31. Ken Caldeira on politics in research and the feasibility of the energy transition

Challenging Climate

Ken Caldeira is a senior scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science and is also a senior scientist at Breakthrough Energy. Ken has a wide-spectrum approach to analyzing the world’s climate systems - with particular interests in modeling the Earth system and the energy transition, and in using experiments and observation to study our changing coasts and coral reefs.
In this episode, Ken takes us through his fascinating journey into environmental and climate science. We dive deep into navigating political influences on environmental research, the technical and social feasibility of the energy transition, and his views on wider underrepresented climate issues.
Links:

• Ken Caldeira’s profile
• Ken’s Google Scholar profile
• Episode chapter markers

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1. 31. Ken Caldeira on politics in research and the feasibility of the energy transition (00:00:00)

2. Introduction and background (00:03:10)

3. Struggles with political influence in environmental research (00:10:46)

4. Coral reef experiment (00:15:58)

5. His work with Breakthrough Energy and science communication (00:19:23)

6. The technical and social feasibility of the energy transition (00:25:39)

7. What is being under-emphasized in the wider climate discussion? (00:37:03)

8. What can we implement besides a carbon tax? (00:38:59)

9. How can we best respond to and act on the climate crisis? (00:40:30)

10. What gives you hope for the future? (00:46:27)