Latest Articles
The road to clean, equitable, affordable, timely decarbonization: Part 2
Decarbonizing the U.S. electricity sector by phasing out existing nuclear is technically, economically, and environmentally better This post is a complement to a prior one, which dealt with: (1) Is nuclear clean? and (2) Can new nuclear power plants reasonably be expected to contribute significantly to decarbonization in a timely way, given the climate crisis?…
The road to clean, equitable, affordable, timely decarbonization: Part 3
Keeping the lights on with solar and wind energy I’ve written two posts on nuclear – one on new plants and the other on existing ones – indicating we shouldn’t build new ones and phase out existing ones. Some people with impeccable credentials don’t agree. For example, former Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a Nobel-Prize winning…
Calling it a “natural disaster” ignores what’s really to blame
How many natural disasters did you see in the news in 2021? The answer is zero. What you likely saw was a natural hazard that resulted in a disaster because of cumulative past and current human actions and decisions. The term “natural disaster” is often misused in the media to describe any severe weather event…
Will clean energy impoverish the poor or help create a path to energy justice? (Part I)
Millions of low-income families already face crushingly high burdens of energy costs. High energy costs burdens as a percentage of income are a principal cause of financial distress, creating conflicts between paying utility bills or rent or buying medicines and food. The consequences include ill-health, insecurity, and, in many cases, evictions and mortgage foreclosures. Six percent of…
Portland Clean Energy Fund: From Campaign to Implementation An Interview with Khanh Pham
At Just Solutions Collective, we are working to broaden and deepen the understanding of equitable and effective policies and projects to build the capacity of communities to replicate, scale and build support for justice-centered solutions. We took a deeper look at the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) and spoke with Oregon State Representative and long-time community advocate, Khanh…
Climate and Environmental Justice and the Infrastructure Bill
Yesterday, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”), marking a major achievement for both the Biden Administration and the usually-gridlocked Congress. The IIJA makes critical investments in the country’s infrastructure, including an unprecedented $47 billion for climate resilience. The bipartisan bill also makes major investments in upgrading our energy systems, from installing electric…
The Electric Grid in a Time of Climate Disasters: Communities Show the Way
Three major electricity grid disasters in just over a year are exemplary of the havoc that climate extremes are causing and what needs to be done about it: (i) the howling winds of the 2020 derecho, when hundreds of thousands lost power in Iowa and Illinois in August 2020; (ii) the February 2021 breakdown of…
The Rising Dawn: How Equitable Solar Policy Can Forward Economic and Climate Justice Part 3/3
Scaling Up & Building Solutions to Expand Frontline Community-Led Solar The Just Solutions Collective and the People’s Solar Energy Fund presents, “The Rising Dawn: How equitable solar policy can forward economic and climate justice”, a three-part blog series of policy models and insights from environmental justice leaders on frontline community-led solar policy. For part one…
The Rising Dawn: How Equitable Solar Policy Can Forward Economic and Climate Justice Part 2/3
“Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.” – Nelson Mandela The Just Solutions Collective and the People’s Solar Energy Fund presents, “The Rising Dawn: How equitable solar policy can forward economic and climate justice,” a three-part blog series of policy models and insights from environmental justice…
The Rising Dawn: How Equitable Solar Policy Can Forward Economic and Climate Justice Part 1/3
No sun outlasts its sunset, but it will rise again and bring the dawn – Maya Angelou Frontline Community-Led Solar Policy Solutions The Just Solutions Collective and the People’s Solar Energy Fund presents, “The Rising Dawn: How equitable solar policy can forward economic and climate justice”, a three-part blog series of policy models and insights…
