Power is Progress | The Fight for Global Energy Access | Bob Freling
Bob has been the executive director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (or SELF for short) since 1997. Under his leadership, SELF has installed over 650 solar energy systems in 25 countries, making it one of the world’s leading nongovernmental organizations that designs and implements solar energy-based solutions for those living without access to electricity. An early advocate of access to energy as being essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, he is widely considered an authority on the subject of energy poverty. During his tenure he has broadened SELF’s mission and vision to address the broader implications of energy poverty. In 2000, he developed the Whole Village Development Model, an innovative approach for using solar energy to help communities improve their health, education, food and water security, and economic development programs. In 2008, Bob received the King Hussein Leadership Award from Her Majesty Queen Noor.
Links______________________
SELF: https://www.self.org/Partner with SELF: https://www.self.org/partner-with-us/Bob's Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-freling
Timestamps
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0:00 - Introduction
1:12 - What is energy poverty and why is it important?
7:58 - Where is energy poverty most prevalent around the world?
11:08 - How much progress has been made with energy access over the past few decades
14:20 - What does life without electricity look like?
20:02 - What do people use at heat/light sources instead of electricity?
23:08 - The profound consequences of energy poverty
32:40 - Why can’t more communities be connected to the grid?
38:59 - What work does the Solar Electric Light Fund?
44:21 - What are the unexpected benefits of electrification?
47:36 - What is the road ahead for eliminating energy poverty and SELF?
53:20 - Final takeaways
13 Mar 2025
Misinformation 101: Climate Change Denial and How to Fight Back | Dr. John Cook, PhD
Today I am joined by Dr. John Cook. Dr Cook is a Senior Research Fellow with the Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change at the University of Melbourne. He obtained his PhD at the University of Western Australia, studying the cognitive psychology of climate science denial. His research focus is understanding and countering misinformation about climate change. In 2007, he founded Skeptical Science, a website which won the 2011 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for the Advancement of Climate Change Knowledge and 2016 Friend of the Planet Award from the National Center for Science Education. John authored the book Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change, that combines climate science, critical thinking, and cartoons to explain and counter climate misinformation. He also co-authored the college textbooks Climate Change: Examining the Facts and Climate Change Science: A Modern Synthesis and the book Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand. In 2013, he published a paper finding 97% scientific consensus on human-caused global warming, a finding that has been highlighted by President Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
Links______________________
John Cook: https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/1028119-john-cook
Cranky Uncle: https://crankyuncle.com/
Skeptical Science: https://skepticalscience.com/
Timestamps
_____________________
0:00 - Introduction
1:32 - Why can’t we ignore misinformation?
2:50 - What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?
7:20 - How has climate change denial changed over the past 20 years?
8:46 - Who are the sources of misinformation?
9:41 - Science denial is not a unique challenge
12:55 - Cognitive psychology and its importance in tackling climate change
17:55 - What are the drivers of belief in climate change misinformation?
21:23 - What are the types of climate change misinformation?
28:51 - The persuasiveness of purveyors of misinformation
31:51 - How can we counter misinformation?
42:48 - F.L.I.C.C. - The climate change misinformation taxonomy
43:40 - F - Fake experts
44:41 - L - Logical fallacies
49:37 - I - Impossible expectations
54:50 - C - Cherry-picking
59:55 - C - Conspiracy theories
1:02:28 - Misinformation breakdown - Example 1
1:08:07 - Misinformation breakdown - Example 2
1:11:19 - Misinformation breakdown - Example 3
1:07:22 - Final takeaways
27 Jan 2025
Carbon Markets 101: A Beginners Guide to Carbon Markets | Dr. Roger Cohen, PhD
Dr. Roger Cohen is an entrepreneur, focused on addressing climate change through innovative solutions. He leads C2Zero and the Real Carbon Price Index (RCPI), initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Roger was part of the founding team at BetaShares and has held senior roles at Macquarie Bank, Deutsche Bank, and NatWest. Roger has lectured in risk management to engineering students at the University of Sydney and serves as a senior adviser at the Monash Centre for Financial Studies. A Fulbright Scholar in the USA in 1988, Roger holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.
Links
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Roger’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/portablebeta/
Effectiveness of compliance market mechanisms: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143761
Only 20% of emissions are covered by compliance schemes: https://www.realcarbonindex.org/
Less than 16% of carbon credits issued constitute real emission reductions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53645-z
Corporations creating demand for low-integrity carbon offsets: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51151-w
Renewable energy offsets are no longer considered ‘high integrity’: https://icvcm.org/carbon-credits-from-current-renewable-energy-methodologies-will-not-receive-high-integrity-ccp-label/
Timestamps
____________________________________
0:00 Intro
1:00 - Consilience and Siloed Thinking
3:55 - A brief overview of carbon markets
18:06 - What are compliance carbon markets?
23:00 - Example 1: Carbon Tax
26:45 - Example 2: Emissions Trading Schemes
34:22 - Are compliance schemes effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions?
40:00 - Are compliance schemes reducing emissions fast enough?
46:22 - Summary of compliance carbon markets discussion
47:41 - What is the voluntary carbon markets?
49:31 - What are carbon offsets?
54:47 - What is the problem with carbon offsets?
1:04:07 - Do we need carbon offsets?
1:08:57 - Prognosis on the future of carbon markets
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