Why Talk of 'Climate Hushing’ is Getting Louder
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of a report showing solar energy surpassing coal in the US amidst a politically charged environment regarding climate change.
A new report from global energy think tank Ember found that solar generated more US energy than coal in May 2026 for the first time on record. It comes at a time when the Trump administration has been actively hostile towards the development of wind and solar projects, despite a growing need for more electricity as more AI data centers come online. So, is this a minor blip, or a sea change? And is the current political climate making talk of climate change taboo on the campaign trail? For more: ‘Afraid to get my next bill’: Americans brace for higher costs to cool their homes this summer --- Guest: Jane Flegal, Searchlight Institute Senior Fellow Host: David Rind Producer: Paola Ortiz Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo By: RyanJLane/E+/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: David Rind
Guest: Jane Flegal
Topics covered
- climate change
- energy transition
- political climate
- solar energy
- coal
- AI data centers
Keywords
- climate hushing
- solar energy
- coal
- Trump administration
- energy policy
- AI data centers
- electricity costs
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Ember, Searchlight Institute, Trump administration
Places: US
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