There are many reasons we as humans should work to achieve net-zero emissions. One of those reasons is to improve the lives of individuals who occupy planet earth. Today on the show we learn from an expert who has a different way to move the world closer to net-zero, one that focuses on environmental justice and the role of being a global citizen.
Is it fair that less developed countries who have emitted negligible emissions should be the most impacted by climate change including rising sea levels, more frequent and forceful tropical storms, and then not be given funding to adopt to the new climate they have to face?
To answer these question and more I’m speaking with Andrea Johnson, Executive Director of Green Empowerment, Green Empowerment’s mission is to bring renewable energy and clean water to rural communities globally. The heart of Green Empowerment’s model is authentic partnership. They collaborate with in-country organizations that know the local language and culture and have a long-term commitment to the region. Following their partners lead, they design systems that are built and maintained by the communities themselves and they focus heavily on training, providing technical expertise to community members and partner staff to build lasting capacity.
We discuss Andrea's journey from NASA to The Peace Corps to Green Empowerment, how she worked to launch the first payment for ecosystems services – paying landowners to protect their forests – and how Green Empowerment is bringing the world closer to net-zero emissions by identifying indigenous leaders and methodologies that enable access to zero-carbon energy and clean water.
You can learn more about Green Empowerment on their website, https://greenempowerment.org/.
Season two is powered by Climate People. If you are a software developer or recruiter looking to get into climate tech, Climate People is the best place to start. You can reach Brendan Anderson, CEO of Climate People, at brendan@climatepeople.com.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife).
You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Introducing: The Net Zero Life Season 3
#22 Building a Net Zero Future Through Information with Nat Bullard, Chief Content Officer of BloombergNEF
#20 Making Informed Consumers Purchases with Lizzie Horvitz, Founder and CEO of Finch
#19 Eliminating Single-Use Plastics in Foodservice with Linda Pouliot, Co-founder and CEO of Dishcraft Robotics
#18 Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings with James Dean, Founder and CEO of Oxygen8
#17 Why We Need Carbon Removal (and How We Can Get There) with Nan Ransohoff, Head of Climate at Stripe
#16 Building a Net Zero Climate Tech Community with Candice Ammori, Director of On Deck’s Climate Tech Fellowship
#15 Zero-Carbon Wave Energy with Inna Braverman, Founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power
#14 Measuring Carbon and Then Doing Something About It with Taylor Francis, Co-Founder of Watershed
#13 Effective Climate Policy with Naomi Baum, COO of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
Introducing: The Net Zero Life Season 2
#12 Sustainability Podcasting with Peter Levin, Founder and Host of In Good Hands
#11 Nature Based Solutions with Diego Saez Gil, Founder and CEO of Pachama
#10 Geothermal Heating and Cooling with Kathy Hannun, Co-Founder of Dandelion Energy
#9 Engineering Our Way Out of Climate Change with Shashank Samala and Max Scholten of Heirloom Carbon
#8 Sustainable Optimism with Grant Brown of Happy Eco News
#7 Sustainable Snacking with Corey Nobile, CEO and Founder of Impact Snacks
#6 Sustainable Fishing with Dan Watson, CEO of SafetyNet
#5 Lightbulbs and Making an Impact Through Imperfect Solutions with Quintin Barnes, Co-founder of Allumia
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Dairyland Frights
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL