1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: One of the issues that animates so many of us 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: living in states like California, but people all across the 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 1: United States, from Florida, Louisiana, people in states that have 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: been ravaged by some of the most extreme storms and 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: our lifetime hurricanes, floods, fires here on the West Coast. 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: I think all recognize the imperative of focusing on the 7 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: issue of climate change. Of course, so much of our 8 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: focus is moved in other directions, but mother Nature, she 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: bats last, and she bats a thousand and that's why 10 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: this week, as we celebrate Earth Day in the United 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: States of America, I thought it was important to talk 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: about the state of climate policy in the United States 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: of America. California just reached two thirds of all of 14 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: our electricity now renewable electricity. We're in the how business, 15 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: and my next guest is also focused on how America 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: can lead the globe on low carbon green growth. This 17 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: is Gavin Newsom and this is Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Well, Senator, 18 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: thanks for taking the time to be on the podcast, 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: and I thought it was a great time to have 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: a chance to sit down and talk to you about 21 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: one of the most pressing issues of our time. That's 22 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: issue of climate and what the climate is in Washington, 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: d C. The Trump administration has come in even more 24 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: ferociously from my perspective, trying to analyze some of the 25 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: progress that we've made here in the state of California, 26 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: but all across the United States. A lot of the 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: progress that was advanced you advanced in your colleagues during 28 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: the Biden administration and the IRA and the Infrastructure Bill, 29 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: promises that were promoted in Project twenty twenty five that 30 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: are taking shape. The EPA coming out with a set 31 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: of recommendations and rulemaking that they're looking to advance that 32 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,559 Speaker 1: is jaw dropping. So I really appreciate the timeliness of 33 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: your visit and the opportunity to dialogue about some of 34 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: these things. Tell me what I don't know in this space, 35 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: and tell me what folks listening should know about the 36 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: state of climate policy in America. 37 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: I think what most people don't know is how close 38 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 2: we are to a climate driven economic collapse that comes 39 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: when climate risk becomes uninsurable so you can't get up 40 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 2: property insurance policy on your home. There are plenty of 41 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 2: Californians who are experiencing that. And then when you can't 42 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 2: get property insurance on your home, you can't get a 43 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 2: mortgage on it, you can't sell it to somebody who 44 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 2: needs a mortgage. So unless you're selling it to a 45 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 2: billionaire who can pay cash, you're screwed. So no mortgage 46 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: means your property values crash. And when your property values crash, 47 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: if that happens to enough people, which it will, because 48 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: this is driven by climate risk that touches millions and 49 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: millions of people, you then get an economic wipeout, like 50 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 2: the two thousand and eight mortgage meltdown caused across the country, 51 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: harming people who had no problems with their mortgage. It 52 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: was just the economic wipeout. 53 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: So someone listening may think that may be slightly hyperbolic. 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: Then again, folks living on the coasts, folks living in 55 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: the South, in places like Louisiana, obviously in Florida, not 56 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: just in California, are feeling that reality. Obviously, the wildfires 57 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: here in the Western United States, of the hurricanes in 58 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: the southern part of the country. What is a what's 59 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: the national prism them to begin to address this issue. Obviously, 60 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: we've got to deal with some of the underlying issues 61 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: of climate change. But in an adaptation policy. We often 62 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: are talking about sea level rise, we're talking about other 63 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: strategies to mitigate, but you're talking about a looming financial crisis. 64 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: Chris raises the bar of concern. Correct. 65 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Florida, I think is first and worst. Florida 66 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: has more liability from the fund it's set up to 67 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: backstop the insurers who go bust there, which is like 68 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: a dozen already because they're basically little pop ups that 69 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: aren't for real, right, and the state steps in when 70 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: they don't pay claims, and then the taxpayer has to pay. 71 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 2: And they've got a separate state backed insurance company that 72 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 2: is trying to look like an insurance company and carrying 73 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 2: all this liability that probably they won't be able to 74 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 2: make good on. Those two risks to ensure to Florida 75 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 2: are bigger than the state's actual sovereign debt. So there's 76 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 2: a huge overhang over Florida and it's going to do 77 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: nothing but get worse. You've got property insurance rates that 78 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: have tripled in a lot of places in Florida and 79 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 2: that are expected to triple again. You know, that's really brutal. 80 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: And when that happens, it starts cascading out through the economy. 81 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 2: The International Financial Stability Board put out a global warning 82 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: to banks look out for this. This is coming because, 83 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 2: for instance, if all these properties value go down because 84 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: they're not mortgageable any longer, then their value goes down 85 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: on the loan to value ratio of a bank. And 86 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 2: now suddenly a bank doesn't look solvent any longer, and 87 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 2: it's got its own problems. So these problems cascade out 88 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: into the economy, and that's what we have to prepare 89 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: people for. And I think you know you asked a 90 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: great question is what do we do about it? Step 91 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: one is to stop what is causing this, which is 92 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 2: a climate change. But behind that the climate denial operation 93 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: of the fossil fuel industry, which, through disinformation and political corruption, 94 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 2: is just ruining our ability to deal with a problem 95 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 2: whose solutions are actually pretty evident if we could get 96 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 2: around the wiles and the mischief of the fossil fuel industry. 97 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: I appreciate the clarity on that. I mean, the climate 98 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: crisis is nothing more than a fossil fuel crisis. Is 99 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: the burning of oil and gas and. 100 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 2: Then lying about it to the public at industrial scale. 101 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: And having the best scientists having the best researchers in 102 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: this space for decades and decades and being able to 103 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: see into the future and then knowingly lied about it. 104 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: They weren't just in denial, they actually suppressed this information 105 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: from the public for decades. 106 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 2: The scientists have known their stuff about climate this whole time. 107 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: I mean, the scientist community can really take a bow 108 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: for really excellent presentations and really excellent understanding and predictions. 109 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 2: And that includes the ones paid by Exxon. 110 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: Ago, and Exon needs some of the greatest geologists. They 111 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: hire some of the best in the brightest minds, best 112 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: can be broadly described, but for the job intended. So 113 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: they're to be able to track the talent because they're 114 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: able to dig deep into their wallet to get that talent. 115 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: But as a consequence, they're deep deeper into our wallets right. 116 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: Now because spend similar talent in the disinformation propagandizing, setting 117 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 2: up phony front groups. 118 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: The whole armada. 119 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: Of disinformation effort that they run is also being done 120 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: at a very uh I hate to say it, it's 121 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: being done very professionally. 122 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: And so, Senator you're one of the few folks. I mean, 123 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: there's a handful of you, and I you know I 124 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: give a do where it is deserved. There is a 125 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: handful of US senators that have the guts because I 126 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:34,679 Speaker 1: think it takes guts to say what you just said 127 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: and the courage to be out front, to call balls 128 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: and strikes and to call out those that are responsible 129 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: polluters should pay. But they're socializing the con one one 130 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: incon one o one on all of us. So the 131 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: question is why is it just simply because it's electorally 132 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: ill advised to be so candid? Is it because of 133 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: the corruption that is sort of imbued in the system. 134 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: It's the unwilling to take the risk of to be 135 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: more resolved in this space. Is it just what we've 136 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: come to expect, and that is big money influencing having 137 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: outsized influence. 138 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: Boom, big money having outsized influence. If you set up 139 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: an enormous armada of phony front groups and you put 140 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 2: Madison Avenue tested fake messaging through that, and you backstop 141 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 2: it with literally billions of dollars in dark money into Congress, 142 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 2: into the back pocket of Mitch McConnell so that he 143 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 2: can throw super packs drop ads on Democrats. You put 144 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 2: that whole machine together, and up against it, you have 145 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 2: Democrats being like well meaning and talking about polar bears. 146 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 2: It's like, totally not a fair fight. It's the panzer 147 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 2: tanks versus the Polish cavalry. You just don't have a chance. 148 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: So we need to be much better about it. The 149 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 2: good news is we don't have to build the apparatus 150 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: of lies. All we have to do is build a 151 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 2: much more adept and shark apparatus to point out the 152 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 2: lies well said, and we'll people see what has been 153 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: done to them when they understand did what was his name, 154 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 2: Harvey used to say, the end of the story. 155 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, of course, Yeah, that's the end of the story. 156 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: That's the end of the story. 157 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: You allied to. 158 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, you allied to at an industrial scale. 159 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: So we're all dealing with the consequences. Of course. You know, 160 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 1: as a governor of California that's dealt with more natural 161 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: disasters than most governors, and I think Jerry Brown could 162 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: have said that prior to me. And in the last 163 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: ten years, we've experienced some of the worst wildfires in 164 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: US history, not just California history. Obviously, the wildfires in 165 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: southern California that occurred instead of winter, Yeah, nine months, 166 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: the driest conditions we've experienced down there in modern history, 167 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: and in January, with one hundred mile an hour winds 168 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: attached to a fire, we experienced a loss of thirteen 169 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: plus thousand properties. The issue of insurance, by definition, is 170 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: top of mind. Is the number one concern people have 171 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: right now of accessing whatever insurance they had so they 172 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 1: can recover their lives and get back on their feet. 173 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: But the idea of getting back and rebuilding, the number 174 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: one concern is can I get a mortgage now? Because 175 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: can that mortgage be attached to a requirement. 176 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 2: To have insurance? Yeah, and that's the cascade. You can't 177 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 2: predict the risks, so you can't get the insurance. So 178 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 2: the buyer who you want to sell your property to 179 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: you can't get a mortgage, so you have to drop 180 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: the price, and you've got this property values crash that 181 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 2: then cascades out through the economy. And it has been 182 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: warned of so clearly that the Chairman of the Fed, 183 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 2: Jay Powell, Federal Reserve, came a month ago to the Senate, 184 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 2: spoke to the Banking Committee and said, you know, ten 185 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 2: to fifteen years from now, there'll be whole regions of 186 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 2: the United States where you can't get a mortgage anymore. 187 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: And he's a pretty conservative, I mean not pretty very concerned, 188 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: not very dreams and not very green. So it's just 189 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: look at bottom line. Is climate risk is financial risk? Yes, 190 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: and it's language. I think hopefully that could bring people 191 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: to the table on fundamentally addressing the solutions. Now, let's 192 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: we talk about prevention. We could talk about low carbon 193 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: green growth, we could talk about decarbonizing our economy and 194 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: changing the way we produce and consume energy, but also 195 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: how do we address the situational reality ten or fifteen years. 196 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: Obviously we're looking at IBPC, we're looking at twenty forty 197 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: five goals in carbon neutrality, that in that timeline, but 198 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: beyond that, the insurance market and stabilizing it. It's not 199 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: unique to Florida, it's not Nique Louisiana, as up in Montana, 200 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: of all places, they were discussing this as a top priority. 201 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: Obviously in California, is there a federal frame you talking 202 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: to your colleagues about a federal strategy to address some 203 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: of these insurance concerns. 204 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:58,479 Speaker 2: I think until we turn the corner on fossil fuel emissions, 205 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 2: the insurance industry is going to continue looking out into uncertainty. 206 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 2: How bad does this get? Every year that we add 207 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: more fossil fuel emissions, we add to their uncertainty, we 208 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 2: add to their peril, and so they're going to continue 209 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 2: to withdraw away from that risk. The board member of Alians, 210 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 2: which is one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, 211 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 2: as you know, just recently wrote an article about how 212 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 2: climate change means the end of the insurance industry business model, 213 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 2: and by the way, that takes down mortgages that require insurance, 214 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 2: and by the way, that also takes down a lot 215 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: of financial transactions where there's an insurance component to a 216 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 2: complex financial transaction. So this cascades out very, very widely, 217 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: and very rapidly, and we simply have to start with 218 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 2: first principles. This is caused by fossil fuel emissions. We're 219 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: not dealing it, dealing with it properly because of fossil 220 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: fuel mischief politically, through their dark money and through their lives. 221 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: We've got to break the back of the fossil fuel 222 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: disinformation machine, get back to legislating properly. And then there's 223 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: the possibility that the insurance interests is okay. Now we 224 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: see an end through this, we can work our way 225 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 2: through how we redesign products so we can still provide 226 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 2: coverage in Florida, for instance, which is really in terrible, 227 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 2: terrible shape. 228 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: Well, it's interesting, you know, I can't help when I 229 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: when you bring up dark money to see to me 230 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: how transparent in the light of day that corruption is. 231 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: I just think about that infamous meeting with oil executives 232 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: that then candidate Donald Trump had where he said, give 233 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: me a billion dollars and I'll roll back basically the 234 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: twentieth century. I'll give you what you want. And he did, 235 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: and he did. 236 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 2: He's trying and is. 237 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: That a gross exagerate? Goes back to my opening question 238 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: to you. I mean, EPA, this is a wreck. I mean, 239 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: I've seen. We went through Trump one point zero, we 240 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: went through Bush. I mean, well, remember I'm from my 241 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: old office, is in Ronald Reagan's office, and so even 242 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: going back to the James Watts days, and I remember 243 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: all the vandalism was being done on the environment back then, 244 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: natural resources, not just in terms of environmental policy and 245 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: waivers and the Clean Air Act and the like Endangered 246 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: Species Act. But this seems from my perspective, we're just 247 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: a few weeks into this administration. This seems tenex The 248 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: acceleration of that kind of analysm and regressive policy making 249 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: is am I oversating. 250 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 2: Though you are not just one example that we're looking 251 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: at a lot, both in the judiciary and the Environment 252 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 2: pub Works committees. Is the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that 253 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 2: the Trump administration is desperate to attack, and in order 254 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 2: to do so, they're not just having EPA try to 255 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: figure out ways to undo the fund. They got the 256 00:14:54,320 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 2: US Attorney for the District of Columbia to try to 257 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 2: cook up a fake criminal case so they could use 258 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 2: the fake criminal case as a justification to get a 259 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 2: court order freezing the funds prior to seizing them. The 260 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 2: problem was that the career staff said, there's no crime here, 261 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 2: we can't do this. So what did they do? 262 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: Fired? 263 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: The chief of the Criminal Division went forward with the 264 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 2: political US attorney signing the pleading completely on his own. 265 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: Not one person in the office would sign it. Then 266 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 2: the judge threw it out. So they're willing to break 267 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: through barriers of bad behavior, including maladministration of the criminal laws, 268 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 2: to try to get harm done to climate initiatives, and 269 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 2: to try to earn the billion dollars or whatever it 270 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: was that they spent on on Trump. We know it's 271 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 2: north of one hundred million. That was what was disclosed. 272 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 2: But when you hide it through C four's and through 273 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: super PACs and in it goes, and who knows what 274 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 2: we wanted to do was crypto fund I mean the 275 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: whole thing. It's just really hard to tell. But he 276 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 2: could easily have gotten a billion dollars. We just don't 277 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 2: know yet. 278 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: You know, it's interesting. I think back and forgive me 279 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: for going back to Ronald Reagan, because you have been 280 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: a recent champion of trying to protect California's waivers under 281 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: the Clean Air Act. And just for those listening, it's 282 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: an interesting fact California's modern environmental movement. There were very 283 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: many moments, obviously off shoil spill in Santa Barbara, but 284 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: Ronald Reagan really established the regulatory regime as governor in 285 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty seven with the creation of the California Air 286 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: Resource Board, and in nineteen seventy a Republican by the 287 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: name of Richard Nixon gave Reagan the authority under that 288 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: Clean Air Act to advance that waiver. Same person that 289 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: brought us the Endangered Species Act, among many other environmental rules, 290 00:16:56,120 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: including the EPA itself. Republicans, I'm old enough to remember, 291 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 1: not that I wasn't around for that necessarily, but I 292 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: do remember another Republican, George H. W. Bush, on the 293 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: issue of some issues around the ozone layer as well. 294 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 1: What the hell's happened in this country that we've lost 295 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: sort of a bipartisan appreciation for clean air, clean water, 296 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: having a life you can live out loud without asthma, 297 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,239 Speaker 1: and being able to live longer and healthier lives. I mean, 298 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: there's a lot of rhetoric in this space, but what 299 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 1: the hell's happened this new reality? 300 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: Well, I think the new reality has a lot to 301 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 2: do with corruption and a lot to do with Citizens United, 302 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 2: which unleashed political spending on an unprecedented level. And nobody 303 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 2: had a bigger incentive to spend money politically than a polluter, 304 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 2: and nobody had a bigger incentive to hide that it 305 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 2: was them spending money politically louter. So you could go 306 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 2: in and make your backroom deal with the Republican Party 307 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 2: and say you knock it off on climate, you knock 308 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,719 Speaker 2: it off on environmental enforcement, we will give you all 309 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 2: the money that you need, and nobody will know it's us. 310 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,640 Speaker 2: It'll all come through Californians for Peace and Puppies and Prosperity, 311 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 2: or some phony front group that will prop up for you, 312 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 2: and the motives are huge. The International Monetary Fund says 313 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 2: that the subsidy for fossil fuel in the United States 314 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 2: every single year from being allowed to pollute for free 315 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 2: is seven hundred billion dollars. 316 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: This subsidy, the sub American taxpayers are pain in the aggregate. 317 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 2: In the in the form of pollution harms that in 318 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: proper economics are baked into the price of the product, 319 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 2: but they're not in the price of the product. So 320 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 2: they would economists call a negative externality, which is a 321 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 2: form of subsidy. Ask Milton Friedman, the great conservative economists, right, 322 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 2: and when you're fighting for a seven hundred billion dollar subsidy, 323 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 2: how much would you spend a year in politics to 324 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 2: protect seven hundred billion? I mean, the number goes through 325 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 2: the roof. It's astronomical. So the notion that they could 326 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 2: have given a billion dollars to trump the notion that 327 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 2: they could spend ten billion dollars a year influencing Congress 328 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 2: is completely plausible when you're playing for stakes of that magnitude. 329 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: It wasn't that long ago that these guys made sixty 330 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: three billion dollars net profit in ninety days. Yeah, with 331 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: some of the most egregious gas spiking we've ever experienced 332 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: in US history, with no account of zero accountability. As 333 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: the price of the barrel of oil was going down, 334 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: the price of gasoline was going up, and there were 335 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: no new regulatory in positions or fees attached to that. 336 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 2: That's the thing about this line that Republicans like to 337 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,400 Speaker 2: utter that you know what we need is energy independence. 338 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 2: We will never have energy and dependence in the United 339 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 2: States America with fossil fuel because the price is not 340 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 2: set in America. Thank the price is set by a 341 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: foreign cartel. That's exactly where that sixty two million came from. 342 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: Putin comes over the border, prices spike in OPEC, and 343 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: instead of being loyal to their American customers and keeping 344 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 2: the prices where they were doing just fine, they ramped 345 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 2: their prices up to meet the cartel price and gouged 346 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 2: and gouged and gouged and made the biggest profits in 347 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 2: the history of the corporation. 348 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: And somehow they had the American people, hardworking folks, defending 349 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: these oil companies despite the fact they were directly being 350 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: fleeced by the same folks, the same petro dictators overseas 351 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: that were determining domestic policy, not just influencing forum. 352 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 2: Well, that climate denial machine got turned on full blast 353 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 2: to say that this was Joe Biden's fault and we 354 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 2: did not have and the president then President I did 355 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 2: not have a strategy to fight back. Now, ultimately they 356 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 2: went for the clawback legislation, and by fighting for the 357 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 2: clawback legislation, they actually turned that issue where actually people 358 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 2: started to blame the fossil fuel industry, particularly once they'd 359 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: seen those profit reports. So we were able to turn 360 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 2: that issue, but it took some willingness to fight, and 361 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 2: it took a while before the Biden administration got around 362 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 2: to where they were willing to fight back. There were 363 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 2: months in which there was a one way street of 364 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: public information all saying Biden inflation, Biden gas prices. Biden 365 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:38,360 Speaker 2: did this, which is. 366 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: A great irony because under the Biden administration we were 367 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: never more energy independent in terms of net exports. I 368 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: think it's between thirteen point three or four billion a 369 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: million gallon of barrels a day that were exporting more 370 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: than Trump administration ever exporting. We're also producing more clean 371 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 1: energy and green energy. And I want to compliment you 372 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: on the IRA the three hundred and sixty nine billion 373 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: dollars up to a trillion dollars. We'll see where it 374 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: counts up to of tax credits and obviously the infrastructure bill. 375 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: Are you seeing the benefit. There's been a lot of 376 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, I'm talking to Ezra Client on the podcast. 377 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: You know where he thought there was the mistake of 378 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: those bills. It wasn't attached to streamlining and green tape 379 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: and addressing the issue of a regulatory thicket in terms 380 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: of advancing those alternative energy stratu. 381 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 2: We could have done more. But right now you're seeing 382 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 2: an awful lot of Republicans, Senators and congressmen coming into 383 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 2: John Thune, coming into Speaker Johnson and saying, hold on, 384 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 2: hold on, not so fast. This is a factory in 385 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: my district. This is a factory where I've got employees, 386 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 2: This is an investment where I was there when we 387 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 2: cut the ribbon not so fast. So I think we 388 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: did a fairly good job there. It just isn't enough 389 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 2: because you simply can't have a competition for energy in 390 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: which one side, the polluting side, pollutes for free and 391 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 2: gets a seven hundred billion dollar negative externality subsidy and 392 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,199 Speaker 2: the other side has to fight and plus with that 393 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 2: huge subsidy. They're attacking the other side constantly in the 394 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 2: public media, lying about them, attacking politicians. It's a very, 395 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 2: very tough environment. I will tell you, Governor, if the 396 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 2: United States of America had the vehicle efficiency standards that 397 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 2: California has, the carbon price that California has, if national 398 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 2: energy policy was as good as California's, we would be 399 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,479 Speaker 2: on our way through this problem. We would have a 400 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 2: much wider pathway to climate safety. As it is, it 401 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 2: is a very narrow path, and we've got to fight 402 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 2: really hard to make sure that we succeed well. 403 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: I appreciate that, and again it goes back to my compliments, 404 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: and they weren't lightly extended to you for being a 405 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: fierce champion of protecting our heartened status because of those 406 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,880 Speaker 1: waivers that have allowed us to advance our clean car goals, 407 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: to allow us to have an influence to support other 408 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: states efforts. These one seventy seven states. We call them because. 409 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 2: We're joining forces, one of them in Rhode Island right 410 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 2: behind you. 411 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: God bless and all the other climate alliances we've created, 412 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: not just in the United States, but also internationally in 413 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: the MoU you under two coalitions and the like. But 414 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: let me ask you just in closing, there's one major 415 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: conference coming up. It's COP what referred to as COP thirty. 416 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: What is COP What is COP thirty represent and do 417 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: you think it represents this next big international climate? What 418 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,439 Speaker 1: do you think this moment represents Trump? Trump Ism? What 419 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 1: do you think we represent? You, your state, Rhode Island, 420 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: California represent to the international community at this critical moment 421 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: as well, what. 422 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 2: We are seeing is a long litany of fossil fuel 423 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,239 Speaker 2: lies about what our future is going to be. On 424 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 2: a collision course with the insurance in tries look at 425 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 2: what our future is going to be. The fossil fyo 426 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: industry can lie for free. The insurance industry makes trillion 427 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 2: dollar bets on getting it right and has fiduciary responsibilities 428 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 2: to do its best. And the insurance industry is predicting 429 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 2: real calamity with that cascade through real estate markets and 430 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 2: into world economic meltdown. So if in Brazil at the 431 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 2: cop we are focusing on that insurance risk and what 432 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 2: it means for real estate markets. According to The Economist magazine, 433 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 2: a twenty five trillion dollar hit to the world's largest 434 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 2: asset class real estate. If we can focus on that, 435 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 2: then we can focus our minds adequately to find that 436 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 2: narrow pathway to climate safety. If it's more nebulous, talk 437 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 2: about ambitions and you know, green this, and you know, 438 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 2: it's like, no, now we're down to a very narrow path. 439 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: We've got to nail this, BEFO. We're going to leave 440 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 2: our children and grandchildren a pathway to climate safety. 441 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. It's interesting. I mean, it's in closing. 442 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: I appreciate, I really appreci I mean, again, anyone listening 443 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: appreciates the insurance pressures there under the issue of affordability 444 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: is the issue of our time. It's defined the last 445 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: few years. I think it had big an outsize, influenced 446 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: clearly in the election, not just here but around the globe. 447 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: But the issue of insurance and climate and connecting that dot, 448 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: I think is profound, and so I'm very grateful, thank you, 449 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: Senner for taking the time, thank you