Daniel Kammen: Electricity For All, Pt. 1

How easy it is to take our electrified world for granted. Right now about 1.2 billion people or about 20% of the global population live without access to electricity. These people can’t read at night, or power their phones to communicate or conduct crucial e-commerce. What if that 20% could access energy, though? How transformative could that be for those 1.2 billion lives? But wait, would that mean a corresponding 20% hike in greenhouse gas emissions? Not if our guest this week is able to make his vision real. This week on Sea Change Radio host Alex Wise speaks with Daniel Kammen, a Professor of Energy at the University of California, Berkeley. He recently published a paper in Nature Climate Change which paints a hopeful picture of a future where affordable renewable energy reaches those 1.2 billion, with an overall positive impact on the environment. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Kammen has advised the Obama Administration on climate change issues, served as a technical specialist for the World Bank and was part of the IPCC team that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.