What will it be like to interact with a conscious machine? What does it mean to be conscious? What is there to interact with? Where can we start? This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication, written and recorded by frequent TFIE collaborator David Clement.
It is difficult for many of us to understand the language of machine learning and thus we map this into the only common experience we have of AI: popular culture. The gap between ‘Skynet’ and what Yoshua Bengio is describing is vast. We need a new fiction that can help us all understand what it really is and the impact it is likely to have. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication, written and recorded by TFIE collaborator David Clement.
For many, hydroelectric dams seem as if they should be environmentally benign, delivering large quantities of carbon-free electricity. The water is renewable, there are no fossil fuels involved and you end up with lovely lakes. But dams have a dark side and siting is important. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
Indonesia is a regional powerhouse and a growing economy of value to itself, the region and the world. It’s currently struggling with a trio of natural disasters in Sulawesi with an earthquake, a resultant tsunami and now a major volcanic eruption. But its long-term ability to thrive is more challenged by climate change. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
Population is a current obsession of the deny and delay crowd. On the one hand, there’s the inaccurate, ahistorical and racist assertion that it’s population growth that’s the problem, specifically in countries where there are people who aren’t white and Christian. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium podcast.
This is the last in a series of articles detailing the challenges facing rapid transformation to substantial decarbonization by 2030. This article deals with a different challenge, that of procuring enough of the right technology for rapid transformation. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
This article deals with a specific challenge within major organizations which will be seeing substantial change over the next 20 years, and organizations which are expected to drive those changes. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
This article deals with the specific headwinds of regulatory patchworks that exist across the United States and Canada, headwinds which will slow rapid decarbonization and must be addressed. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
We are at a challenging point in time. The UN IPCC 1.5 degrees report has made it clear that we have until 2030 to make major strides to achieve that aspirational COP21 target, and if we don’t 2 degrees is quite a lot worse. But there are systemic barriers to progress for many of the solutions. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
As we face the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV emerging from China, memories of SARS and its global deaths and economic impacts echoing hollowly, it’s worth reviewing the increasing linkages of climate change and disease. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
A challenge to Democratic candidates:
Include pumped hydro in your formal climate plans. Commit to streamlining regulatory processes. Commit federal funds. Create state-level storage targets. Promise to engage coal workers in building pumped storage hydro in their regions. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium publication.
Recently a study was published on the carbon debt of advances in machine learning. It’s a fair subject of study, but the concern was overstated twice, first by the paper itself based on some faulty assumptions and then by media headlines which blared the results. This is a podcast version of the article of the same title in the TFIE Medium podcast.
Recently, Sigal Samuel of Vox asked 9 experts, “How should billionaires spend their money to fight climate change?” It’s a worthwhile question, as right now a lot of billionaires are spending a lot of money on the subject and related concerns, and some of it is a waste of money. This article will look at some of the suggested solutions, and look at a few billionaires and how they are actually spending their money, and make some judgments about the experts and their opinions. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name in the TFIE Medium publication.
There’s absolutely no doubt to anyone whose brain is actually present in this century that climate change is vastly more dangerous than Communism today. That’s why the fossil fuel industry and conservative parties are spending so much to try to stay in the 20th Century. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name on the TFIE Medium publication.
Jacobson's latest study is going to create fireworks because it’s explicit about leaning into the Green New Deal. That eminently sensible set of targets, strongly aligned with the UN IPCC 1.5 degree reports and strongly aligned with the Roosevelt New Deal that arguably did make America great, is understandably a large target for many commentators from the right. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name on the TFIE Medium publication.
The trend in Jacobson’s study as each point is looked, as storage and transmission assessments show, at is that he and his team aren’t suggesting anything radical, but a very conservative approach that is possible to massively improve upon with existing and proven technologies. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name on the TFIE Medium publication.
Jacobson and his team have done an excellent job showing that a 100% renewables, very low carbon electrical supply of all energy needs is easily achievable. Moreover, they make it clear that it’s a lot cheaper in both internalized and externalized costs. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name on the TFIE Medium publication.
The short list are electrification of transportation of various types, economic growth in areas currently with fewer cars, renewables plus grid innovation, urbanization, other uses for oil, and induced demand. Some will hasten and some will defer peak demand for oil. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name on the TFIE Medium publication.
Let’s just run a thought experiment, shall we? Suppose a nice big asteroid was coming for earth. We saw that it had a 99.999% chance of hitting us. From the evidence, scientists figured out that it massed a few tons. This is a podcast version of the article of the same name in the TFIE Medium publication.
New Urbanism is a model of urban development which aspired to remake communities into walkable, live-work places for people, not cars. It failed, but left behind something better. This is a podcast version of an article by the same name in the TFIE Medium publication.