcast.
- 1:00:54I'm your host,
- 1:00:55Andrew Lewin, and
- 1:00:55this is the
- 1:00:56podcast where you
- 1:00:56find out what's
- 1:00:57happening
- 1:00:57with the ocean,
- 1:00:57how you can speak
- 1:00:58up for the ocean
- 1:00:59and what you can
- 1:00:59do to live for
- 1:01:00a better ocean by
- 1:01:01taking action.
- 1:01:03And when we talk
- 1:01:03about ocean
- 1:01:04conservation, we
- 1:01:05talk about
- 1:01:05climate change
- 1:01:06and we talk about
- 1:01:06climate policy
- 1:01:07and
- 1:01:07climate action.
- 1:01:09And to get
- 1:01:09action, you need
- 1:01:10to put forward
- 1:01:10good policy and
- 1:01:12you need to
- 1:01:12communicate that
- 1:01:13to a lot of
- 1:01:14people to ensure
- 1:01:14that that policy
- 1:01:15gets in place.
- 1:01:16And today's
- 1:01:17guest, Chris
- 1:01:18Moyer, who is the
- 1:01:19founder and CEO
- 1:01:20of Echo
- 1:01:21Communication
- 1:01:22Advisors
- 1:01:23is on the podcast
- 1:01:24today because he
- 1:01:24wants to talk to
- 1:01:25me about US
- 1:01:26climate policy,
- 1:01:28which is kind of
- 1:01:28a weird thing to
- 1:01:29talk about
- 1:01:30these days.
- 1:01:30But I thought it
- 1:01:31was important for
- 1:01:32you to listen to
- 1:01:33what's happened
- 1:01:34over the last
- 1:01:35five months in
- 1:01:36terms of climate
- 1:01:37policy
- 1:01:37under the Trump
- 1:01:38administration
- 1:01:38and how that's
- 1:01:40changed since the
- 1:01:41Biden
- 1:01:41administration
- 1:01:42and of course,
- 1:01:42the first Trump
- 1:01:43administration
- 1:01:44and how that up
- 1:01:45and down is
- 1:01:45affecting the way
- 1:01:46policies
- 1:01:47developed at a
- 1:01:48federal level and
- 1:01:49how energy
- 1:01:49projects are
- 1:01:50being put on hold
- 1:01:52or just being
- 1:01:53canceled
- 1:01:53altogether and
- 1:01:54how that could
- 1:01:55affect climate
- 1:01:56policy and just
- 1:01:57the push for a
- 1:01:58renewable energy
- 1:01:59increase over the
- 1:02:00next 10 years,
- 1:02:01over the next 20
- 1:02:02years and just
- 1:02:02into the future.
- 1:02:03So we talk a lot
- 1:02:05about what's
- 1:02:05happened
- 1:02:06recently.
- 1:02:06We talk a lot
- 1:02:07about the
- 1:02:07communications
- 1:02:08around that and
- 1:02:08how to get people
- 1:02:09motivated to talk
- 1:02:10to their local
- 1:02:12governmental
- 1:02:12officials and
- 1:02:13say, hey, you
- 1:02:14know what?
- 1:02:14I like these
- 1:02:15projects.
- 1:02:15I think this will
- 1:02:16be good
- 1:02:16for my area.
- 1:02:17I want to talk
- 1:02:18about it because
- 1:02:18that's the one
- 1:02:19thing he
- 1:02:19highlights is not
- 1:02:20a lot of people
- 1:02:21come out yet.
- 1:02:22The fossil fuel
- 1:02:22industry is out
- 1:02:23there all the
- 1:02:23time talking
- 1:02:24against these
- 1:02:25projects and it
- 1:02:25actually works.
- 1:02:26So we're going to
- 1:02:27talk all about
- 1:02:28that on today's
- 1:02:29episode.
- 1:02:30Just before we do
- 1:02:31that, if you want
- 1:02:32to take action
- 1:02:33for the ocean, if
- 1:02:33you want to take
- 1:02:34action for
- 1:02:35climate, you can
- 1:02:36do so by joining
- 1:02:37the undertow.
- 1:02:39This is a new
- 1:02:39project that I've
- 1:02:40been working on.
- 1:02:40We're building an
- 1:02:41online community
- 1:02:42of wave makers
- 1:02:43and people and
- 1:02:44connectors who
- 1:02:45want to
- 1:02:45take action.
- 1:02:46We're looking for
- 1:02:4710 million
- 1:02:47connections would
- 1:02:49take $5 million
- 1:02:49in action over
- 1:02:51the next
- 1:02:52five years.
- 1:02:53It's an ambitious
- 1:02:53goal, but we
- 1:02:54can't do it
- 1:02:55without you.
- 1:02:56Join the undertow
- 1:02:57by going to speak
- 1:02:57up for blue.com
- 1:02:59forward slash
- 1:02:59join the undertow
- 1:03:01that speak up for
- 1:03:02blue.com forward
- 1:03:03slash join the
- 1:03:04undertow.
- 1:03:04We are going to
- 1:03:05put the links in
- 1:03:06the show notes
- 1:03:07and in the
- 1:03:07description.
- 1:03:08If you're
- 1:03:08watching this on
- 1:03:09YouTube, I want
- 1:03:09you to not only
- 1:03:10join, but listen
- 1:03:11to this interview
- 1:03:12to get motivated
- 1:03:12to say, hey, you
- 1:03:13know what?
- 1:03:14I want to help
- 1:03:14the ocean. I want
- 1:03:15to help
- 1:03:16climate change.
- 1:03:16Here's Chris
- 1:03:17Moyer talking
- 1:03:17about US ocean
- 1:03:18policy or US
- 1:03:19climate policy.
- 1:03:20Of course, that's
- 1:03:21ocean
- 1:03:21policy as well.
- 1:03:22Enjoy the
- 1:03:22interview and
- 1:03:23we'll talk
- 1:03:23to you after.
- 1:03:24Hey, Chris,
- 1:03:25welcome to the
- 1:03:25how to protect
- 1:03:26the ocean
- 1:03:26podcast.
- 1:03:27Are you ready to
- 1:03:27talk about
- 1:03:28climate policy?
- 1:03:30Yes, I am. Great
- 1:03:30to be
- 1:03:31here, Andrew.
- 1:03:32Wonderful. I'm
- 1:03:33excited
- 1:03:33about this.
- 1:03:34I'm excited in a
- 1:03:35way because I
- 1:03:36want to know
- 1:03:37information about
- 1:03:37what's happening
- 1:03:38in the US in
- 1:03:39terms of
- 1:03:40climate policy.
- 1:03:41I'm not excited
- 1:03:42in the way I may
- 1:03:43not like the
- 1:03:43answers to some
- 1:03:44of these
- 1:03:45questions or some
- 1:03:46of the questions
- 1:03:46that I ask, but
- 1:03:47I'm so happy to
- 1:03:49have you on here.
- 1:03:50You have your own
- 1:03:50business. We're
- 1:03:50going to talk a
- 1:03:51little bit
- 1:03:51about that.
- 1:03:52We're going to
- 1:03:52talk about the
- 1:03:53work that you do
- 1:03:54and where climate
- 1:03:56policy is at this
- 1:03:57point in time.
- 1:03:58Where has
- 1:03:59it come?
- 1:03:59Where it came
- 1:04:00from, you know,
- 1:04:01going out the ups
- 1:04:01and downs of
- 1:04:02really any
- 1:04:03country that we
- 1:04:03see, but
- 1:04:04especially in the
- 1:04:05US and especially
- 1:04:05these days with
- 1:04:06the second Trump
- 1:04:07administration
- 1:04:08coming in,
- 1:04:09causing a lot of
- 1:04:10chaos with the global climate policy.
- 1:04:11With
- 1:04:11environmental
- 1:04:11policy,
- 1:04:12especially
- 1:04:12climate change.
- 1:04:13So we're going to
- 1:04:14talk a lot
- 1:04:15about that.
- 1:04:15But before we do,
- 1:04:16Chris, why don't
- 1:04:17you just let the
- 1:04:17audience know who
- 1:04:18you are and
- 1:04:19what you do?
- 1:04:20Sir, and I have
- 1:04:21to say, be
- 1:04:22careful what you
- 1:04:22ask for.
- 1:04:23You may not like
- 1:04:26the answers that
- 1:04:26unfortunately
- 1:04:27that's that's
- 1:04:28probably where
- 1:04:28it's going
- 1:04:28to be today.
- 1:04:29But but
- 1:04:31yeah, I am.
- 1:04:32I am about five
- 1:04:33years ago.
- 1:04:33I founded Echo
- 1:04:34Communications
- 1:04:35Advisors and we
- 1:04:36are a policy
- 1:04:37first strategic
- 1:04:38communications
- 1:04:39firm.
- 1:04:39We work
- 1:04:40exclusively with
- 1:04:41clean energy
- 1:04:41companies with
- 1:04:42climate tech
- 1:04:43startups that are
- 1:04:43doing really cool
- 1:04:44things to address
- 1:04:45climate change in
- 1:04:46all various ways.
- 1:04:48And we also work
- 1:04:48with advocacy
- 1:04:49organizations
- 1:04:49that are seeking
- 1:04:50to shape and make
- 1:04:52better climate
- 1:04:52policy in the
- 1:04:53United States.
- 1:04:55Love that. I have
- 1:04:56a lot of
- 1:04:57questions
- 1:04:57about that.
- 1:04:57But before I want
- 1:04:58to kind of go a
- 1:04:59little bit
- 1:04:59further back, how
- 1:05:01did you get into
- 1:05:02communications
- 1:05:03and climate?
- 1:05:05Where did that
- 1:05:05come from?
- 1:05:06So the first
- 1:05:07thing ever did in
- 1:05:08politics and
- 1:05:09getting into
- 1:05:09policy was a
- 1:05:11communications
- 1:05:11internship with
- 1:05:13former Senator
- 1:05:13Ted Kennedy back
- 1:05:16coming up on 20
- 1:05:18years now.
- 1:05:19And that really I
- 1:05:21was living in
- 1:05:21Boston, going to
- 1:05:22school there.
- 1:05:23And that really
- 1:05:24turned me on to
- 1:05:24the idea of going
- 1:05:25to Washington,
- 1:05:25D.C. and trying
- 1:05:26to get a job in
- 1:05:27the Senate.
- 1:05:28So I moved down
- 1:05:28to D.C. about 15
- 1:05:30years or so ago
- 1:05:31and ended up
- 1:05:33getting a job
- 1:05:33with the United
- 1:05:34States senator,
- 1:05:35who was then the
- 1:05:36majority leader
- 1:05:36of the United
- 1:05:37States Senate guy
- 1:05:38named Harry Reid.
- 1:05:40The only catch
- 1:05:41was the job was
- 1:05:41in Las Vegas and
- 1:05:42not in
- 1:05:43Washington, D.C.
- 1:05:45Because the
- 1:05:45Senate, the
- 1:05:45senator was
- 1:05:46running for
- 1:05:47reelection.
- 1:05:47So I was 22. I
- 1:05:49flew to Las Vegas
- 1:05:50to move there my
- 1:05:51first time ever.
- 1:05:52And I just
- 1:05:52remember getting
- 1:05:53that rental car,
- 1:05:54leaving the
- 1:05:55airport and
- 1:05:55driving up the
- 1:05:56strip with the
- 1:05:57flashing lights.
- 1:05:57And I was
- 1:05:58thinking, what
- 1:05:58did I get
- 1:05:59myself into?
- 1:06:00And but really,
- 1:06:03it was an
- 1:06:03education and
- 1:06:05climate and clean
- 1:06:06energy was a big
- 1:06:07part of it.
- 1:06:07I remember going
- 1:06:08to solar arrays
- 1:06:10all around the
- 1:06:10Las Vegas Valley,
- 1:06:11going to
- 1:06:12geothermal
- 1:06:12companies in
- 1:06:13northern Nevada
- 1:06:14and just really
- 1:06:16getting
- 1:06:16understanding of
- 1:06:17energy policy and
- 1:06:18climate and the
- 1:06:19efforts being
- 1:06:19done at the
- 1:06:20federal level.
- 1:06:21This was during
- 1:06:22the first Obama
- 1:06:23administration.
- 1:06:25And from there, I
- 1:06:25came back to D.C.
- 1:06:27after that
- 1:06:27election and
- 1:06:28worked for the
- 1:06:30senator in the
- 1:06:31U.S. Capitol and
- 1:06:33just really saw
- 1:06:34further how
- 1:06:35policy can make a
- 1:06:36difference to
- 1:06:36advance these
- 1:06:38industries, these
- 1:06:38nascent
- 1:06:39industries, these
- 1:06:39newer
- 1:06:40technologies that
- 1:06:41just need a
- 1:06:41little bit of
- 1:06:42federal
- 1:06:42government
- 1:06:42support.
- 1:06:43Yeah. And then
- 1:06:44they kind of take
- 1:06:45off and that's
- 1:06:46happened
- 1:06:46throughout
- 1:06:47history with
- 1:06:48government
- 1:06:49support and helps
- 1:06:51them become
- 1:06:51mature industries
- 1:06:52that are now
- 1:06:53mainstays of our
- 1:06:55economy.
- 1:06:56You know, this is
- 1:06:57it's really
- 1:06:57interesting stuff
- 1:06:58because at that
- 1:06:58time when you
- 1:06:59were talking with
- 1:07:00all these
- 1:07:00different
- 1:07:01companies, these
- 1:07:01startups, a lot
- 1:07:03of these
- 1:07:03startups, the
- 1:07:04technology was
- 1:07:04new as well.
- 1:07:06Right. We were a
- 1:07:06lot of it was
- 1:07:07testing out.
- 1:07:08Hence why there
- 1:07:09was some
- 1:07:09government
- 1:07:09government funds
- 1:07:11being put in to
- 1:07:12test to make sure
- 1:07:12that this could
- 1:07:13actually work.
- 1:07:14It could be
- 1:07:14scalable
- 1:07:14and so forth.
- 1:07:16That is is an
- 1:07:17exciting time.
- 1:07:18What were your
- 1:07:19thoughts?
- 1:07:20Like, I guess
- 1:07:20maybe what
- 1:07:21captured you the
- 1:07:22most in terms of
- 1:07:23like what
- 1:07:23surprised
- 1:07:24you the most?
- 1:07:24Like, oh, I
- 1:07:25didn't know we
- 1:07:25could do this.
- 1:07:26I didn't even
- 1:07:26like think
- 1:07:26about this.
- 1:07:27Like, what was
- 1:07:27the most
- 1:07:28interesting tech
- 1:07:29that you saw at
- 1:07:30that time?
- 1:07:33Well, I didn't
- 1:07:34see too many back
- 1:07:3515 years ago.
- 1:07:36I didn't see too
- 1:07:36many different
- 1:07:38technologies per
- 1:07:39se, but I think,
- 1:07:40you know, someone
- 1:07:41who grew up in
- 1:07:41the Northeast, I
- 1:07:42knew nothing
- 1:07:42about geothermal.
- 1:07:43Right.
- 1:07:44Because we just
- 1:07:44really don't
- 1:07:45don't have it in
- 1:07:46a in a
- 1:07:46serious way.
- 1:07:48Yeah.
- 1:07:48Traditional geothermal is
- 1:07:49limited to the
- 1:07:51Western United
- 1:07:52States and, you
- 1:07:53know, Iceland and
- 1:07:54other parts of
- 1:07:55the world, but
- 1:07:55not certainly
- 1:07:56where I grew up.
- 1:07:57And so learning
- 1:07:58about that
- 1:07:58technology,
- 1:07:59frankly, was eye opening.
- 1:08:01And now there's
- 1:08:01all sorts of
- 1:08:02advanced
- 1:08:02geothermal
- 1:08:03technology and
- 1:08:04really cool stuff
- 1:08:05where you're not
- 1:08:06limited.
- 1:08:06It can, you know,
- 1:08:07it's on the path
- 1:08:08to being able to
- 1:08:09you can have
- 1:08:10geothermal
- 1:08:10anywhere because
- 1:08:11if you go deep
- 1:08:12enough, you will
- 1:08:13get heat.
- 1:08:15It's just it's
- 1:08:15just it can be
- 1:08:16really expensive
- 1:08:17to to go the
- 1:08:18deeper you go.
- 1:08:19And so bring down
- 1:08:20the cost curve to
- 1:08:21make geothermal a
- 1:08:22part of the clean
- 1:08:23energy transition
- 1:08:24and the energy
- 1:08:25mix that powers
- 1:08:26all the energy
- 1:08:27needs
- 1:08:27that we have.
- 1:08:29So so that was
- 1:08:30interesting
- 1:08:30to me.
- 1:08:30I also think, you
- 1:08:31know, 15 years
- 1:08:32ago, Tesla was a
- 1:08:33struggling
- 1:08:33company.
- 1:08:34Yeah.
- 1:08:35And they they got
- 1:08:36funding
- 1:08:37from the U.S.
- 1:08:38government, from
- 1:08:39the
- 1:08:39Department of Energy.
- 1:08:40And that was a
- 1:08:41really critical
- 1:08:41source of help
- 1:08:44for that company
- 1:08:44to that.
- 1:08:46Who knows where
- 1:08:46they'd be if it
- 1:08:47wasn't for that
- 1:08:48support.
- 1:08:48So, you know,
- 1:08:49that's relevant
- 1:08:50to some of the
- 1:08:50discussions we'll
- 1:08:51get into in a
- 1:08:52moment about
- 1:08:52federal policy
- 1:08:53and the role of
- 1:08:54federal
- 1:08:54government in
- 1:08:55supporting
- 1:08:56different sectors
- 1:08:57of the energy
- 1:08:57industry.
- 1:08:58Yeah, absolutely.
- 1:09:00So what, like,
- 1:09:00you know, during
- 1:09:01this time when
- 1:09:02you're with the
- 1:09:02senator and you
- 1:09:03probably moved
- 1:09:03into different
- 1:09:04positions within
- 1:09:05within politics.
- 1:09:07But then, you
- 1:09:07know, obviously,
- 1:09:07communication is
- 1:09:08a big part of
- 1:09:09your role within
- 1:09:10that that time.
- 1:09:12At what point did
- 1:09:13you say, OK,
- 1:09:14like, did you get
- 1:09:15the idea, you
- 1:09:16know, having a
- 1:09:17consulting firm
- 1:09:17or a
- 1:09:18communications
- 1:09:19firm where you,
- 1:09:21you know,
- 1:09:22partnered with
- 1:09:23these companies
- 1:09:24or work for these
- 1:09:24companies as well
- 1:09:25as advocacy
- 1:09:26groups to
- 1:09:27say, hey,
- 1:09:27I want to push
- 1:09:28this, you know,
- 1:09:29they need a
- 1:09:30little bit
- 1:09:30more help.
- 1:09:31They need to. Was
- 1:09:31it because they
- 1:09:32needed more help?
- 1:09:32Was it they
- 1:09:33needed to clarify
- 1:09:34their message?
- 1:09:34What pushed you
- 1:09:35towards starting
- 1:09:36this company a
- 1:09:38few years ago?
- 1:09:39Yeah, so
- 1:09:39you're right.
- 1:09:40Like I did other
- 1:09:41campaigns.
- 1:09:42I worked on
- 1:09:43presidential
- 1:09:43campaigns and
- 1:09:44Senate and
- 1:09:45gubernatorial.
- 1:09:46And I also have
- 1:09:48done some work
- 1:09:49with state
- 1:09:49attorneys
- 1:09:49general, which
- 1:09:51they're the top
- 1:09:52law enforcement
- 1:09:53officer in
- 1:09:54each state.
- 1:09:54And they play,
- 1:09:56you know,
- 1:09:56especially during
- 1:09:56the first Trump
- 1:09:57administration.
- 1:09:58This is what I
- 1:09:58was working with
- 1:09:59this group that
- 1:10:00was coordinating
- 1:10:01a lot of the
- 1:10:01efforts that was
- 1:10:02really they were
- 1:10:03filing lawsuits
- 1:10:04left and right.
- 1:10:05Not because
- 1:10:06they're
- 1:10:06frivolous, but
- 1:10:06there was so much
- 1:10:07to go after from
- 1:10:08the federal
- 1:10:08government.
- 1:10:09So they were
- 1:10:09they're trying to
- 1:10:10stop rollbacks of
- 1:10:11really important
- 1:10:11regulations and
- 1:10:12policies on the
- 1:10:14environment, on
- 1:10:14energy, on
- 1:10:15climate.
- 1:10:18And so that was a
- 1:10:18great insight
- 1:10:19into kind of the,
- 1:10:21you know, they
- 1:10:21were the last
- 1:10:22line of defense
- 1:10:23at that point.
- 1:10:24And so, you know,
- 1:10:26when I started my
- 1:10:27firm, I, you
- 1:10:28know,
- 1:10:29communications
- 1:10:29and messaging can
- 1:10:31really make the
- 1:10:31difference
- 1:10:31between
- 1:10:32successful policy
- 1:10:33or successful
- 1:10:34grants funding
- 1:10:35from the
- 1:10:36government or
- 1:10:36another entity.
- 1:10:38How you frame and
- 1:10:39talk about things
- 1:10:39can really make
- 1:10:40or break success
- 1:10:41that you have as
- 1:10:42a business.
- 1:10:43And, you know, we
- 1:10:44need these
- 1:10:44businesses to be
- 1:10:44successful for
- 1:10:45the clean energy
- 1:10:46transition.
- 1:10:47So the
- 1:10:48communications
- 1:10:48piece is really
- 1:10:49important.
- 1:10:50You know, when
- 1:10:50people think
- 1:10:51about
- 1:10:51lobbying as well.
- 1:10:53It's not just
- 1:10:53like the old
- 1:10:54fashioned shoe
- 1:10:54leather lobbying
- 1:10:55that you go meet
- 1:10:57with the senator
- 1:10:57and then they're
- 1:10:58going to
- 1:10:59hopefully do what
- 1:11:00you want
- 1:11:00them to do.
- 1:11:01Communications
- 1:11:02has become a
- 1:11:03greater part of
- 1:11:04that overall
- 1:11:04strategy.
- 1:11:05You have to be
- 1:11:06attuned to what
- 1:11:08are the outlets,
- 1:11:08the news outlets
- 1:11:09they're consuming
- 1:11:09back in the home
- 1:11:10state or their
- 1:11:11home district.
- 1:11:12How do you find
- 1:11:13the right
- 1:11:13messengers and
- 1:11:14get them to give,
- 1:11:15you know, share
- 1:11:16the right message
- 1:11:17at the right time
- 1:11:18so they can have
- 1:11:18the maximum
- 1:11:19influence.
- 1:11:20And that takes a
- 1:11:21lot of strategy
- 1:11:22and
- 1:11:22thoughtfulness.
- 1:11:23And so that's how
- 1:11:24we work with a
- 1:11:24lot of our
- 1:11:25clients to help
- 1:11:26them, you know,
- 1:11:27get better policy
- 1:11:28so that they can
- 1:11:29grow and be
- 1:11:30successful and
- 1:11:30contribute to the
- 1:11:31energy
- 1:11:32transition.
- 1:11:35For from a policy
- 1:11:36perspective and
- 1:11:37clean energy.
- 1:11:39What are the
- 1:11:40biggest
- 1:11:40challenges over
- 1:11:42the last like 10
- 1:11:43years for that
- 1:11:44for clean energy
- 1:11:46to move forward
- 1:11:47to scale up in
- 1:11:49the face of
- 1:11:49policy like what
- 1:11:50like was there a
- 1:11:51particular policy
- 1:11:51that really
- 1:11:52allowed them to
- 1:11:52happen or was a
- 1:11:53particular policy
- 1:11:54that has really
- 1:11:55challenged them.
- 1:11:56Let's say before
- 1:11:56this
- 1:11:57administration
- 1:11:57that came in.
- 1:11:59Well, it's it's
- 1:11:59pretty clear in
- 1:12:002022 the most
- 1:12:02significant law
- 1:12:03ever passed in
- 1:12:04the United States
- 1:12:04on climate and
- 1:12:05clean energy was
- 1:12:06called the
- 1:12:07inflation
- 1:12:07reduction act.
- 1:12:08And that is
- 1:12:10really that was
- 1:12:11really a law that
- 1:12:12set industrial
- 1:12:13policy for the
- 1:12:13United States in
- 1:12:14a way that it
- 1:12:14never had before.
- 1:12:16And it provided a
- 1:12:17number of tax
- 1:12:17credits.
- 1:12:18It provided
- 1:12:19something called
- 1:12:20transferability
- 1:12:21that helps with
- 1:12:22smaller companies
- 1:12:23that are growing
- 1:12:24and bigger.
- 1:12:24You know, it's a
- 1:12:25great,
- 1:12:26helpful system.
- 1:12:28It's it brought
- 1:12:29manufacturing
- 1:12:30back to the
- 1:12:30United States.
- 1:12:31It's it provided
- 1:12:33more secure
- 1:12:33supply chains
- 1:12:34back in the
- 1:12:35United States,
- 1:12:35not being reliant
- 1:12:36on on other
- 1:12:37countries,
- 1:12:37especially, you
- 1:12:39know, are more
- 1:12:41adversarial
- 1:12:42countries.
- 1:12:43And I don't
- 1:12:43include Canada in
- 1:12:44that, to
- 1:12:44be clear.
- 1:12:47Thank you.
- 1:12:49But this was this
- 1:12:52was the policy
- 1:12:52set forth back
- 1:12:54in, you know, it
- 1:12:55was passed in
- 1:12:55August of 2022.
- 1:12:56So we're coming
- 1:12:57up on
- 1:12:57three years.
- 1:12:59And, you know,
- 1:12:59you speak to the
- 1:13:00challenge, making
- 1:13:01that resonate
- 1:13:02with voters
- 1:13:02across the
- 1:13:03country before a
- 1:13:04lot of the
- 1:13:05benefits
- 1:13:05became clear.
- 1:13:06You know, there
- 1:13:07are jobs that are
- 1:13:07being created
- 1:13:08right now.
- 1:13:09There are
- 1:13:09factories
- 1:13:09being built.
- 1:13:10There are there's
- 1:13:11tax revenue being
- 1:13:12generated in
- 1:13:13rural parts of
- 1:13:14this country that
- 1:13:15haven't had major
- 1:13:16industry in
- 1:13:17decades.
- 1:13:18And, you know,
- 1:13:20because of the
- 1:13:20way the election
- 1:13:21went in in
- 1:13:23November, all of
- 1:13:25that is at risk
- 1:13:25right now.
- 1:13:26Which is
- 1:13:27interesting
- 1:13:27because I think,
- 1:13:28you know, the
- 1:13:29inflation act
- 1:13:30brought in all of
- 1:13:31that and allowed
- 1:13:32for these supply
- 1:13:33chains to come to
- 1:13:34the US allowed
- 1:13:34for manufacturing
- 1:13:35to come
- 1:13:36to the US.
- 1:13:37Yet this
- 1:13:38administration is
- 1:13:39talking about how
- 1:13:39tariffs are going
- 1:13:40to bring all of
- 1:13:41that as a scare
- 1:13:42tactic to
- 1:13:42everybody to
- 1:13:44doing that, which
- 1:13:44is kind of funny
- 1:13:45because that all
- 1:13:45went on.
- 1:13:46That messaging
- 1:13:46didn't get out.
- 1:13:47I wish I wish
- 1:13:49more more
- 1:13:49organizations and
- 1:13:51political
- 1:13:51parties.
- 1:13:52Contact you guys
- 1:13:54to kind of
- 1:13:55highlight that
- 1:13:56because, you
- 1:13:57know, it feels as
- 1:13:58though we would
- 1:13:59have been in a
- 1:13:59different
- 1:14:00position because
- 1:14:00obviously
- 1:14:01messaging and
- 1:14:02communications,
- 1:14:03as you know, is
- 1:14:03very important.
- 1:14:05And, you know,
- 1:14:05there's a big
- 1:14:06difference in the
- 1:14:07messaging, you
- 1:14:09know, for this
- 1:14:09this last
- 1:14:10election, which
- 1:14:10won't get into
- 1:14:11too much because
- 1:14:12I don't want to.
- 1:14:12I want to focus
- 1:14:13on
- 1:14:13climate policy.
- 1:14:14But, you know,
- 1:14:15from your
- 1:14:15perspective as as
- 1:14:16as a
- 1:14:17communications
- 1:14:17person,
- 1:14:18especially when
- 1:14:18it comes to clean
- 1:14:20energy,
- 1:14:20especially when
- 1:14:21it comes to
- 1:14:21making sure that
- 1:14:22the right policy
- 1:14:23get in place and
- 1:14:23and working
- 1:14:24towards those
- 1:14:24policies, it
- 1:14:25becomes a really
- 1:14:27it must become a
- 1:14:27real source spot
- 1:14:28for you to see
- 1:14:30the wrong
- 1:14:31information get
- 1:14:31out and people
- 1:14:32believing it and
- 1:14:33not picking it up
- 1:14:34when it's right
- 1:14:35right there in
- 1:14:36front of them.
- 1:14:37Like what
- 1:14:37what is that?
- 1:14:38Like,
- 1:14:38where did that?
- 1:14:40How come that
- 1:14:41always
- 1:14:41gets buried?
- 1:14:43Climate and
- 1:14:44clean energy.
- 1:14:46Yeah.
- 1:14:47Yeah.
- 1:14:47Well, it's just
- 1:14:48it's very hard to
- 1:14:49to break through,
- 1:14:52especially in a
- 1:14:53campaign against
- 1:14:54Donald Trump,
- 1:14:56who, you know,
- 1:14:58love him or hate
- 1:14:58him. He knows how
- 1:14:59to get attention.
- 1:15:01Yeah.
- 1:15:01And attention is
- 1:15:02current currency
- 1:15:03in this day and
- 1:15:03age or such a
- 1:15:04fragmented media
- 1:15:05environment and
- 1:15:06other
- 1:15:07distractions that
- 1:15:08are, you know,
- 1:15:09everywhere
- 1:15:09for people.
- 1:15:10And so, you know,
- 1:15:12talking about
- 1:15:12jobs that are
- 1:15:13coming and a
- 1:15:14clean energy
- 1:15:15economy that is
- 1:15:16happening, but
- 1:15:17still coming is
- 1:15:20it's harder to
- 1:15:22break through and get
- 1:15:23attention on that.
- 1:15:24And and so, you
- 1:15:25know, driving
- 1:15:26home the real
- 1:15:26tangible benefits
- 1:15:28of of that
- 1:15:30legislation that
- 1:15:30I was mentioning,
- 1:15:31you know, perhaps
- 1:15:33could have been
- 1:15:33done a
- 1:15:33little bit better.
- 1:15:35And, you know,
- 1:15:38making sure it
- 1:15:38resonates with
- 1:15:39people in a way
- 1:15:40that they
- 1:15:40care about.
- 1:15:41And, you know,
- 1:15:41too often, I
- 1:15:42think bigger
- 1:15:42picture here, you
- 1:15:44know, climate
- 1:15:44change doesn't
- 1:15:45feel real.
- 1:15:47Right.
- 1:15:47People, it feels
- 1:15:47like it's often
- 1:15:48to the even
- 1:15:49though there's
- 1:15:50still people who
- 1:15:50can't get
- 1:15:51insurance anymore
- 1:15:52because there's
- 1:15:53too much risk or
- 1:15:54their premiums
- 1:15:54are so high.
- 1:15:55And we know about
- 1:15:57the storms being
- 1:15:57more intense and
- 1:15:58more frequent.
- 1:15:59But, you know,
- 1:16:01that that still
- 1:16:02doesn't move the
- 1:16:03needle in terms
- 1:16:03of public opinion
- 1:16:03to the extent
- 1:16:05that we
- 1:16:05need it to.
- 1:16:07And so if you're
- 1:16:07talking about the
- 1:16:09treacherous
- 1:16:10consequences of
- 1:16:11half degree
- 1:16:11increase in
- 1:16:13global
- 1:16:13temperature, that
- 1:16:14really doesn't
- 1:16:15resonate.
- 1:16:15It feels so
- 1:16:16esoteric
- 1:16:17to people.
- 1:16:18And so trying to
- 1:16:19put it in terms
- 1:16:19of this is not
- 1:16:20really
- 1:16:21climate change.
- 1:16:22This is
- 1:16:22economics.
- 1:16:23It's an industry
- 1:16:24that, you know,
- 1:16:26it's a good job.
- 1:16:27Doesn't matter
- 1:16:28what party you
- 1:16:28belong to or your
- 1:16:30political
- 1:16:30beliefs.
- 1:16:31And so, you know,
- 1:16:33unfortunately, if
- 1:16:34we had a few more
- 1:16:35years for these
- 1:16:35things to mature
- 1:16:36and blossom from
- 1:16:37the legislation
- 1:16:38from the law I
- 1:16:39was mentioning,
- 1:16:40then it would be
- 1:16:41harder to
- 1:16:41get rid of it.
- 1:16:42But we're at a
- 1:16:43point where it's
- 1:16:44still not quite
- 1:16:45at that moment or
- 1:16:49instilled enough
- 1:16:51in these
- 1:16:51communities yet.
- 1:16:53It's really
- 1:16:53interesting you
- 1:16:53bring that up
- 1:16:54too, because, you
- 1:16:55know, as you were
- 1:16:55mentioning, just
- 1:16:56the messaging
- 1:16:56around the
- 1:16:57benefits from the
- 1:16:59Affordable Care
- 1:17:00Act or the the
- 1:17:01the Inflation
- 1:17:01Reduction Act.
- 1:17:03We had the same
- 1:17:04thing in Canada,
- 1:17:05you know, as you
- 1:17:06probably heard
- 1:17:06the carbon tax,
- 1:17:07you know, as soon
- 1:17:08as you put in the
- 1:17:08word tax, nobody
- 1:17:10likes it. It
- 1:17:11sucks. Nobody
- 1:17:12wants to pay. We
- 1:17:12had a
- 1:17:12consumer tax.
- 1:17:13So everybody who,
- 1:17:14you know, paid
- 1:17:16for gas or
- 1:17:16whatever that
- 1:17:17might be, that
- 1:17:18another carbon
- 1:17:18tax went on top
- 1:17:19of that.
- 1:17:20And that was like
- 1:17:21the federal
- 1:17:21policy wasn't
- 1:17:22necessarily
- 1:17:22provincial
- 1:17:23policy.
- 1:17:23The province
- 1:17:24didn't have a
- 1:17:25carbon tax or a
- 1:17:26plan for that.
- 1:17:27The federal plan
- 1:17:28would kick in the
- 1:17:29messaging around.
- 1:17:30There was a lot
- 1:17:31of there were a
- 1:17:31lot of benefits
- 1:17:32to the
- 1:17:32carbon tax for us.
- 1:17:33You know, a lot
- 1:17:34of people went
- 1:17:34over to heat
- 1:17:35pumps and a lot
- 1:17:35of people moved
- 1:17:36over to an
- 1:17:37environment like
- 1:17:37EVs and so forth.
- 1:17:39But it wasn't it
- 1:17:40wasn't
- 1:17:41communicated
- 1:17:41properly by the
- 1:17:42federal
- 1:17:42government and
- 1:17:43they could have
- 1:17:44done a
- 1:17:44better job.
- 1:17:44And maybe they're
- 1:17:45waiting for the
- 1:17:45provinces to do
- 1:17:46it because it's
- 1:17:46technically a
- 1:17:47problem, a
- 1:17:47provincial plan.
- 1:17:48But regardless of
- 1:17:49what happened, it
- 1:17:50got it got
- 1:17:50out of hand.
- 1:17:51And of course,
- 1:17:51the opposition is
- 1:17:52just like
- 1:17:53ax the tax.
- 1:17:54The tax is
- 1:17:54causing
- 1:17:55inflation.
- 1:17:55The tax is
- 1:17:56causing all your
- 1:17:57problems.
- 1:17:57You can't afford
- 1:17:58groceries because
- 1:17:59of the carbon.
- 1:18:00The messaging and
- 1:18:01negative just
- 1:18:02kind of like what
- 1:18:03Trump had done in
- 1:18:04the US with
- 1:18:05climate change
- 1:18:06and so forth.
- 1:18:07They're getting
- 1:18:08more attention.
- 1:18:09The negativity is
- 1:18:09bringing more
- 1:18:10attention.
- 1:18:11And the and the
- 1:18:12policy is not
- 1:18:14being
- 1:18:14communicated
- 1:18:15properly.
- 1:18:15And the benefits
- 1:18:16of those policies
- 1:18:17are not getting
- 1:18:17communicated
- 1:18:18properly, which
- 1:18:19is frustrating
- 1:18:19for me because I
- 1:18:20was kept telling
- 1:18:21my mobile
- 1:18:22represented.
- 1:18:23I'm like, you
- 1:18:23guys got to talk
- 1:18:23about the
- 1:18:24benefits.
- 1:18:24Like,
- 1:18:24where is it?
- 1:18:25Like, it's so
- 1:18:26complicated.
- 1:18:26Like, why can't
- 1:18:27you talk
- 1:18:28about it?
- 1:18:29But then on the
- 1:18:29other hand, like
- 1:18:30it when the when
- 1:18:32it ended, like we
- 1:18:33were in it
- 1:18:33for a good.
- 1:18:35Almost
- 1:18:36nine years.
- 1:18:37And there were a
- 1:18:38lot of benefits
- 1:18:38that still have
- 1:18:39come out from it.
- 1:18:42But when you when
- 1:18:42you mentioned the
- 1:18:43word tax or
- 1:18:44climate change or
- 1:18:45carbon tax,
- 1:18:47people are just
- 1:18:47like it's
- 1:18:48divided, you
- 1:18:49know, you either
- 1:18:49love it or you
- 1:18:50hate it.
- 1:18:50It's black
- 1:18:51and white.
- 1:18:51And that's it.
- 1:18:52There's no
- 1:18:52gray area.
- 1:18:53There's no
- 1:18:53meeting in
- 1:18:54the middle.
- 1:18:56I've talked to
- 1:18:56politicians
- 1:18:56before, local
- 1:18:57politicians, and
- 1:18:58they say when
- 1:18:58they engage with
- 1:19:00their, you know,
- 1:19:01communities, they
- 1:19:03don't necessarily
- 1:19:03use the word
- 1:19:04climate change.
- 1:19:05They'll use the
- 1:19:06words like
- 1:19:06flooding or fires
- 1:19:08that affect your
- 1:19:09homes and things
- 1:19:10like that.
- 1:19:11Is the messaging
- 1:19:12changing from
- 1:19:13getting away from
- 1:19:13those politically
- 1:19:14triggered words
- 1:19:16to more of less
- 1:19:18you as you
- 1:19:19mentioned, bring
- 1:19:19it more local,
- 1:19:20bring it more
- 1:19:20personal and how
- 1:19:22it affects you no
- 1:19:23insurance, that
- 1:19:24kind of stuff.
- 1:19:25It absolutely has
- 1:19:26changed in the
- 1:19:27last several
- 1:19:27months here since
- 1:19:28the Trump Trump
- 1:19:29Trump second term
- 1:19:30started.
- 1:19:32The main phrase
- 1:19:33we're hearing a
- 1:19:34lot of from
- 1:19:35climate focused
- 1:19:36entities is
- 1:19:38energy dominance.
- 1:19:39And that's that's
- 1:19:41a phrase that the
- 1:19:43president has
- 1:19:44used a lot.
- 1:19:45And a lot of
- 1:19:46people try to
- 1:19:46play into that.
- 1:19:47I think things
- 1:19:48that you don't
- 1:19:49hear anymore are
- 1:19:49climate change,
- 1:19:50emissions
- 1:19:51reduction,
- 1:19:52climate justice,
- 1:19:55you know, things
- 1:19:56that were very
- 1:19:57much talked about
- 1:19:58in the previous
- 1:19:59administration.
- 1:20:01But those are
- 1:20:02great way to get
- 1:20:03your project or
- 1:20:04your idea, your
- 1:20:04bill just
- 1:20:06shelved.
- 1:20:07And so I think,
- 1:20:08you know, it's a
- 1:20:09balancing act.
- 1:20:10It is wise to
- 1:20:11adapt your
- 1:20:12messaging, even
- 1:20:12if the work
- 1:20:13you're actually
- 1:20:14doing isn't
- 1:20:14changing, because
- 1:20:15at the end of the
- 1:20:16day, what do we
- 1:20:16care about?
- 1:20:17Do we care about
- 1:20:17feeling feeling
- 1:20:19good about what
- 1:20:20we're doing and
- 1:20:21saying what we
- 1:20:21want to say?
- 1:20:22Or do we want to
- 1:20:23get do we want to
- 1:20:24get the results
- 1:20:24that we're trying
- 1:20:25to achieve?
- 1:20:26And do we have to
- 1:20:26maybe change the
- 1:20:27path to
- 1:20:28get there?
- 1:20:29We're not
- 1:20:30compromising our
- 1:20:31values or what
- 1:20:32we're working on,
- 1:20:33but it's just,
- 1:20:34okay, how do we
- 1:20:34be a little more
- 1:20:35strategic and
- 1:20:35trying to reach
- 1:20:36that same outcome
- 1:20:37that we're always
- 1:20:38been aiming for?
- 1:20:40Yeah, I love
- 1:20:40that. I think
- 1:20:41that's I think
- 1:20:41that is a path
- 1:20:42forward because
- 1:20:43it takes away
- 1:20:44from any kind of
- 1:20:45like, like I
- 1:20:46said, triggering
- 1:20:47words or any kind
- 1:20:48of strife with
- 1:20:50with the audience
- 1:20:50and trying to
- 1:20:52unite people just
- 1:20:53be like, look,
- 1:20:53we're all going
- 1:20:53through these
- 1:20:54problems.
- 1:20:54Let's try and
- 1:20:55let's try and
- 1:20:56figure out a way
- 1:20:56around it.
- 1:20:57And hopefully
- 1:20:58that will that
- 1:20:59will help in that
- 1:21:00kind of way.
- 1:21:03We're in the
- 1:21:03second term of
- 1:21:05Donald Trump as
- 1:21:07president.
- 1:21:08I know it's hard
- 1:21:08thing to say,
- 1:21:09hard thing to
- 1:21:10hear, but this is
- 1:21:11the second one.
- 1:21:12What was the
- 1:21:12difference? You
- 1:21:13worked in the
- 1:21:13first one in a
- 1:21:15variety of
- 1:21:15different
- 1:21:16capacities.
- 1:21:17But, you know,
- 1:21:17you've you've
- 1:21:18been following
- 1:21:18climate for a
- 1:21:19long time and
- 1:21:20climate policy
- 1:21:20for a long time.
- 1:21:21What's the
- 1:21:22difference
- 1:21:22between the first
- 1:21:23term and the
- 1:21:24second term,
- 1:21:25given that there
- 1:21:25were four years
- 1:21:26in between?
- 1:21:28And I'm sure you
- 1:21:29didn't mean to
- 1:21:29imply this, but
- 1:21:30just to be
- 1:21:31absolutely clear,
- 1:21:31did not work in
- 1:21:32the first Trump
- 1:21:33administration.
- 1:21:33Oh, yes. No, my
- 1:21:34apologies.
- 1:21:36You worked in the
- 1:21:38climate industry
- 1:21:38like that.
- 1:21:39While he was
- 1:21:40president. My
- 1:21:41apologies.
- 1:21:42Was in the
- 1:21:43whirlwind. No, I
- 1:21:44just I knew
- 1:21:44that's not what
- 1:21:45you meant, but
- 1:21:45I'm sure your
- 1:21:46listeners can
- 1:21:47discern that that
- 1:21:48was not the case.
- 1:21:48But I just
- 1:21:49appreciate that
- 1:21:50crystal crystal
- 1:21:50clear some
- 1:21:51agree agree.
- 1:21:53You know, I think
- 1:21:53the first time
- 1:21:54felt like nobody
- 1:21:55knew what they
- 1:21:55were doing in the
- 1:21:56Trump
- 1:21:56administration.
- 1:21:56They had all
- 1:21:57these things they
- 1:21:58were trying to
- 1:21:58do, but they were
- 1:21:59very
- 1:21:59sloppy about it.
- 1:22:01They tried to
- 1:22:02they didn't
- 1:22:02follow the proper
- 1:22:04steps to repeal
- 1:22:05regulations, for
- 1:22:06example.
- 1:22:07And they lost a
- 1:22:07lot of lawsuits
- 1:22:08and couldn't get
- 1:22:09what they wanted
- 1:22:09because of that
- 1:22:10procedural
- 1:22:11concern this
- 1:22:13time around.
- 1:22:14You know, from
- 1:22:15day one, they've
- 1:22:16been on
- 1:22:16top of it.
- 1:22:17They learned from
- 1:22:18some of their
- 1:22:18mistakes from the
- 1:22:20first time.
- 1:22:21And, you know, we
- 1:22:22experienced just
- 1:22:23a period of it
- 1:22:26felt I don't know
- 1:22:27how long it was.
- 1:22:28I try to not
- 1:22:29think too much of
- 1:22:30that period, but
- 1:22:31it was
- 1:22:31just chaos.
- 1:22:32They were
- 1:22:32throwing
- 1:22:33everything
- 1:22:33against the wall
- 1:22:34and they they
- 1:22:36were they're
- 1:22:37urging course to
- 1:22:38tell them to tell
- 1:22:39them no.
- 1:22:40They were laying
- 1:22:41off people. They
- 1:22:42were repealing as
- 1:22:43much as
- 1:22:43they could.
- 1:22:43They were doing
- 1:22:44as much as they
- 1:22:44could with
- 1:22:45executive order,
- 1:22:46not worrying
- 1:22:47about any other
- 1:22:47branch of
- 1:22:48government.
- 1:22:48They they they
- 1:22:50had an agenda and
- 1:22:51a plan coming in
- 1:22:52and they wasted
- 1:22:53no time to try to
- 1:22:55execute it.
- 1:22:56And in some ways,
- 1:22:57it's actually
- 1:22:58admirable as a as
- 1:22:59a use of power
- 1:23:00and trying to
- 1:23:01achieve what you
- 1:23:01want to achieve.
- 1:23:03But obviously the
- 1:23:04substance of all
- 1:23:05these things was
- 1:23:06very concerning.
- 1:23:06Yeah.
- 1:23:08And still is
- 1:23:09there's been, you
- 1:23:09know, it slowed
- 1:23:10down a little bit
- 1:23:11because the
- 1:23:12courts have put
- 1:23:12on some
- 1:23:13guardrails up.
- 1:23:14Not not entirely,
- 1:23:15but some.
- 1:23:17And and now, as
- 1:23:18the focus has
- 1:23:19really shifted
- 1:23:20from what the
- 1:23:21president can do
- 1:23:22on his own to
- 1:23:23what he needs
- 1:23:24Congress, even
- 1:23:25though his party
- 1:23:26controls
- 1:23:27Congress, there's
- 1:23:28still different
- 1:23:29ideas on
- 1:23:30what to do.
- 1:23:31And so that
- 1:23:32process is less clean.
- 1:23:32And so that takes
- 1:23:34a little bit of
- 1:23:34time. And we've
- 1:23:36gotten to the
- 1:23:37point in the
- 1:23:37first term here,
- 1:23:39sorry, the first
- 1:23:39year of the
- 1:23:40second term where
- 1:23:41they have to hash
- 1:23:42out some of these
- 1:23:43different ideas
- 1:23:43and the details.
- 1:23:44You know, the
- 1:23:44devil is always
- 1:23:45in the details
- 1:23:45and they're at
- 1:23:46that point.
- 1:23:46They're at that
- 1:23:47point in
- 1:23:47negotiations.
- 1:23:49And I don't I
- 1:23:50couldn't tell you
- 1:23:51that Trump
- 1:23:51actually knows
- 1:23:52any of the
- 1:23:52details.
- 1:23:53But he but he
- 1:23:55just won. He just wants a bill.
- 1:23:56And and so the
- 1:24:00you know, his
- 1:24:01colleagues, the
- 1:24:02Republican
- 1:24:02leaders in the in
- 1:24:04Congress are
- 1:24:05working through
- 1:24:05that at
- 1:24:06the moment.
- 1:24:06So it's been
- 1:24:08about five months
- 1:24:09now, almost five
- 1:24:10months. And
- 1:24:11there's been a
- 1:24:12lot that's been
- 1:24:12done. There's
- 1:24:13been a lot that's
- 1:24:14been reported on.
- 1:24:15But it's it has
- 1:24:18been a whirlwind,
- 1:24:19but it does feel
- 1:24:19like it's slowed
- 1:24:20down a little
- 1:24:21bit. But it was a
- 1:24:22torrent start.
- 1:24:22Right. And during
- 1:24:24that time, you
- 1:24:26know, I know he
- 1:24:26he he pulled the
- 1:24:28U.S. out of the
- 1:24:29Paris Accord, the
- 1:24:31climate
- 1:24:31change accord.
- 1:24:32What else was
- 1:24:34done in terms of
- 1:24:35climate change
- 1:24:36that had a pretty
- 1:24:38significant
- 1:24:38effect on other
- 1:24:40acts that came
- 1:24:41through the
- 1:24:42inflation
- 1:24:42reduction act and
- 1:24:43so forth?
- 1:24:44Well, the first
- 1:24:45one that comes to
- 1:24:45mind is he
- 1:24:46declared an
- 1:24:47energy emergency,
- 1:24:49right? Even
- 1:24:49though it's not sure what that's based on.
- 1:24:52But that gives
- 1:24:54him the ability
- 1:24:55to do certain
- 1:24:55things to prop up
- 1:24:57fossil fuels. And
- 1:24:58it's it doesn't
- 1:25:01really square
- 1:25:03that he's on the
- 1:25:04one hand saying
- 1:25:05it's it's an
- 1:25:06energy emergency.
- 1:25:08And we need all
- 1:25:09energy sources or
- 1:25:10we know as much
- 1:25:11energy as
- 1:25:11possible because
- 1:25:12it's emergency.
- 1:25:12But then then
- 1:25:14he's killing
- 1:25:15offshore wind and
- 1:25:17projects,
- 1:25:17including one
- 1:25:18that was fully
- 1:25:19permitted and
- 1:25:20they were they
- 1:25:21were they were
- 1:25:22building already
- 1:25:22or they just
- 1:25:23started that
- 1:25:24that's since been
- 1:25:25reversed.
- 1:25:26But, you know,
- 1:25:29he's saying he's
- 1:25:29pretty much
- 1:25:30mandating for
- 1:25:31coal plants to
- 1:25:32stay open, even
- 1:25:33if they're not
- 1:25:34financially
- 1:25:34sustainable.
- 1:25:36So it's unclear
- 1:25:36how exactly that will work.
- 1:25:37You know, there's
- 1:25:40there's programs
- 1:25:41that were part of
- 1:25:42the inflation
- 1:25:42reduction act,
- 1:25:43the bill that I
- 1:25:44mentioned from
- 1:25:442022 contracts
- 1:25:46that have been
- 1:25:46signed with, you
- 1:25:48know, there's
- 1:25:48this Green Bank
- 1:25:49program that a
- 1:25:50lot of other
- 1:25:50countries have
- 1:25:50done
- 1:25:51successfully.
- 1:25:52It's a way of
- 1:25:53lending to allow
- 1:25:54some of these
- 1:25:55really important
- 1:25:56projects to go
- 1:25:56forward. And the
- 1:25:59last
- 1:25:59administration
- 1:25:59had put a
- 1:26:01significant
- 1:26:01amount of federal
- 1:26:02dollars to this.
- 1:26:02And these
- 1:26:03grantees had
- 1:26:04signed contracts.
- 1:26:06But the Trump
- 1:26:07administration
- 1:26:07came in and said,
- 1:26:08actually, we're
- 1:26:09going to we're
- 1:26:09canceling that.
- 1:26:11And so they're
- 1:26:11they're in the
- 1:26:12midst of
- 1:26:12litigation. And
- 1:26:13it's really
- 1:26:13slowed down some
- 1:26:14of these projects
- 1:26:15that had been
- 1:26:16announced already
- 1:26:16all across the
- 1:26:17country.
- 1:26:18And, you know, we
- 1:26:20don't have time
- 1:26:20to go through
- 1:26:21every executive
- 1:26:21order related to
- 1:26:22climate and
- 1:26:23energy in this
- 1:26:24conversation.
- 1:26:24But there's a
- 1:26:26long list and
- 1:26:27they're they're
- 1:26:29not missing any
- 1:26:30opportunity to go
- 1:26:31after something
- 1:26:32that someone in
- 1:26:33the
- 1:26:33community values.
- 1:26:35It's really odd.
- 1:26:37I mean, it's it's
- 1:26:38it's odd from a
- 1:26:38common sense
- 1:26:39point of view
- 1:26:40when you look at
- 1:26:40it from the
- 1:26:41outside, if
- 1:26:41you're declaring
- 1:26:42an emergency, an
- 1:26:43energy emergency,
- 1:26:44that you're going
- 1:26:45to kill off one
- 1:26:46form of energy
- 1:26:47and prop up
- 1:26:48another.
- 1:26:48So it's you know,
- 1:26:50it's very
- 1:26:50hypocritical to
- 1:26:51say we're going
- 1:26:52to prop up the
- 1:26:52fossil fuel side,
- 1:26:53but we're going
- 1:26:54to kill the green
- 1:26:56side, you know,
- 1:26:57the renewable
- 1:26:57energy side, even
- 1:26:59though that was
- 1:26:59well on its way.
- 1:27:01And maybe some of
- 1:27:02those projects
- 1:27:03had already
- 1:27:03started. Maybe
- 1:27:04some of them
- 1:27:04haven't. But
- 1:27:05that's a very
- 1:27:06frustrating fact
- 1:27:07of not growing
- 1:27:08energy together
- 1:27:09and balancing the
- 1:27:11two. And at some
- 1:27:12point, I mean,
- 1:27:12the hope is for the world.
- 1:27:13And I know in
- 1:27:15Canada, the hope
- 1:27:16is to, you know,
- 1:27:17right now, you
- 1:27:18know, green
- 1:27:19energy may be a
- 1:27:20little lower than
- 1:27:20fossil fuels. But
- 1:27:21as that grows, a
- 1:27:22fossil fuel will
- 1:27:23go down maybe to
- 1:27:24like 20 to 30
- 1:27:25percent of
- 1:27:26total energy.
- 1:27:28And I feel like
- 1:27:28that's what the
- 1:27:29world is trying
- 1:27:29to go towards
- 1:27:30when we keep
- 1:27:30hitting these
- 1:27:31balances,
- 1:27:31depending on
- 1:27:32who's who's in
- 1:27:33charge. But it's
- 1:27:34really weird when
- 1:27:34you know, like
- 1:27:35you said, you
- 1:27:36declared an
- 1:27:37emergent, an emergent, an energy emergency.
- 1:27:38And then all of a
- 1:27:40sudden, you're
- 1:27:41like, well, I'm
- 1:27:41going to kill off
- 1:27:41one this these
- 1:27:42projects that
- 1:27:43will help our
- 1:27:44energy. And I'm
- 1:27:45going to prop up
- 1:27:45the other one. It
- 1:27:46just goes like it
- 1:27:47for to me, it
- 1:27:47just looks like,
- 1:27:48okay, somebody's
- 1:27:49in your back,
- 1:27:49like you're in
- 1:27:50somebody's
- 1:27:50back pocket.
- 1:27:51And it's the
- 1:27:52fossil fuel
- 1:27:52industry. And
- 1:27:53they just want
- 1:27:53the domination of
- 1:27:55of energy, right?
- 1:27:56That's right. And
- 1:27:58they I mean,
- 1:27:58let's look at
- 1:27:59EVs, for example,
- 1:28:00that was another
- 1:28:00thing where
- 1:28:01they're there.
- 1:28:03They halted the
- 1:28:04rollout of the EV
- 1:28:06charging stations
- 1:28:07all across the
- 1:28:08country.
- 1:28:08There is there is
- 1:28:09money set aside
- 1:28:10for that. That's
- 1:28:11really critical
- 1:28:12for the adoption
- 1:28:13of EVs. They're
- 1:28:14trying to kill
- 1:28:14the $7500 tax
- 1:28:16credit for EVs
- 1:28:17that, again,
- 1:28:18makes some of
- 1:28:19these cars more
- 1:28:20affordable as we
- 1:28:21get, you know,
- 1:28:22from a less
- 1:28:22mature market
- 1:28:23into a more
- 1:28:24mature
- 1:28:24market for EVs.
- 1:28:25Meanwhile, China
- 1:28:26is is dominating
- 1:28:28that industry
- 1:28:28right now with
- 1:28:29BYD and and so
- 1:28:33there's just a
- 1:28:35lot of things
- 1:28:37that don't
- 1:28:37comport. Let me
- 1:28:38give you another
- 1:28:38example.
- 1:28:39Energy demand is
- 1:28:41growing for the
- 1:28:41first time in
- 1:28:42decades and it's
- 1:28:45it's largely due
- 1:28:46to
- 1:28:46electrification,
- 1:28:47including a
- 1:28:47vehicle's but
- 1:28:48also AI and data
- 1:28:49centers. You hear
- 1:28:50about that a lot.
- 1:28:50Yeah, and Bitcoin
- 1:28:53crypto mining.
- 1:28:57And and so
- 1:28:57there's a ton of
- 1:28:59energy demands
- 1:29:00that can't it
- 1:29:02won't be met.
- 1:29:02It's not keeping
- 1:29:03up at this point.
- 1:29:04And so that's why
- 1:29:05you need all the
- 1:29:06energy sources.
- 1:29:06And so, you know,
- 1:29:09the president has
- 1:29:09made clear he
- 1:29:10wants to win the
- 1:29:10AI race, but
- 1:29:11you're
- 1:29:12undermining that
- 1:29:13goal when you're
- 1:29:14cutting off.
- 1:29:16You're not, you
- 1:29:16know, they used
- 1:29:17to say all of the
- 1:29:18above. Now
- 1:29:19they're saying
- 1:29:19fossil fuel only
- 1:29:21and maybe
- 1:29:22nuclear.
- 1:29:23Yeah, yeah, yeah,
- 1:29:25exactly. And and
- 1:29:26I mean, it's
- 1:29:27always I mean,
- 1:29:28nuclear is always
- 1:29:29controversial for
- 1:29:31the for the, you
- 1:29:32know, a lot of
- 1:29:32people. I know
- 1:29:34why, you know, we
- 1:29:35have nuclear
- 1:29:36energy here and
- 1:29:37it's
- 1:29:37controversial
- 1:29:38here. It provides
- 1:29:39a lot of energy,
- 1:29:40but it's also if
- 1:29:40something goes
- 1:29:41wrong, we're all
- 1:29:42screwed, like for
- 1:29:43a long, like
- 1:29:44Chernobyl screwed
- 1:29:45and and that's a
- 1:29:46that's a
- 1:29:47big deal.
- 1:29:47There's a lot
- 1:29:50like even in
- 1:29:51these what five
- 1:29:52months that the
- 1:29:53Trump
- 1:29:53administration
- 1:29:54has been in power
- 1:29:55pretty much carte
- 1:29:56blanche of being
- 1:29:57able to what
- 1:29:57being able to do
- 1:29:58what we do. And
- 1:29:58as you mentioned,
- 1:29:59it's just really
- 1:29:59difficult to go
- 1:30:00through every
- 1:30:00single executive
- 1:30:01order that
- 1:30:01undermines
- 1:30:02anything around
- 1:30:03around
- 1:30:04climate action.
- 1:30:04In the next three
- 1:30:08and a half years,
- 1:30:10at least, I
- 1:30:10guess, what's the
- 1:30:13plan? Like, what
- 1:30:14are all of like,
- 1:30:15you know, clients
- 1:30:16and and that you
- 1:30:17have and the
- 1:30:18industry, the
- 1:30:19clean energy
- 1:30:20industry. How are
- 1:30:23they going to
- 1:30:24react to this?
- 1:30:25And how are they
- 1:30:25going to push
- 1:30:26forward to do the
- 1:30:27work that they
- 1:30:27want to do
- 1:30:28without the help
- 1:30:29of the federal government? Can they? And what's the plan?
- 1:30:31I think there's
- 1:30:34you have to look
- 1:30:36for what we
- 1:30:36advise with our
- 1:30:37clients is you
- 1:30:38have to find the
- 1:30:39small slivers of
- 1:30:40opportunity. You
- 1:30:42know, there's
- 1:30:42just kind of a
- 1:30:43reality shock to
- 1:30:47the system when
- 1:30:47you realize that it's such a change from where we were with the last administration. And so you just have to adjust kind of what the reality and to the new reality. And there are some opportunities. I was talking to a couple of people who are in the
- 1:30:48industry. And so, is there a way to make some progress with advanced geothermal make that bigger slice of the energy supply? You know,
- 1:30:49you also look to
- 1:30:50the states you
- 1:30:50want to find
- 1:30:50places where you
- 1:30:51can make progress
- 1:30:52with the new
- 1:30:56reality. And so,
- 1:31:02you know, I think
- 1:31:06that's a really good thing.
- 1:31:22But the one
- 1:31:23bigger thing that
- 1:31:24I would say is
- 1:31:24that even with
- 1:31:25the success to to
- 1:31:27a large extent
- 1:31:28with the
- 1:31:28legislation from a few years ago, the thing that still held up further deployment of clean energy was permitting challenges. It takes way too long to make progress with the state.
- 1:31:39And you have
- 1:31:40local
- 1:31:41communities, city
- 1:31:43councils, town,
- 1:31:44you know, county
- 1:31:44commissions
- 1:31:45voting to kill
- 1:31:47these projects
- 1:31:47because they have
- 1:31:483 people show up
- 1:31:49with oil and gas
- 1:31:50talking points about why solar array is bad.
- 1:31:51And so there
- 1:31:55needs to be more
- 1:31:56engagement at a
- 1:31:58local level from
- 1:31:59from people who
- 1:32:01just regular
- 1:32:02people in these
- 1:32:02communities who
- 1:32:03support these
- 1:32:04projects because
- 1:32:05they understand
- 1:32:05the benefits and
- 1:32:06not just falling
- 1:32:07prey to the
- 1:32:08talking points from the oil and gas industry.
- 1:32:08But there's an
- 1:32:12effort in the federal
- 1:32:13government to do
- 1:32:14some sort of
- 1:32:15permitting reform
- 1:32:16that can make
- 1:32:18things a little
- 1:32:18bit more
- 1:32:18efficient. It's
- 1:32:19not, you know, it
- 1:32:21still protects
- 1:32:21the environment
- 1:32:22but understands
- 1:32:24that there's, you
- 1:32:25know, who's going
- 1:32:25to invest in a
- 1:32:26project that
- 1:32:27takes 17 years to actually get it from start to finish.
- 1:32:27It's just no one
- 1:32:31can see no one
- 1:32:32can think that's
- 1:32:33a good idea. And
- 1:32:35so that's the
- 1:32:36last it's kind of
- 1:32:37like the last
- 1:32:38mile challenge
- 1:32:38once you have we
- 1:32:39did have good.
- 1:32:40It's still in
- 1:32:41place. So I won't
- 1:32:42say it's gone
- 1:32:43yet, but we have
- 1:32:44good
- 1:32:44policy in place.
- 1:32:46And the last step
- 1:32:47there is to
- 1:32:47actually get it
- 1:32:48deployed and up and running and we need that we need it to be in service.
- 1:32:48Let me ask you
- 1:32:53this because you
- 1:32:54we talk a lot
- 1:32:55about times
- 1:32:55regulation gets
- 1:32:56in the way and
- 1:32:57and you know
- 1:32:57fossil fuel
- 1:32:58industries will
- 1:32:59talk about
- 1:32:59regulation
- 1:32:59getting in the
- 1:33:00way and then
- 1:33:00clean energy as
- 1:33:02you mentioned
- 1:33:02gets in the way
- 1:33:03for it seems for
- 1:33:04different
- 1:33:05reasons.
- 1:33:05So can you
- 1:33:05clarify this for
- 1:33:06me? So in Canada
- 1:33:07anyway, and
- 1:33:08probably us, you
- 1:33:09know, when fossil
- 1:33:10fuels complain
- 1:33:11about policy
- 1:33:12getting in the
- 1:33:12way. It's usually
- 1:33:13environmental
- 1:33:14policy, right?
- 1:33:15It's usually have
- 1:33:16to do with drilling in the ocean.
- 1:33:16And the
- 1:33:19regulations
- 1:33:19around that, you
- 1:33:21know, drilling on
- 1:33:22land and the
- 1:33:23regulations
- 1:33:24around that coal
- 1:33:25burning and so
- 1:33:26forth. And the
- 1:33:27regulations on
- 1:33:27that is the green
- 1:33:29energy industry
- 1:33:32finding that the
- 1:33:33regulations are
- 1:33:34the environmental
- 1:33:35regulations are also slowing those down.
- 1:33:36Well, I think I
- 1:33:39think the thing
- 1:33:39that slows it
- 1:33:40down is if you
- 1:33:41have to do four
- 1:33:41different
- 1:33:42environmental
- 1:33:42reviews, it's
- 1:33:43like, why can't
- 1:33:44these different
- 1:33:44layers of
- 1:33:45government just
- 1:33:45get on the same
- 1:33:46page? Maybe you
- 1:33:47do maybe do one
- 1:33:48environmental
- 1:33:49review. I don't
- 1:33:50know, make that
- 1:33:50thorough.
- 1:33:51Right, right.
- 1:33:53You know, you
- 1:33:53don't want to
- 1:33:53disrupt sensitive
- 1:33:55habitats. You
- 1:33:55don't want it.
- 1:33:56You know, you
- 1:33:56need to be
- 1:33:57mindful of these
- 1:33:58things. But
- 1:33:59again, doing it in a in a common sense way.
- 1:34:02And, you know, it
- 1:34:07just has to be
- 1:34:07more efficient.
- 1:34:08That's frankly,
- 1:34:10yeah, comes down
- 1:34:10comes down to you
- 1:34:11don't need three
- 1:34:12agencies doing
- 1:34:12their own study.
- 1:34:14And that's an
- 1:34:14interesting thing
- 1:34:15to guys it is it
- 1:34:16three agencies of
- 1:34:17the same level of
- 1:34:18government or is
- 1:34:19it three agencies
- 1:34:19of different
- 1:34:20levels of
- 1:34:20government?
- 1:34:21Because I assume
- 1:34:21if it's different
- 1:34:22levels of
- 1:34:22government, maybe
- 1:34:24those were put
- 1:34:24into place
- 1:34:25because like one
- 1:34:25level was a
- 1:34:27different party
- 1:34:28and then another
- 1:34:28level was a different party and they were worried that
- 1:34:29they were going to contradict
- 1:34:32each other or
- 1:34:33that it was
- 1:34:33better to
- 1:34:33contradict each
- 1:34:34other because one
- 1:34:34had more power of
- 1:34:35a certain area.
- 1:34:36You know how they
- 1:34:37play those types
- 1:34:37of games? Yeah,
- 1:34:39well, sometimes
- 1:34:39it's multiple at
- 1:34:40the federal level
- 1:34:41and sometimes
- 1:34:42it's it's it's
- 1:34:44multiple the
- 1:34:44federal level and
- 1:34:45at the state or
- 1:34:47yeah, probably
- 1:34:47the state level
- 1:34:48but so it can be
- 1:34:50all of those or
- 1:34:50any of those.
- 1:34:51Yeah, yeah, it's
- 1:34:52funny too because
- 1:34:53like one example
- 1:34:54from Canada that
- 1:34:54comes to mind
- 1:34:55there was in the
- 1:34:56Georgia Strait
- 1:34:57there was
- 1:34:57supposed to be a
- 1:34:58marine protected area that was supposed to be a marine protected area.
- 1:34:59And so it was supposed to be
- 1:34:59designated but it
- 1:35:01got held up for
- 1:35:01years because two
- 1:35:03departments of
- 1:35:04the federal
- 1:35:05government could
- 1:35:05not agree on who
- 1:35:07owns the rights
- 1:35:08to the the the
- 1:35:10sediment of at
- 1:35:12the bottom of the
- 1:35:12ocean and the
- 1:35:13water column. So
- 1:35:14they didn't agree
- 1:35:15on it and but
- 1:35:17they were the
- 1:35:17same, you know,
- 1:35:18government was
- 1:35:18the same party
- 1:35:19just two
- 1:35:19different
- 1:35:20departments
- 1:35:20couldn't agree on
- 1:35:21the same thing
- 1:35:22putting in a
- 1:35:22marine protected
- 1:35:23area because one
- 1:35:24owned that one
- 1:35:25was responsible
- 1:35:25for the sediment
- 1:35:26in the bottom and
- 1:35:27the other one was
- 1:35:28responsible for
- 1:35:28the the.
- 1:35:29The water column
- 1:35:30and I'm sure one
- 1:35:31was like, oh, no,
- 1:35:32we want to drill
- 1:35:32is natural
- 1:35:33resource Canada
- 1:35:33and it's it. So
- 1:35:34this happens a
- 1:35:35lot, you know, I
- 1:35:36think it's and
- 1:35:36you're right. I
- 1:35:37think it from a
- 1:35:38common sense
- 1:35:38point of view
- 1:35:39should just be
- 1:35:39one environmental
- 1:35:40impact
- 1:35:40assessment,
- 1:35:41whatever they
- 1:35:42want to call it,
- 1:35:43make it super
- 1:35:44thorough, cover
- 1:35:45all basis and
- 1:35:46that's what it
- 1:35:47should be and
- 1:35:47never be able to
- 1:35:48take it out. You
- 1:35:49know what I mean?
- 1:35:50I never be able
- 1:35:50to remove
- 1:35:51it, right?
- 1:35:51One of the
- 1:35:52important things
- 1:35:53and the
- 1:35:53discussions there
- 1:35:54was almost a deal
- 1:35:55on permitting
- 1:35:56reform at the end
- 1:35:57of the last
- 1:35:57Congress. So back
- 1:35:58in December and
- 1:36:00they couldn't
- 1:36:01quite get the
- 1:36:01final language
- 1:36:02right in time.
- 1:36:03But one of the
- 1:36:04important things
- 1:36:04to include that
- 1:36:05include in
- 1:36:06permitting reform
- 1:36:06is transmission.
- 1:36:08And, you know, we
- 1:36:08could have all
- 1:36:09these projects
- 1:36:09built even I
- 1:36:10should say the
- 1:36:11last I said the
- 1:36:11last mile was
- 1:36:12getting the bill
- 1:36:13last miles
- 1:36:13actually getting
- 1:36:14them hooked up to
- 1:36:14the grid. Right?
- 1:36:15You can't. Okay.
- 1:36:17If you're stuck
- 1:36:17in the in the
- 1:36:18queue for years.
- 1:36:20And it's
- 1:36:21something like
- 1:36:2190% of projects
- 1:36:23stuck in the
- 1:36:23queue or clean
- 1:36:24energy projects.
- 1:36:25If you can't do
- 1:36:26that, then
- 1:36:27they're just
- 1:36:28sitting there and
- 1:36:29they're not
- 1:36:29they're not
- 1:36:30putting electrons
- 1:36:31on the grid and
- 1:36:32we need all those
- 1:36:32electrons on the
- 1:36:33grid and
- 1:36:33especially the
- 1:36:34clean ones.
- 1:36:35Yeah. So if there
- 1:36:38is a way to get a
- 1:36:40bipartisan
- 1:36:40permitting reform
- 1:36:41bill that has the
- 1:36:43transmission
- 1:36:43piece and I think
- 1:36:44there could be a
- 1:36:44lot of support
- 1:36:45for that in
- 1:36:45Congress and that
- 1:36:46the president
- 1:36:47would probably
- 1:36:47sign something
- 1:36:48with that nature.
- 1:36:50Yeah. Now, you
- 1:36:51know, we talked a
- 1:36:51lot about and
- 1:36:52we're focusing a
- 1:36:52lot about federal
- 1:36:53policy right now,
- 1:36:54but some of the
- 1:36:55some of the
- 1:36:57strategies now is
- 1:36:58a lot of
- 1:36:58environmental and
- 1:36:59advocacy
- 1:36:59organizations are
- 1:37:00looking at state
- 1:37:01level, especially
- 1:37:03states who are
- 1:37:03looking to
- 1:37:04improve their environment, who are looking to improve their environment.
- 1:37:04Who are looking
- 1:37:05to shore up their
- 1:37:06protections and
- 1:37:07regulations on
- 1:37:08environment. Now,
- 1:37:09one example that
- 1:37:09I've heard that
- 1:37:10was recently that
- 1:37:10was really
- 1:37:11interesting is
- 1:37:12the green energy
- 1:37:13industry is
- 1:37:14booming in a
- 1:37:15Republican
- 1:37:16dominated Texas
- 1:37:17and they a lot of
- 1:37:19them had moved
- 1:37:20from California
- 1:37:21because of
- 1:37:21regulations into
- 1:37:23Texas because
- 1:37:25there were less
- 1:37:25that regulations
- 1:37:26to the chagrin of
- 1:37:27some Republicans
- 1:37:28apparently
- 1:37:28because they're
- 1:37:29like, wait, hold
- 1:37:30on a second.
- 1:37:30The green energy
- 1:37:31is coming in. We
- 1:37:31got to put in
- 1:37:32more regulations,
- 1:37:33but they kind of
- 1:37:33did it to
- 1:37:34themselves
- 1:37:34because they
- 1:37:35wanted energy,
- 1:37:36less energy
- 1:37:37regulations. And
- 1:37:38now there's a
- 1:37:39booming industry
- 1:37:39in clean energy.
- 1:37:41Are there ways
- 1:37:42that the clean
- 1:37:44energy industry
- 1:37:44is looking at
- 1:37:45these types of
- 1:37:47states that have
- 1:37:48less policy to
- 1:37:49implement green
- 1:37:49energy at the state level?
- 1:37:50Well, when you
- 1:37:52look at, you
- 1:37:52know, it's funny
- 1:37:53you mentioned
- 1:37:53Texas. They were
- 1:37:54they were
- 1:37:55debating,
- 1:37:56considering some
- 1:37:57really bad
- 1:37:58legislation that
- 1:37:59would have I
- 1:37:59think one of them
- 1:38:00would have
- 1:38:00required that I
- 1:38:03think it was 50
- 1:38:03percent of new
- 1:38:04generation had to
- 1:38:05be dispatchable.
- 1:38:06So basically had
- 1:38:08to be natural gas
- 1:38:09or they forced
- 1:38:10renewable energy
- 1:38:10projects to pay
- 1:38:11fees to the gas
- 1:38:12company. So
- 1:38:13thankfully that
- 1:38:14didn't go
- 1:38:14through. But, you
- 1:38:16know, Texas kind
- 1:38:18of does its own
- 1:38:18thing and every
- 1:38:19sense of every
- 1:38:20sense and
- 1:38:22certainly their
- 1:38:22other own
- 1:38:23grid or right.
- 1:38:24And and but wind
- 1:38:27is thriving their
- 1:38:28solar. It's like
- 1:38:29a lot of deals
- 1:38:30with landowners
- 1:38:31that benefit from
- 1:38:32from those
- 1:38:33projects and they
- 1:38:34have some of the
- 1:38:35largest some of
- 1:38:40the most supply
- 1:38:40of energy of
- 1:38:41clean energy in
- 1:38:42the country.
- 1:38:43And so they're
- 1:38:46not a surprise
- 1:38:46given the
- 1:38:47political makeup,
- 1:38:47but but yeah,
- 1:38:51they're they're
- 1:38:52they're
- 1:38:52Republican.
- 1:38:52There's a lot of
- 1:38:52Republican states
- 1:38:53that actually do
- 1:38:54enjoy wind energy
- 1:38:56and it's a
- 1:38:57critical part of
- 1:38:58their their
- 1:38:59energy sources.
- 1:39:01Energy makeup
- 1:39:01like looking at a
- 1:39:02state like Iowa,
- 1:39:04very Republican
- 1:39:04state, North
- 1:39:06Dakota, both
- 1:39:06Dakotas.
- 1:39:09There's some sort
- 1:39:10of chasm between
- 1:39:11onshore and
- 1:39:12offshore wind,
- 1:39:13but it's like I
- 1:39:19lost my train of
- 1:39:19thought here. No
- 1:39:20worries. No
- 1:39:21worries.
- 1:39:22Well, it's
- 1:39:23interesting,
- 1:39:24though, you
- 1:39:24mentioned
- 1:39:24because, you
- 1:39:25know, even within
- 1:39:26like ocean and
- 1:39:28land when like
- 1:39:30like I can drive
- 1:39:30along the states
- 1:39:31and I've driven
- 1:39:32in many of the
- 1:39:33states and I see
- 1:39:34like on like
- 1:39:35onshore wind.
- 1:39:35I see on land
- 1:39:36that you see the
- 1:39:37big windmills. We
- 1:39:38see it here in in
- 1:39:39Ontario because
- 1:39:40we have like a
- 1:39:40big wind area,
- 1:39:41you know,
- 1:39:42migratory birds
- 1:39:42and so forth.
- 1:39:45But offshore wind
- 1:39:46seems to get a
- 1:39:47lot of flak.
- 1:39:48Like, you know,
- 1:39:48from some some
- 1:39:51environmental
- 1:39:52concerns in terms
- 1:39:54of of seabirds
- 1:39:55and what the what
- 1:39:57the environmental
- 1:39:57ramifications are
- 1:39:59going to be of
- 1:39:59having an actual
- 1:40:00like physical
- 1:40:01body in there in
- 1:40:03on the seabed.
- 1:40:04But not as much,
- 1:40:06you know, as as
- 1:40:07like oil and gas
- 1:40:07and so forth
- 1:40:08because of spills
- 1:40:09and and and the
- 1:40:10damage. But the
- 1:40:12Republicans
- 1:40:13lately have been
- 1:40:14been like, yeah,
- 1:40:15offshore wind is
- 1:40:16no good.
- 1:40:16Like, even before
- 1:40:17Trump got in, a
- 1:40:18lot of the
- 1:40:18Republicans were
- 1:40:19like, no, we need
- 1:40:19to get this.
- 1:40:20Like, we're
- 1:40:20concerned about
- 1:40:21the whales all of
- 1:40:22a sudden. They're
- 1:40:23concerned about
- 1:40:23the whales and so forth.
- 1:40:24Yet they're, you
- 1:40:26know, obviously
- 1:40:26the hypocrisy is
- 1:40:27crazy, but
- 1:40:28they're they're
- 1:40:28obviously
- 1:40:29concerned about
- 1:40:29the whales all of
- 1:40:30a sudden. And
- 1:40:31that is crazy to
- 1:40:33me to have like
- 1:40:34that dichotomy
- 1:40:35between land and
- 1:40:36and offshore.
- 1:40:38Where is that
- 1:40:39coming from? Why
- 1:40:40is it so
- 1:40:40worrisome to have
- 1:40:42offshore wind for
- 1:40:43a lot of people?
- 1:40:43You know, I I
- 1:40:46hate to simplify
- 1:40:47it this much, but
- 1:40:48I think it
- 1:40:48unfortunately
- 1:40:49comes down to the
- 1:40:49fact that the
- 1:40:51president just
- 1:40:52does not like
- 1:40:53wind. And I think
- 1:40:55the source of
- 1:40:55that might have
- 1:40:56something to do
- 1:40:56with, you know, a
- 1:40:59project in and
- 1:41:00might even off
- 1:41:00the coast of
- 1:41:00Scotland that he
- 1:41:01was building.
- 1:41:02Oh, right. And
- 1:41:04there is some
- 1:41:06controversy
- 1:41:06around maybe some
- 1:41:08some wind. One of
- 1:41:09his golf courses.
- 1:41:10Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
- 1:41:11One of his
- 1:41:12resource he was
- 1:41:13he was building
- 1:41:13or I'm not up to
- 1:41:16date on all the
- 1:41:17details, but
- 1:41:17that's been cited
- 1:41:18as maybe the
- 1:41:19origin of his his
- 1:41:20hatred for wind.
- 1:41:22And then he goes
- 1:41:22on to say things
- 1:41:23like it causes
- 1:41:24cancer and all
- 1:41:25these
- 1:41:25absurd claims.
- 1:41:27So, you know,
- 1:41:29there are some
- 1:41:29Republicans in
- 1:41:30the, you know, in
- 1:41:31Congress that are
- 1:41:32supportive of
- 1:41:33wind, but it's a
- 1:41:34challenging. I
- 1:41:35mean, the
- 1:41:36toughest place to
- 1:41:37be right now is
- 1:41:38in the offshore
- 1:41:38wind industry in
- 1:41:40the
- 1:41:40United States.
- 1:41:40It's just very
- 1:41:41difficult to see
- 1:41:44a path forward in
- 1:41:46the next few
- 1:41:46years. So I feel
- 1:41:49for folks dealing
- 1:41:51with that
- 1:41:51challenge at this
- 1:41:52point, because
- 1:41:52it's not even
- 1:41:53based on logic or
- 1:41:55sound policy
- 1:41:57considerations.
- 1:41:57It's just based
- 1:41:58on the
- 1:41:59president's
- 1:42:00personal dislike
- 1:42:01for for
- 1:42:03windbills.
- 1:42:04So it's it's it's
- 1:42:05I'm not sure how
- 1:42:06you can move him
- 1:42:07from that
- 1:42:08position. Right.
- 1:42:10All these things
- 1:42:11are happening.
- 1:42:13You know, the the
- 1:42:13changing of the
- 1:42:14guard, so to
- 1:42:14speak, in terms
- 1:42:15of Republican and
- 1:42:16Democrat
- 1:42:17presidential
- 1:42:17races. And now
- 1:42:18that we have a
- 1:42:19Republican
- 1:42:20dominated house,
- 1:42:22you know, and,
- 1:42:23you know, from
- 1:42:242016 to 2020 as
- 1:42:25Republicans and
- 1:42:25Democrats, then
- 1:42:26the Republicans
- 1:42:27again, it slows
- 1:42:29down the movement
- 1:42:30of clean energy
- 1:42:30development.
- 1:42:32What are the
- 1:42:33consequences of
- 1:42:34that for the
- 1:42:34future? You know,
- 1:42:36like we're
- 1:42:37looking at
- 1:42:37another four
- 1:42:37years of slowing
- 1:42:39down, even
- 1:42:39halting projects.
- 1:42:42Like how how
- 1:42:43worrisome is
- 1:42:44this? Like how
- 1:42:45worry should be
- 1:42:45like should the
- 1:42:46American citizens
- 1:42:47be about, you
- 1:42:49know, this
- 1:42:49slowdown? Like I
- 1:42:50feel it's there's
- 1:42:51always going to
- 1:42:52be a push and
- 1:42:52green energy is
- 1:42:54going in
- 1:42:54renewable energy
- 1:42:55is going to build
- 1:42:55no matter what.
- 1:42:57This is just
- 1:42:57going to slow it
- 1:42:58down a little
- 1:42:58bit. But what are
- 1:42:59the consequences
- 1:43:00and what should
- 1:43:01should Americans
- 1:43:01be
- 1:43:02concerned about?
- 1:43:04Well, businesses
- 1:43:05and project
- 1:43:06funders think not
- 1:43:09in terms of a
- 1:43:10four year
- 1:43:10political cycle,
- 1:43:11but in a much
- 1:43:12longer business
- 1:43:13cycle. And
- 1:43:14they're going to
- 1:43:15build where they
- 1:43:17can have
- 1:43:17favorable policy
- 1:43:18and more
- 1:43:18certainty.
- 1:43:19And the swinging
- 1:43:20back and forth is
- 1:43:22politically is
- 1:43:25very challenging
- 1:43:25to count on
- 1:43:26anything. And,
- 1:43:27you know, I agree
- 1:43:29with you. The
- 1:43:30development with
- 1:43:31clean energy is
- 1:43:32going to
- 1:43:32continue. Maybe
- 1:43:33not as quickly as
- 1:43:35we would like it
- 1:43:35to because of
- 1:43:36some of the
- 1:43:36political
- 1:43:37setbacks.
- 1:43:37But if it's not
- 1:43:39the United
- 1:43:39States, they're
- 1:43:40going to go to
- 1:43:40these these folks
- 1:43:42are smart and
- 1:43:43they're capable
- 1:43:43and they don't
- 1:43:44want to sit back.
- 1:43:44There's a real
- 1:43:45urgency with with
- 1:43:46them. And so
- 1:43:47they're going to
- 1:43:47go to other
- 1:43:47countries.
- 1:43:48They're going to
- 1:43:48go to
- 1:43:49maybe Canada.
- 1:43:49They're going to
- 1:43:50go to places in
- 1:43:51Europe. They're
- 1:43:52going to go to
- 1:43:52places in Asia,
- 1:43:53other places
- 1:43:54around the world.
- 1:43:55They're going to
- 1:43:55let them build
- 1:43:56and give them
- 1:43:57give them the
- 1:43:59room to grow.
- 1:44:00And it would be
- 1:44:02really
- 1:44:02unfortunate that
- 1:44:03innovation that
- 1:44:04historically has
- 1:44:05happened to the
- 1:44:06United States,
- 1:44:07you know, left
- 1:44:08left our shores
- 1:44:09and went
- 1:44:10elsewhere because
- 1:44:11it will put the
- 1:44:12United States at
- 1:44:13a disadvantage.
- 1:44:13Again, it doesn't
- 1:44:14it doesn't fit
- 1:44:16with what the
- 1:44:18president says is
- 1:44:18his goal is to be
- 1:44:20winning all these.
- 1:44:20I mentioned the
- 1:44:22AI race, but it's
- 1:44:23to be winning all
- 1:44:25in all these
- 1:44:25industries. You
- 1:44:26don't want to
- 1:44:27seed ground to
- 1:44:29China, to other
- 1:44:30countries. You
- 1:44:32want to be
- 1:44:32building that
- 1:44:33industry here.
- 1:44:34And so it's hard
- 1:44:36to square those
- 1:44:37those two things.
- 1:44:39Yeah, it's
- 1:44:40definitely
- 1:44:40interesting.
- 1:44:41You mentioned
- 1:44:43earlier about,
- 1:44:44you know,
- 1:44:46informing and
- 1:44:47getting more
- 1:44:48people locally to
- 1:44:49speak up for
- 1:44:50renewable energy
- 1:44:52in their areas,
- 1:44:53whether that's at
- 1:44:53the state level,
- 1:44:54whether that's at
- 1:44:55the county level
- 1:44:55or even at the local level.
- 1:44:56From you, like,
- 1:44:59you know, a comms
- 1:45:00guy, you know,
- 1:45:01having a comms
- 1:45:02firm is the
- 1:45:04messaging now
- 1:45:04targeted at the
- 1:45:06general public in
- 1:45:07specific areas
- 1:45:08where there's
- 1:45:08opportunities to
- 1:45:09shift the mindset
- 1:45:12of the of local
- 1:45:13government or
- 1:45:14county
- 1:45:14governments or
- 1:45:15state governments
- 1:45:16to say, hey,
- 1:45:17look, you know,
- 1:45:18people actually want this.
- 1:45:18And so it's more
- 1:45:20of renewable
- 1:45:21energy literacy,
- 1:45:23as we would do in
- 1:45:24ocean literacy is
- 1:45:25like build up
- 1:45:25that ocean
- 1:45:26literacy so
- 1:45:26people understand
- 1:45:27what's possible
- 1:45:29and how their
- 1:45:29communities can
- 1:45:30be helped.
- 1:45:31I think that's
- 1:45:31right, Andrew. I
- 1:45:32think there's
- 1:45:33there's some
- 1:45:33great people out
- 1:45:34there doing work
- 1:45:35that's very
- 1:45:36focused on this
- 1:45:36very challenge.
- 1:45:37And there's one
- 1:45:38group I'll
- 1:45:39mention called
- 1:45:41Green Light
- 1:45:41America, which
- 1:45:42has like this
- 1:45:43alert system so
- 1:45:45they can see
- 1:45:46whenever there's
- 1:45:47a project on the docket,
- 1:45:47being considered
- 1:45:49by a local
- 1:45:49government and
- 1:45:50then they can get
- 1:45:51into that
- 1:45:51community, talk
- 1:45:52to and they have
- 1:45:53organizers that
- 1:45:54can talk to
- 1:45:54people who live
- 1:45:55there because the
- 1:45:57people, the local
- 1:45:58elected officials
- 1:45:58don't care about
- 1:45:59people coming from
- 1:45:59Washington, D.C.
- 1:46:01They care about
- 1:46:01people in their
- 1:46:02community and
- 1:46:03speaking in favor
- 1:46:04of these projects
- 1:46:05and it's kind of
- 1:46:06starting to
- 1:46:06trying to get
- 1:46:07over this this
- 1:46:08nimbyism problem
- 1:46:09that people don't
- 1:46:10want things
- 1:46:10built, even if
- 1:46:11they in theory
- 1:46:12agree with it
- 1:46:13would agree with the idea.
- 1:46:13And so, you know,
- 1:46:18and getting that
- 1:46:18messaging right,
- 1:46:19talking about all
- 1:46:20the benefits and
- 1:46:21not just letting
- 1:46:23the oil and gas
- 1:46:24talking points
- 1:46:25win the day
- 1:46:26because if one
- 1:46:27one person shows
- 1:46:28up saying they
- 1:46:29don't like the
- 1:46:29project and we're
- 1:46:31losing by forfeit
- 1:46:32because no one
- 1:46:33else shows up from our side.
- 1:46:33You know, if
- 1:46:36you're a local
- 1:46:36elected official,
- 1:46:37you're going to
- 1:46:37listen to the
- 1:46:38person who came
- 1:46:38and showed up and
- 1:46:39there has to be a
- 1:46:40counter to that
- 1:46:41and hopefully
- 1:46:41more than just a
- 1:46:42counter but an
- 1:46:44overwhelming
- 1:46:44sense that we
- 1:46:45want this.
- 1:46:46And that's the
- 1:46:48challenge that we
- 1:46:48have to solve for
- 1:46:49right now. And
- 1:46:50one of the
- 1:46:51challenge, one of
- 1:46:51the challenges,
- 1:46:52there's a lot of
- 1:46:52challenges.
- 1:46:53Well, and how do
- 1:46:55you motivate
- 1:46:55people to change
- 1:46:56that behavior?
- 1:46:57Because, you
- 1:46:57know, you get
- 1:46:58people in your
- 1:46:58local communities
- 1:46:59who will complain
- 1:47:00about whatever,
- 1:47:01right? And even
- 1:47:02say like, yeah,
- 1:47:02I'd love to see
- 1:47:03when you know my
- 1:47:03energy, but it's
- 1:47:04not going
- 1:47:04to happen.
- 1:47:05You know, there's
- 1:47:05too many things
- 1:47:06going about it.
- 1:47:07How do you
- 1:47:07motivate people
- 1:47:08to change
- 1:47:08behavior, which
- 1:47:09is so hard, like
- 1:47:10from what I
- 1:47:10learned is to
- 1:47:11change people's
- 1:47:12behavior around a
- 1:47:12specific topic.
- 1:47:13But in this case,
- 1:47:14to motivate them
- 1:47:15to go to a
- 1:47:16meeting or go to
- 1:47:17a public meeting
- 1:47:18to say, Hey,
- 1:47:18look, I want
- 1:47:19this. We should
- 1:47:21be considering
- 1:47:21this and talking
- 1:47:22to their local
- 1:47:24officials. How do
- 1:47:25you motivate that
- 1:47:26from a comms
- 1:47:27perspective?
- 1:47:28Well, I'd say
- 1:47:28generally
- 1:47:29speaking, the
- 1:47:30biggest, the most
- 1:47:32effective way to
- 1:47:32motivate people
- 1:47:33is if they feel
- 1:47:34like they have
- 1:47:34something to
- 1:47:34lose. And that's
- 1:47:36not always
- 1:47:36applicable
- 1:47:37here. Right.
- 1:47:38But you do have
- 1:47:39to put it into
- 1:47:40terms that
- 1:47:40matter. It's not
- 1:47:41big, bigger
- 1:47:42picture, helping
- 1:47:43climate change.
- 1:47:44Some people will
- 1:47:45be motivated by
- 1:47:45that, which is
- 1:47:46great. But a lot
- 1:47:48of people need to
- 1:47:48know, well, my,
- 1:47:49you know, my
- 1:47:50electric bill
- 1:47:51could go down or,
- 1:47:52you know, we're
- 1:47:54going to have
- 1:47:54cleaner air in
- 1:47:55our community for
- 1:47:56our kids and for
- 1:47:57everybody.
- 1:47:57Or, you know, if
- 1:48:01we're shutting
- 1:48:01down a coal
- 1:48:02plants, that's,
- 1:48:03that's, you know,
- 1:48:04you can kind of
- 1:48:04tell, yeah,
- 1:48:05pretty tangible.
- 1:48:07Yeah. So it is
- 1:48:08finding those
- 1:48:09tangible benefits
- 1:48:10that if the
- 1:48:11project doesn't
- 1:48:12go through that
- 1:48:13they're going to
- 1:48:14miss out on.
- 1:48:15Yeah, that's
- 1:48:16really, really
- 1:48:16interesting. What
- 1:48:18are some of the
- 1:48:18other you
- 1:48:18mentioned just
- 1:48:19really quickly
- 1:48:19that there are so
- 1:48:20many challenges.
- 1:48:22Can you talk
- 1:48:22about like
- 1:48:22another major
- 1:48:23challenge that
- 1:48:24people are that
- 1:48:25that we're seeing
- 1:48:25with with trying to push people to a new level?
- 1:48:28You know, green
- 1:48:29energy and
- 1:48:29renewable energy
- 1:48:29forward. You mean
- 1:48:31I have I haven't
- 1:48:31given you enough
- 1:48:32challenges yet.
- 1:48:33You should come
- 1:48:35to Washington and
- 1:48:36spend a few
- 1:48:36days here.
- 1:48:37There's lots of
- 1:48:40challenges. No,
- 1:48:41we've discussed a
- 1:48:42lot of is there
- 1:48:42anything that the
- 1:48:43people should
- 1:48:43know about that
- 1:48:44they may not,
- 1:48:45they may not be
- 1:48:46aware of.
- 1:48:46You know, there's
- 1:48:48there's a lot of
- 1:48:49headlines and I
- 1:48:49don't I imagine
- 1:48:50you all were
- 1:48:51seeing these two,
- 1:48:53but the firing of
- 1:48:54federal staffers.
- 1:48:55Yeah, you know,
- 1:48:56entire
- 1:48:57departments and
- 1:48:57agencies for
- 1:48:58science out
- 1:48:59the window.
- 1:49:00We're not even
- 1:49:01tracking
- 1:49:01greenhouse gas
- 1:49:02emissions in the
- 1:49:03same way. And if
- 1:49:04you can't track
- 1:49:05or measure
- 1:49:05something, how
- 1:49:06are you going to
- 1:49:07adjust and do
- 1:49:08things
- 1:49:08differently?
- 1:49:09You know, but
- 1:49:10also some of the
- 1:49:11areas that like
- 1:49:13maybe a
- 1:49:14permitting
- 1:49:15reform, for
- 1:49:15example, you need
- 1:49:17federal
- 1:49:17government
- 1:49:17workers and some
- 1:49:18of these agencies
- 1:49:19to actually do
- 1:49:20that work.
- 1:49:21And, you know, we
- 1:49:22talk about
- 1:49:23speeding things
- 1:49:23up. But if you
- 1:49:24can't even get
- 1:49:24the people to do
- 1:49:25the environmental
- 1:49:26review because
- 1:49:27there's no staff,
- 1:49:28it's going to
- 1:49:28take longer. So
- 1:49:30it just flies in
- 1:49:32the face of the
- 1:49:33stated goals of
- 1:49:34this
- 1:49:34administration.
- 1:49:36So, yeah, those
- 1:49:40are some other
- 1:49:40challenges. I
- 1:49:42think the biggest
- 1:49:43and this is
- 1:49:43coming back to
- 1:49:44the
- 1:49:44communications
- 1:49:45world that I
- 1:49:46think about quite
- 1:49:47a bit. It's just
- 1:49:48the
- 1:49:48misinformation
- 1:49:49and the eco, the
- 1:49:50ecosystem for
- 1:49:52opponents of what
- 1:49:53we're of what we
- 1:49:54do is a machine.
- 1:49:56And it's very,
- 1:49:58very hard to
- 1:49:59compete and
- 1:50:00counter that. And
- 1:50:01so that's
- 1:50:02something that I
- 1:50:03mean, our team is
- 1:50:04always trying to
- 1:50:04think about how
- 1:50:05do we how do we
- 1:50:06push back against
- 1:50:07that and make
- 1:50:08sure to get the
- 1:50:09facts out there?
- 1:50:10And so, you know,
- 1:50:12too much of what
- 1:50:12is decided in
- 1:50:13Washington these
- 1:50:14days is not about
- 1:50:15facts, but just
- 1:50:16about pure
- 1:50:17politics and
- 1:50:19loyalty to one
- 1:50:20person and the
- 1:50:23the, you know,
- 1:50:24the robust
- 1:50:24debates about the
- 1:50:27benefits and
- 1:50:27shortcomings of
- 1:50:29certain policies.
- 1:50:30It just doesn't
- 1:50:31really have the
- 1:50:32same impact. It
- 1:50:33doesn't really
- 1:50:33happen to the
- 1:50:34same extent.
- 1:50:36For sure. I know
- 1:50:38it's a tough time
- 1:50:39for climate
- 1:50:39policy and
- 1:50:40communications.
- 1:50:42What is your
- 1:50:43hopeful moment
- 1:50:44that you have,
- 1:50:46you know, in the
- 1:50:46next little bit?
- 1:50:47Like, what what
- 1:50:48do you hope for?
- 1:50:49And what is your
- 1:50:50sort of light at
- 1:50:50the end of the
- 1:50:51tunnel in this in
- 1:50:52this dark time?
- 1:50:54I think I
- 1:50:56mentioned all
- 1:50:57these challenges.
- 1:50:57But when I think
- 1:50:58of the the
- 1:50:59climate tech
- 1:50:59entrepreneurs who
- 1:51:01they don't let a
- 1:51:02challenge stop
- 1:51:03them, like they
- 1:51:04are they see a
- 1:51:06challenge and
- 1:51:06they're inspired
- 1:51:08and excited,
- 1:51:08trying to figure
- 1:51:09out how to
- 1:51:09overcome it.
- 1:51:11And, you know, if
- 1:51:11you look at all
- 1:51:12these climate
- 1:51:13tech companies,
- 1:51:14the the ways
- 1:51:15they're trying to
- 1:51:15address climate
- 1:51:16change, the
- 1:51:17it ranges.
- 1:51:18It's all over the
- 1:51:19map and there's
- 1:51:20thousands of
- 1:51:20them. And I think
- 1:51:21I'm inspired by,
- 1:51:22you know, some of
- 1:51:23those are going
- 1:51:23to end up being
- 1:51:24real significant
- 1:51:24players in this
- 1:51:25in this ecosystem
- 1:51:26over the
- 1:51:27years to come.
- 1:51:29And I just, you
- 1:51:31know, they're
- 1:51:31going to continue
- 1:51:31doing what
- 1:51:32they're going to
- 1:51:32do, regardless of
- 1:51:33what politics in
- 1:51:35D.C. is
- 1:51:35dictating. Right.
- 1:51:36And that, that to
- 1:51:38me is where
- 1:51:39there's hope and,
- 1:51:41you know, they if
- 1:51:42they can overcome
- 1:51:43this period and
- 1:51:43then imagine when
- 1:51:44there's actually
- 1:51:45favorable
- 1:51:45policies in
- 1:51:46place, how that
- 1:51:47can help
- 1:51:47supercharge even
- 1:51:48further.
- 1:51:49So it's OK. Make
- 1:51:52as much progress
- 1:51:52as we can in
- 1:51:53these next three
- 1:51:54and a half years.
- 1:51:55Stop as much bad
- 1:51:56stuff as we can
- 1:51:57in this
- 1:51:58time period.
- 1:51:58Yeah. And then,
- 1:51:59you know, try to,
- 1:52:01you know, try to
- 1:52:03be in a place
- 1:52:03come 2029, which
- 1:52:05feels so far from
- 1:52:06now, being a
- 1:52:09place where we
- 1:52:10can actually go
- 1:52:10on offense and
- 1:52:12make the progress
- 1:52:13that I'd say most
- 1:52:15people
- 1:52:16agree with.
- 1:52:17Yeah. No, I love
- 1:52:18it. I love it. I
- 1:52:18love to end the
- 1:52:19interview on
- 1:52:20this. Chris,
- 1:52:20thank you so much
- 1:52:21for that hopeful
- 1:52:23moment and to
- 1:52:24inform us all
- 1:52:25about what's
- 1:52:25happening in the
- 1:52:26U.S. with
- 1:52:26climate policy.
- 1:52:27And we appreciate
- 1:52:29the work that you
- 1:52:29do and all the
- 1:52:30all of your
- 1:52:31clients do to
- 1:52:32kind of continue
- 1:52:33to push the
- 1:52:33envelope in
- 1:52:34making renewable
- 1:52:35energy more
- 1:52:36accessible, you
- 1:52:37know, pushing
- 1:52:38policy to make
- 1:52:39less regulation
- 1:52:39so we can get it
- 1:52:40even further down
- 1:52:41the road.
- 1:52:42Really appreciate
- 1:52:43that. Learning a
- 1:52:44lot. Love to
- 1:52:44invite you back
- 1:52:45to talk more.
- 1:52:46Hopefully, good,
- 1:52:46more good news
- 1:52:47later on as we as
- 1:52:48we get closer to
- 1:52:492029. But I
- 1:52:50definitely
- 1:52:50appreciate all
- 1:52:51the work you're
- 1:52:51doing. Thank you
- 1:52:52so much.
- 1:52:53Great to be on
- 1:52:53with you, Andrew.
- 1:52:54Enjoy the
- 1:52:54conversation.
- 1:52:55Appreciate it.
- 1:52:55Thank you, Chris,
- 1:52:56for joining us on
- 1:52:57today's episode
- 1:52:57of the How to
- 1:52:58Protect the Ocean
- 1:52:58podcast. It was
- 1:52:59great to be able
- 1:53:00to talk about
- 1:53:00U.S. policy, even
- 1:53:01though it's a
- 1:53:02grim time. It's a
- 1:53:03dark time in U.S.
- 1:53:04climate policy,
- 1:53:04but there's a
- 1:53:05light at the end
- 1:53:06of the tunnel.
- 1:53:07And that's that
- 1:53:07entrepreneurial
- 1:53:07spirit.
- 1:53:09People want
- 1:53:09renewable energy.
- 1:53:11People have this
- 1:53:11mission to bring
- 1:53:12renewable energy,
- 1:53:14not only to the
- 1:53:14U.S., but to the
- 1:53:15world. And it's
- 1:53:16growing and
- 1:53:16growing and
- 1:53:17growing, even
- 1:53:18though the fossil
- 1:53:18fuel industry
- 1:53:19doesn't want to
- 1:53:19have that
- 1:53:20competition.
- 1:53:20They're not going
- 1:53:21to be able to get
- 1:53:22around it.
- 1:53:22People want it.
- 1:53:23If you look
- 1:53:24around your local
- 1:53:25town, you look
- 1:53:25around your city,
- 1:53:26you look around
- 1:53:27your state,
- 1:53:28you're seeing
- 1:53:28more changes
- 1:53:29happen for
- 1:53:30renewable energy
- 1:53:31projects. You're
- 1:53:32seeing more EVs.
- 1:53:33You're seeing
- 1:53:34more hydro
- 1:53:35projects. You're
- 1:53:36seeing more solar
- 1:53:37projects. You're
- 1:53:38seeing more wind
- 1:53:39projects and even
- 1:53:40tidal projects.
- 1:53:41If you live along
- 1:53:42the coastline,
- 1:53:43there's a lot of
- 1:53:43projects that are
- 1:53:44going on. Not
- 1:53:45fast enough.
- 1:53:45And a lot of
- 1:53:47times the holdup
- 1:53:47has nothing to do
- 1:53:48with
- 1:53:48environmental
- 1:53:49problems or
- 1:53:50regulations. It
- 1:53:50has to do with
- 1:53:51other regulations
- 1:53:52that are put in
- 1:53:52place to slow
- 1:53:53down green
- 1:53:53energy,
- 1:53:54especially even
- 1:53:55if you're allowed
- 1:53:56to do it and you
- 1:53:56have these
- 1:53:57Republicans or
- 1:53:57you have these
- 1:53:58conservatives who
- 1:53:59are trying to
- 1:53:59halt it for
- 1:53:59some reason.
- 1:54:00For example,
- 1:54:01Donald Trump
- 1:54:02calling an energy
- 1:54:03emergency yet
- 1:54:04canceling energy
- 1:54:05projects that
- 1:54:05renewable
- 1:54:06projects that
- 1:54:06will actually
- 1:54:07increase energy
- 1:54:08production in the
- 1:54:09U.S. So there's a
- 1:54:10lot of hypocrisy
- 1:54:11around it, but it
- 1:54:12doesn't get
- 1:54:13handled unless
- 1:54:14you fight for it,
- 1:54:16unless you talk
- 1:54:16to your local
- 1:54:17representatives,
- 1:54:18unless you take
- 1:54:19the talking
- 1:54:19points and
- 1:54:20understand the
- 1:54:21talking points
- 1:54:21that are coming
- 1:54:22from places like
- 1:54:23the ECHO
- 1:54:24Communication
- 1:54:24Advisors at Chris
- 1:54:25owns and the
- 1:54:26organizations
- 1:54:27that are involved
- 1:54:27in advocacy
- 1:54:28groups that are
- 1:54:28involved in
- 1:54:29pushing climate policy.
- 1:54:29So that we have a
- 1:54:31more balanced and
- 1:54:33more renewable
- 1:54:34energy progress
- 1:54:35in climate
- 1:54:37policy. So
- 1:54:37hopefully we'll
- 1:54:38get to there
- 1:54:38sometime soon,
- 1:54:39but it comes with
- 1:54:40you. You know,
- 1:54:41you can listen to
- 1:54:42these podcasts.
- 1:54:42You can talk to
- 1:54:43your local
- 1:54:43government
- 1:54:44officials and you
- 1:54:45can join the
- 1:54:46undertow at speak
- 1:54:46up for blue.com
- 1:54:47forward slash
- 1:54:48join the
- 1:54:49undertow. I'm
- 1:54:49going to share
- 1:54:50the ways to
- 1:54:51connect with
- 1:54:51Chris and his
- 1:54:52company and to
- 1:54:53learn more about
- 1:54:54climate policy in the U.S. If you look at the show notes, you'll be able to find that. But don't forget to join the undertow.
- 1:55:03I want to thank
- 1:55:03you so much for
- 1:55:04joining us on
- 1:55:05today's episode
- 1:55:05of the how to
- 1:55:06protect the
- 1:55:06podcast. I'm your
- 1:55:07host, Andrew
- 1:55:08Lewin from the
- 1:55:09true North strong
- 1:55:09and free. Have a
- 1:55:10great day. We'll
- 1:55:10talk to you next
- 1:55:11time. And happy
- 1:55:12conservation.