As new advancements in technology may help nations meet our global climate goals, policymakers are increasingly balancing the desire to achieve a clean energy future with the need to support communities most at risk.
Earlier this month, Energy and Resources Group professor Dan Kammen spoke to UC Berkeley’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) about how social, racial, and gender justice have reshaped the climate and political landscape. While mitigating the environmental effects of climate change is important, Kammen said governments need to ensure that they are pursuing a just energy transition—that is, an equitable and inclusive future that leaves no one behind.
Kammen, who currently also serves as senior advisor for energy innovation at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), also broke down the state of climate science, what President Joe Biden can and can't do given the recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, and the upcoming mid-term election.
Watch the full video of his talk below.