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Joshua Goldstein, co-author of "A Bright Future," explains why individual actions to help the planet don't add up to real change.
As society focuses on mitigating human climate impact, economies shift away from carbon-based energy sources — which impacts individuals, businesses and governments. Beyond subsidies and regulation, we’ll need to harness the power of business, investment markets and individual self-interest to create a safer and more prosperous world.
Anthropogenic climate change isn’t just real, it’s here. And there’s no time for any of us — governments, corporations, or individuals — to sit on the sidelines waiting to see how things play out. These sessions explore the current impacts of climate change, look for leaders to help us mitigate the disaster, and even offer a bit of hope — if we act now.
The impacts of the climate emergency are felt by populations worldwide, and they increasingly shape whether, where, and how people migrate. Mayors, city governments, non-profits, and local businesses are learning to confront the challenges at the intersection of climate change, migration, and displacement—along with the interconnected economic, social, and climatic element...
More than 8% of US greenhouse gas emissions originate in the health sector. Recognizing the urgency of change, almost 1,000 hospitals, industry organizations, and trade associations have embraced the federal government’s voluntary Health Sector Climate Pledge, promising to cut their emissions in half by 2030. Practical, cost-effective actions with dramatic payoffs include...
Since Syria and Nicaragua joined the Paris Accord last fall, the United States stands alone as the only country on the planet to reject the pact. President Trump’s withdrawal, after President Obama was fundamental in forming the agreement, means an abandonment of prominent leadership just as the rest of the world’s governments and companies are moving forward to combat cli...
The award-winning economist Mariana Mazzucato has been called the “world’s scariest economist.” Why? She challenges us to reconsider capitalism as it exists today. Focusing on innovation-led, inclusive, and sustainable growth, Mazzucato examines the critical — and misunderstood — role that governments play in fostering innovation. Her latest book, The Value of Everything,...
Cities are responsible for 70 percent of global carbon emissions, and by 2050, two out of every three people will live in one. Fortunately, cities are getting serious about environmental footprint — New York announced its own Green New Deal, Melbourne aims to be carbon neutral by 2020, and Los Angeles will use 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. Mayors are often more nim...
Aspen Ideas: Health Engaging Local Issues Series: In Roaring Fork Valley, the realities of climate change are never far from our lives. Pests and invasive plants are altering our ecology, warming trends are likely to ignite ever-larger fires, and an economy built around outdoor activities could be transformed. The term “climate anxiety” has been coined to suggest the inten...
Renewables are on the rise, but so is fossil fuel consumption as global development demands more and more. Does the oil and gas industry have a role in reaching net-zero goals? How do government policies shape the strategies of oil and gas giants as fossil fuels fade away?
Despite the worthy intentions of government and corporate leaders, the Paris Agreement targets of holding global warming to near 1.5°C may not be met, and many organizations say they don’t have plans and data to actually reach climate goals. This session will discuss strategies needed to design a net-zero future. Presented by Deloitte
Alaina Wood, aka "The Garbage Queen" on TikTok, shares the importance of imperfect sustainability and her advice for dealing with climate doom.
A problem as big as climate change relies on millions of incremental solutions of all sizes, but also requires leaders who can keep their eye on the big picture. Not all the movement on climate needs to come from the government, but making progress will rely in large part on executive action. Vice President Kamala Harris has a clear vision for the role that the U.S. govern...
How is constitutional law being harnessed to address climate change? Ahead of Aspen Ideas: Climate, we caught up with Andrea Rodgers, Senior Attorney at Our Children's Trust, whose environmental law practice is fighting on behalf of young people and future generations.
There's no denying the world is already paying for climate change. The price is stronger hurricanes, bigger wildfires, and unpredictable heat waves. So, how can people living on a changing globe literally pay to mitigate the effects of climate change? One solution is to utilize the social cost of carbon, says economist Michael Greenstone.
Can a transformative solution built on the conservative principles of free markets and limited government save the planet? Now that the United States is backing out of the Paris climate accord, many believe that any significant reduction to greenhouse gas emissions must be led by the business community. Can such a business-led effort to promote carbon dividends — carbon ta...
President Biden entered office identifying climate change as one of four historic crises facing the United States. Nearly two years later, detractors claim that a lack of urgency, the divisive state of Congress, and a combative Supreme Court could stifle his agenda. This conversation between Michael Regan, administrator of the EPA, and Gina McCarthy, the White House nation...
The story of corroded pipes and lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan – and its devastating consequences for children – might never have leapt into the national conscience without one determined pediatrician. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha documented and publicized the problem, enduring attacks on her credibility along the way, and now fights for interventions to mitigate the impact....
If the world is going to get to net-zero carbon emissions, we’ll need comprehensive, systemic change. We also need to recognize that there is no silver bullet, but a series of actions that must be taken by government, industry, and community. In short, we need a plan. In this two-part session, Ryan Pandchadsaram, co-author of Speed and Scale, lays out a blueprint for savin...
Many experts argue that massive government mobilization on the scale of World War II deployment is needed to address the catastrophe of climate change. Such is the scope of the Green New Deal, a policy calling for 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, universal health care, living wages, and jobs guarantees. But some economists argue it could cost between $51 trillion and...