A New Grand Theory of Why Decarbonization Is So Hard

In this episode of Shift Key, Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins discuss the political challenges of decarbonization with Jessica Green, a political science professor at the University of Toronto and author of the forthcoming book, Existential Politics.

• Existential politics: Green argues that climate change creates political conflicts when some actors face the devaluation or elimination of their assets, particularly fossil fuel asset owners.
• Fossil fuel asset owners: These actors, such as oil and gas companies and electric utilities, stand to lose trillions in the energy transition and are fighting to slow decarbonization.
• Decarbonization challenges: The focus on technical approaches to measuring, reporting, and trading emissions ignores the revaluation of assets and the political power of fossil fuel asset owners.

Green's insights into the political challenges of decarbonization highlight the need for a better understanding of the role of fossil fuel asset owners in shaping climate policy. This episode of Shift Key offers a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of politics, energy, and the environment.

This episode of the Shift Key podcast explores the political challenges of decarbonization with guest Jessica Green, author of the forthcoming book, Existential Politics. The conversation centers on the role of fossil fuel asset owners in shaping climate policy and the need to address the political power dynamics that hinder the transition to renewable energy sources.

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