What, if anything, will save the environment? (with Dan Stein)
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Are we going to solve climate change with technology rather than personal sacrifice? If most offsets fail on additionality, should we stop pretending they meaningfully cut emissions? Can policy push dollars into the hard stuff - steel, cement, shipping, aviation - where tech is still nascent? Will clean-firm power unlock a reliable, land-light grid? Do early adopters and advanced market commitments move markets faster than lifestyle campaigns? What mix of R&D, loans, tax credits, procurement, and permitting reform actually drives costs down the curve? How should we weigh “central” damage estimates against fat-tail risks? If $1 can avert a ton while society pays ~$200 in harm, are we underinvesting by orders of magnitude? Can corporate climate action shift from PR offsets to catalytic demand for green steel and concrete? Where should donors place bets when global coordination stalls and national politics swing?
Dan Stein champions evidence-based approaches to fight the climate crisis while leading Giving Green as founder and executive director, and serving as a senior advisor to IDinsight. He previously held the position of Chief Economist at IDinsight and worked as an Economist at the World Bank. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the London School of Economics and a BA from UC Berkeley.
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