Best The Aspen Institute Podcasts (2024)

1
The Role and Need for Philanthropy in Climate Action (Randall Kempner - The Aspen Institute) - Episode 73 8:16

3d ago8:16

8:16

Philanthropic giving to climate related causes is woefully small. But charitable dollars have a really important role to play because of their flexibility and different motivations. They can catalyze investment in areas where private or governmental dollars can not. In this episode, Paul sits with Randall Kempner, Senior Advisor to the Aspen Instit…

1
The Tax Guru the WSJ says has Wall Street’s “Strangest Hustle”: w/ Andy Lee, Parallaxes Capital - EP237 39:58

1h ago39:58

39:58

According to the Wall Street Journal, this episode’s guest, Andy Lee, is “The Tax Whiz With the Strangest Hustle on Wall Street”. He’s the founder and CIO of Parallaxes Capital, and he joins us to talk about tax receivable agreements (TRAs). Andy explained what TRAs are, how they come about for companies going public such as Shake Shack in 2015, an…

1
Science Based Targets - Episode 74 9:07

11h ago9:07

9:07

If there is a gold standard for setting corporate climate goals, it's a science based target. These commitments are a rigorous, methodical approach toward ensuring that we stay below the 2 degree warming threshold. In today's episode, Paul explains the methodology used to determine science based targets and their net zero counterpart. And Paul touc…

1
Katharine Hayhoe on Fighting Climate Change 18:37

23h ago18:37

18:37

Climate change is demanding an extraordinarily rapid transformation of human society, and we don’t have a manual. The people who have done the least to cause the problem are the people who will be feeling it most, and that pattern of inequality exists both within and between nations. Mapping a course to an adapted planet is an incredibly complex ta…

1
Housing Crisis and Immigration: Australia's Tough Choices w/ John August - EP236 58:36

2d ago58:36

58:36

This episode of Economics Explored features a deep dive into the ongoing housing crisis in Australia with John August, a Pirate Party of Australia official and Sydney radio host. Gene and John discuss the significant influence of immigration rates and building restrictions on housing availability and prices. They also consider potential policy solu…

1
Is Uncle Sam Running a Ponzi Scheme with the National Debt? w/ Dr Dan Mitchell - EP235 48:07

14d ago48:07

48:07

In this episode, show host Gene Tunny engages with Dr Dan Mitchell in a frank discussion about the US’s looming debt crisis. The conversation covers Dan’s new book, co-authored with Les Rubin, The Greatest Ponzi Scheme on Earth: How the US Can Avoid Economic Collapse. In the episode, Dan talks about the unsustainable trajectory of federal debt, the…

1
Decarbonizing Freight & Trucking (Mike Roeth - NACFE) - Episode 72 9:19

10d ago9:19

9:19

Paul sits with Mike Roeth of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) to discuss the current state of trucking and how that industry is decarbonizing. Although trucks only account for 5-10% of the vehicles on the road, they contribute up to a quarter of the transportation sector's greenhouse gas emissions. But whereas challenges re…

1
What Makes a Life Worth Living? 1:21:55

14d ago1:21:55

1:21:55

For years, Yale undergraduate students have lined up to take a wildly popular course called Life Worth Living. Bucking the highly competitive tone you might expect at an Ivy League school, the class teaches students to look beyond traditional markers of success for deeper meaning. Theology professor Miroslav Volf is one of the co-teachers, and also…

1
What’s the Future for Charter Cities after the Honduran ZEDE controversy? w/ Jeffrey Mason, Charter Cities Institute - EP234 44:22

21d ago44:22

44:22

In this episode, we delve into the controversy surrounding the Prospera charter city in Honduras, which has embraced libertarian principles and adopted Bitcoin as legal tender and a unit of account. The city is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Honduran government. Gene asks Jeffrey Mason, from Charter Cities Institute, what it all mea…

1
Local Law 97 (Luke Surowiec - ICF & NYC Accelerator) - Episode 71 8:15

17d ago8:15

8:15

2024 marks the first compliance period for the groundbreaking building performance standard in New York City known as Local Law 97. The law requires large buildings to go beyond simply reporting emissions and to begin to enact decarbonization standards. Or face fines. Paul sits with Luke Surowiec of ICF and who is the program director of the New Yo…

1
America’s Retirement Crisis: The Pressing Need to Address Social Security's Financial Woes - EP233 55:13

23d ago55:13

55:13

Michael Johnston, CFA of WealthChannel and show host Gene Tunny dissect the pressing issues facing the US Social Security system. Amid predictions of future insolvency, they discuss the demographic trends, financial realities, and policy adjustments needed to safeguard retirement incomes for future generations. Please contact us with any questions,…

1
Puerto Rico's Recovery (Javier Rua - SESA) - Episode 70 7:42

24d ago7:42

7:42

It's been about 6 and a half years since Hurricane Maria laid waste to Puerto Rico's power grid. As the island continues its recovery, it is pioneering a more distributed, renewable and resilient power infrastructure that the rest of us can learn from. In this episode, Paul sits down with Javier Rua of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Pu…

1
Fighting HIV Around the World 51:11

28d ago51:11

51:11

In the late 1990s, HIV and AIDS was killing people in Sub-Saharan Africa at an astonishing rate. Generations of children were growing up without parents and the workforce of civil society was hollowing out. Drugs effectively treating the disease were just becoming available, and the George W. Bush administration wanted to explore a way to bring tre…

1
Unlocking the Financial Black Box: Transforming Business Efficiency w/ Andrew Walker - EP232 56:58

1M ago56:58

56:58

This episode explores the crucial role of efficient financial management in driving business performance and productivity. Guest Andrew Walker, a seasoned financial consultant, shares his extensive experience advising businesses on utilizing data for improved cash flow and strategic decisions. Walker emphasizes the transformation from traditional b…

1
The SEC's Climate Disclosure Rules - Episode 69 8:20

1M ago8:20

8:20

On March 6th, the Securities and Exchange Commission released their long awaited rules on climate disclosure. The final product attempts to standardize how companies report on the risks that they face from worsening climate events, while providing a way to indicate the strategies and steps being taken to reduce the impact and risk of climate change…

1
Alternative Investments & Investable Mega-Trends w/ Ben Fraser, Aspen Funds - EP231 39:59

1M ago39:59

39:59

Ben Fraser, Managing Director of Aspen Funds, argues, “There's a huge opportunity to get into fossil fuel production.” He discusses macro-driven alternative investments, investable megatrends, including the disruption to energy markets as advanced economies decarbonise, and the outlook for the US economy, particularly inflation. Disclaimer: this ep…

1
Thermal Energy Networks (Matt Rusteika - Building Decarbonization Coalition) - Episode 68 8:55

1M ago8:55

8:55

Thermal Energy Networks are matriced assemblies of pipes and heat pumps where buildings can not only utilize the heat from the ground beneath us, but repurpose heat from the buildings around us to make certain we're not wasting anything. And, because of that, these systems may be a super efficient and cost effective means to decarbonize large swath…

1
Alex Boylan - Host & Founder, The College Tour TV Show 39:54

1M ago39:54

39:54

Dr. Anne Khademian, host of AKA Innovation, talks with Alex Boylan, host & founder of The College Tour TV show. It’s a show that kind of flips the script for students and parents alike, by bringing the idea of the college tour right into their own living rooms. In just a few short years since its creation, the show has helped to bring more than 150…

1
Our Changing World with Thomas Friedman 33:10

2M ago33:10

33:10

The world seems to be moving and evolving faster than ever before, and democratic ideals are under threat in many countries around the globe. New York Times columnist and journalist Thomas Friedman has spent his career learning how to see things from many sides and identify the seams in the fabric of society. He believes we’re at a moment in time w…

1
The Gender Pay Debate: Understanding the Factors Behind the Gap w/ Dr Leonora Risse - EP230 1:01:03

1M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

This episode of Economics Explored analyzes Australia's new gender pay gap data reported by large companies. Are the data valuable or nonsense, as some critics have alleged? Host Gene Tunny interviews Dr Leonora Risse to discuss the report's methodology, findings, and criticisms. Risse provides context on factors influencing the gender pay gap, lik…

1
24-7 Hourly Matching - Episode 67 7:52

2M ago7:52

7:52

In this episode, Paul unpacks how 24/7 hourly matching is becoming something of a new standard for corporate renewable energy procurement. This temporal strategy is having an impact on not just how large companies are buying power, but also for federal organizations, hydrogen developers, and, frankly, just about anyone in the renewable procurement …

1
AI in Finance: Empowering Investors with Real-time Market Insights w/ Andrew Einhorn, LevelFields - EP229 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

Andrew Einhorn from LevelFields shares insights into leveraging AI for financial market analysis. Their innovative platform is designed to detect critical events affecting stock prices, enabling investors to react swiftly. The conversation covers the benefits of AI in democratizing financial information and the future implications for investment st…

1
Walmart Met Their Project Gigaton Goal - Now What? - Episode 66 8:10

2M ago8:10

8:10

When Walmart launched their Project Gigaton program in 2017, the idea that the retailer could get their suppliers to cumulatively reduce 1 BILLION tons for carbon emissions by 2030 was hailed as incredibly ambitious. Last week, the company reported in their fourth quarter earnings call that they had not only surpassed that billion ton goal, but had…

1
Fintech with Mike Mead - CNO Financial Group 22:29

2M ago22:29

22:29

This episode is all things fintech with Mike Mead, Chief Information Officer for CNO Financial Group. Mead is responsible for the strategy and execution of CNO's information technology, cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, and digital transformation. Prior to joining CNO, he spent 22 years at AIG, where he served as senior vice president and transform…

1
Forging a Path to Ethical A.I. 55:33

2M ago55:33

55:33

It doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to put the generative artificial intelligence genie back in the bottle. But we might still be able to prevent some potential damage. Tools like Bard and ChatGPT are already being used in the workplace, educational settings, health care, scientific research, and all over social media. What kind of guardrai…

1
The Tax Reform Debate: Cutting Through the Spin w/ Simon Cowan, CIS - EP228 54:05

2M ago54:05

54:05

This episode examines the need for tax reform in Australia and reviews various options for overhauling the country's tax system. Simon Cowan joins host Gene Tunny from the Centre for Independent Studies to discuss issues like bracket creep, the tax system's progressivity, mining royalties, and negative gearing. They also analyse the political strat…

1
What Can the US Learn From European EV Adoption? - Episode 65 8:34

2M ago8:34

8:34

While EV global sales continue to surge, the uptick in the US lags significantly behind that of our European counterparts. And while obstacles such as a lack of charging infrastructure, high up-front costs, and battery range are affecting market share - those same issues are also at play in Europe. So what are they doing right that is helping that …

1
Redemption Song? 55:08

2M ago55:08

55:08

History has the power to teach us what to do in the present, but do we actually make good use of that tool? Many events in our recent past might suggest otherwise. American history is complex and full of pain, suffering and missteps. Harvard professor Imani Perry’s interdisciplinary work draws from African American studies, legal history and cultur…

1
Revisiting Ricardo: The Rise and Fall of Ricardian Equivalence 51:07

2M ago51:07

51:07

This episode of Economics Explored explores the theory of Ricardian equivalence, a proposition that fiscal policy measures like tax cuts or stimulus payments may not effectively boost the economy if households anticipate higher future taxes to pay off government debt. Host Gene Tunny explains the concept originating from David Ricardo and populariz…

1
The Good Climate News Episode - Episode 64 7:59

2M ago7:59

7:59

Getting discouraged by all of the negativity in climate news recently? In this week's episode, Paul takes a different tack - focusing on the good news that came out of 2023 and all of the positive results that we've *already* achieved in climate action. Take a bit of hope from this episode as to the trajectory of change that is occurring! For furth…

1
Our Modern Sex Lives 1:03:22

2M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

After millennia of human existence, we’re still figuring out and talking constantly about one of our most fundamental behaviors – sex. Despite the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s and the growth of sex positivity in recent decades, a lot of people still report having a lot of bad sex. The reasons for that are varied and multiple, but culture ha…

1
From Jekyll to Hyde: Exploring the Dual Nature of Finance | The Bankers' Club w/ Prof. Gerald Epstein - EP226 40:27

2M ago40:27

40:27

Show host Gene Tunny interviews UMass Amherst Professor Gerald Epstein about his new book "Busting the Bankers’ Club", which is about the powerful influence of banks in politics and regulation. Epstein argues the bankers’ club maintains control through political allies and regulators. The conversation also covers financial deregulation, insufficien…

1
Why is Heat Pump Deployment so Tough? (DR Richardson & Jan Keleher - Elephant Energy) - Episode 63 8:10

2M ago8:10

8:10

In this episode, Paul is joined by DR Richardson and Jan Keleher of Elephant Energy to discuss the challenges of the residential heat pump market. With an array of federal, state and local incentives, a myriad of technology options, sizing requirements, electrical upgrade decisions and other factors that play into installing these units, Elephant E…

1
Digital & AI with Gail Farnsley 31:42

2M ago31:42

31:42

In this episode, Gail Farnsley, former Executive Partner with Gartner Executive Programs, discussed the impact of digital innovation on industries and on talent development. Farnsley is a long-time tech executive, having worked in a variety of corporate IT roles in the US and UK, from programmer at Public Service Indiana to Vice President of IT and…

1
Parenting Teens and Young Adults in Challenging Times 55:30

3M ago55:30

55:30

Teenagers and young adults today are dealing with challenges their parents never experienced and couldn’t have prepared for. Nobody has a map and the road to resolution can be bumpy for all involved. Two adolescent psychologists published books last year aimed at helping parents understand and empathize with what their kids are going through and gu…

1
Dr. Angus Fletcher - Story Scientist & Professor, Ohio State University 47:05

3M ago47:05

47:05

Dr. Anne Khademian, host of AKA Innovation, talks with Dr. Angus Fletcher, a professor of English at Ohio State University and a core faculty member for the university's Project Narrative, the world's leading academic think-tank for the study of how stories work. Their discussion focuses on how effective storytelling can help to revolutionize teach…

1
How Wall Street Can Help Democracies Survive w/ Marcos Buscaglia - EP225 39:33

3M ago39:33

39:33

Show host Gene Tunny interviews Marcos Buscaglia, former head of the Latin America economics team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and author of the book "Beyond the ESG Portfolio, How Wall Street Can Help Democracies Survive." Buscaglia argues that, through their investment choices, many investors have inadvertently been supporting autocratic reg…

1
The Dual Threat of Wildfires for Utilities - Episode 62 7:37

3M ago7:37

7:37

The intensity and impact of wildfires has dramatically increased over the past few decades due to climate change. And as those acres burn, those fires are releasing trapped carbon back into the atmosphere and only exasperating global warming. Utilities have been at the center of the controversy around wildfires - taking the blame for devastating ev…

1
Decoding Animal Communication with A.I. 52:44

3M ago52:44

52:44

Scientists could actually be close to being able to decode animal communication and figure out what animals are saying to each other. And more astonishingly, we might even find ways to talk back. The study of sonic communication in animals is relatively new, and researchers have made a lot of headway over the past few decades with recordings and hu…

1
Reagan’s Budget Boss David Stockman on Trump’s Economic Policies - EP224 52:16

3M ago52:16

52:16

Economics Explored host Gene Tunny speaks with David Stockman, President Reagan’s first Office of Management and Budget director. Stockman discusses his new book, "Trump's War on Capitalism," and shares his frank and fearless commentary on the former president's economic policies. In his foreword to the book, Robert F. Kennedy Jr wrote, “Stockman h…

1
How Renewable is Renewable Natural Gas? - Episode 61 8:20

3M ago8:20

8:20

Is renewable natural gas the silver bullet for a greener future or a complex puzzle yet to be solved? While many industrial and natural gas companies have looked to RNG as a potential solution to decarbonize their operations, the fuel source is not without some issues. Paul examines how RNG is made, used and contributes to decarbonization goals. Bu…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

The Aspen Institute Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide