As energy and climate policy seem to become increasingly polarized at the national level, its often illuminating to look at states that have navigated the balance between oil and gas development and accelerating a transition to a clean energy future. One of those states is Colorado, which has significant oil and gas production but also is a very large renewable energy producer and home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
On a new episode of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Jason Bordoff sits down with U.S. Senator Mike Bennet (D-CO) to discuss energy and climate policy in Washington, D.C. and his home state of Colorado. They talk about what ‘working across the aisle’ entails in politics, the impacts of climate change on Senator Bennet’s home state, and how Colorado is balancing environmental protection with all forms of energy production.
Other topics discussed include Senator Bennet’s thoughts on the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal; the expansion of oil and gas drilling across the U.S.; trade tariffs in the context of renewable energy; and the need for young people to participate in U.S. politics.
