Discussing the knowns and unknowns of the COVID 19 pandemic and its impact on the Climate Emergency.....
In this episode (recorded via a Skype connection rather than our usual studio production in response to the guidance to limit travel and contact) we unpick what we can learn from the current Covid 19 pandemic. Could there be a possible green benefit when we emerge from the worst global health crisis for 100 years? Learn while you self isolate! Listen to Dr Ajay Gambhir and Alyssa Gilbert from Grantham Institute discuss all this and more.
Our guests:
Dr Ajay Gambhir is a Senior Research Fellow at the Imperial College London Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment. His research addresses how society can transition to a low-carbon economy, considering the technologies and measures required to do so. He uses energy systems models at sub-national, national, regional and global scales to map out potential low-carbon transition pathways, with a particular focus on the processes that drive down low-carbon technology costs, thereby making their deployment more cost-effective.
Ajay has been at Imperial College since 2010, during which time he has been the scientific lead on a number of low-carbon pathways studies for the UK government as part of its AVOIDing dangerous climate change programme. He has also led and participated in ESRC and EPSRC studies on manufacturing innovation for the production of low-cost solar PV modules, energy storage innovation, and rural electrification using solar PV and batteries. Currently he is focusing on the political economy of low-carbon pathways and how to design policies to support an equitable transition.
Read Ajay’s blog post here
Alyssa Gilbert is the Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment. Alyssa connects climate and environment research from across the university with policymakers and businesses to ensure that research has impact. Alyssa was, until recently, a member of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)’s Strategic Programme Advisory Committee (SPAG) and was previously a Board Member of the Climate Markets Investments Association (CMIA).
Prior to joining Imperial in 2015, Alyssa worked at the specialist energy and climate consultancy Ecofys providing policy design and evaluation services.
Find out more about Alyssa here
Click here to see the 9 Things You Can Do About Climate Change produced by the Grantham Institute