Climate Papa × Volts: Live with David Roberts

About this episode

In this live crossover episode, Ben Eidelson talks with climate journalist David Roberts about the energy transition and the role of journalism in addressing climate challenges.

In this live crossover episode of Climate Papa and Volts , I sit down with renowned climate journalist David Roberts for a conversation bridging the personal and the planetary. David traces his unlikely path from doctoral philosophy drop out into journalism—and how his early love of systems thinking shapes his work today. We dive into the puzzle that is the energy transition. With clean energy solutions now tangible and increasingly affordable, David sees his role not just as a reporter, but as a guide through the nested challenges of decarbonization—from grid reform to housing to the politics of permitting. We dive into David’s approach to writing (“talk like you’re at a bar with a smart friend”), his current obsessions (electricity and land use), and why abundance, not austerity, should define the climate movement. Along the way we try to answer if humans might be smart enough, as a species, to outrun the fate of the protozoa. David was thoughtful, funny, and full of hope—with very little room for BS. Referenced: Stepchange Show: Coal I 9Zero Seattle In defense of Ethical Naturalism Is humanity smarter than a protozoan? What's up with electric aviation? Connect: David - Volts…

People in this episode

Host: Ben Eidelson

Guest: David Roberts

Topics covered

• climate journalism
• energy transition
• decarbonization
• systems thinking
• climate movement

Keywords

• climate
• energy transition
• decarbonization
• journalism
• systems thinking
• electricity
• land use

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Volts

Books & works: Climate Papa, Stepchange Show: Coal I, In defense of Ethical Naturalism

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