DC Climate, Politics, and Sustainability Weekly
- Michael Svoboda
- May 11
- 7 min read
Colleagues in Climate Action and Sustainability,
Below please find this week’s lists of events, reports, peer-reviewed studies, news and commentary, and podcasts
Included are an advance notice for “A Youth and Climate Justice Convening” on “Africa Rising” in June and listings for 50 separate events around DC and online this week, including two end-of-semester panel discussions at GW.
A new report from IRENA provides part of the backstory for the one upside emerging from the destructive choices made in Iran: evidence that the conflict may be accelerating the energy transition.
Another report, two newsstories, and a podcast also look back at a related development: last month’s conference in Santa Marta, Colombia, on “Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels”
It’s good to share good news when it happens.
Michael
P.S. If you would like to offer advance notice of an upcoming event at your institution, just include the necessary details and links in a reply to this email.
The Climate, Politics & Sustainability Weekly – Mon., May 11th – Sun., May 17th
Advance Notice for Upcoming Event
June 21 – 11 AM Thrs. – Africa Rising: Youth & Climate Justice, A Convening – WW Climate Ed.
DC Events – In-Person and/or Online
– Mon., May 11 @ 09:15 AM – On Managing Risk in Era of Geopolitical Tensions w Chair of Lloyds – AC
– Mon., May 11 @ 10:00 AM – ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Iran War – GW Program on Extremism
– Mon., May 11 @ 10:00 AM – Trump Returns to Beijing: New Opening for US–China Rltns? – Quincy
– Mon., May 11 @ 12:00 PM – Originalism, Tradition & Separation of Powers – American Ent. Inst.
– Mon., May 11 @ 12:00 PM – Future of Panama Canal: Climate Resilience, Strategic Comp. - Stimson
– Mon., May 11 @ 03:00 PM – Defending Taiwan: Strategy to Prevent War with China – Hudson Institute
– Mon., May 11 @ 03:30 PM – Modeling Crises: AI’s Role in Disaster Risk Management – Stimson Ctr
– Mon., May 11 @ 04:00 PM – US–China Competition: Policy Priorities from Capitol Hill – Brookings
– Mon., May 11 @ 05:00 PM – American Dream Series: Education for Freedom – American Enter. Inst.
– Mon., May 11 @ 05:00 PM – Moral Mondays Peace and Nonviolent Rally – IPS at BLM Plaza NW
– Tues., May 12 @ 09:00 AM – Saving Lives in a Warming World: Investing in Climate Services – WRI
– Tues., May 12 @ 09:30 AM – Navigating the Transition: Policy Frameworks for AI & Labor – Stimson
– Tues., May 12 @ 10:00 AM – The Trump-Xi Summit: Are We Reading China Right? – Carnegie EIP
– Tues., May 12 @ 11:30 AM – The Rise of Prediction Markets: Level Field or Rigged Game? – Brookings
– Tues., May 12 @ 12:00 PM – Changing Legislative Norms in an Era of Conflict – Brookings Institution
– Tues., May 12 @ 01:00 PM – China’s Persecution: Assault on All Faiths – Hudson Institute
– Tues., May 12 @ 06:00 PM – Cold War Puerto-Rico: Anticommunism in US’s Caribbean Colony – B&P
– Tues., May 12 @ 06:00 PM – Filmmaking w Purpose: Fundraiser for New Social Justice Film – B&P K St
– Tues., May 12 @ 07:00 PM – Young King: Making of Martin Luther King w Lerone Martin – P&P
– Wed., May 13 @ 09:00 AM – Full Day Conference – The 2026 Annual Iraq Dialogue – Atlantic Council
– Wed., May 13 @ 09:00 AM – The EU–Mercusor Trade Agreement Is Finally Happening – Peterson IIE
– Wed., May 13 @ 09:00 AM – Forging the Next Era of US–ROK Alliance at America’s 250th – Stimson
– Wed., May 13 @ 09:00 AM – The State of Forests in 2025 and Why It Matters for 2026 – World Res. Inst.
– Wed., May 13 @ 12:00 PM – Priority Technologies: Ensuring US Security & Shared Prosperity – AEI
– Wed., May 13 @ 12:00 PM – Current Trends in Toxics Litigation: Launch of ELI Report – Env. Law Inst.
– Wed., May 13 @ 12:00 PM – AI, Higher Education & the Future of Knowledge – New America Found.
– Wed., May 13 @ 01:00 PM – Leading the Env Sector w Resilience During Challenging Times – Green 2.0
– Wed., May 13 @ 02:00 PM – How America Can Unleash Next Energy Revolution w Sec. Wright – Cato
– Wed., May 13 @ 05:00 PM – The State of History as an Academic Discipline – American Enterprise Inst.
– Thrs., May 14 @ 08:30 AM – Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on National Security – Atlantic Council
– Thrs., May 14 @ 09:00 AM – A Water Festival Without Clean Water: Celebrating Songkran – Stimson Ctr
– Thrs., May 14 @ 12:00 PM – 1/2-Day – Financing Planned Relocation in Context of Climate Change – CGD
– Thrs., May 14 @ 12:00 PM – Adapting to the Modern Media Landscape, with Hugh Hewitt – Hudson Institute
– Thrs., May 14 @ 12:00 PM – Lessons in Military Deterrence from the Iran War: Contested Waters – Quincy
– Thrs., May 14 @ 02:00 PM – What Now for Federal Education Research? – American Enterprise Institute
– Thrs., May 14 @ 02:00 PM – How Can Climate Risks Be Included in Real Estate Values? – Brookings
– Thrs., May 14 @ 04:00 PM – Trade vs. Aid: Prosperity for US and Developing World – Atlantic Council
– Thrs., May 14 @ 04:00 PM – The Freedom to Give: Philanthropy & Limits of Government – Cato Inst.
– Thrs., May 14 @ 04:30 PM – Moral Economics: What Controversial Transactions Reveal abt Mrkts - AEI
– Thrs., May 14 @ 04:30 PM – The Right of the People: The Case a for New American Founding – GW ESIA
– Thrs., May 14 @ 07:00 PM – American Rambler: Walking Trail of Johnny Appleseed w B. Smith – P&P UM
– Thrs., May 14 @ 08:00 PM – 2025 Voter Turnout Results and Learnings – Environmental Voter Project
– Frid., May 15 @ 09:00 AM – Western Balkans’ Entry into SEPA and Their European Market Future - AC
– Frid., May 15 @ 09:00 AM – North Korea Diplomacy in a Shifting Geopolitical Order – Brookings
– Frid., May 15 @ 11:00 AM – Has the Time Come for Dollarization in the Americas? – Cato Institute
– Frid, May 15 @ 12:00 PM – Strengthening Connections to Early Intervention Services – New America
– Frid., May 15 @ 12:00 PM – Rapid Readout: Implications of US Forest Service Reorganization – EESI
– Frid., May 15 @ 03:00 PM – Summer of Our Discontent w author TC Williams & Fellow E. Smith – Cato
– Frid., May 15 @ 07:00 PM – Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery – P&P Wharf
– Satr., May 16 @ 03:00 PM – The Secret War Against Hate: US Antisemitism & White Supremacy – P&P
Note: If any part of the title for an event has been italicized, then it’s focused on an author interview or book discussion.
New Reports and Books
The Critical Minerals Picture Book: Setting Specific Goals for Specific Minerals by S. Wang et al (Breakthrough Institute 2026, 40 pages, free download)
Drilling Down: What it Will Take to Harness the Potential of Next-Generation Geothermal by E. Pope (Center for Climate & Energy Solutions 2026, 34 pages, free download)
High-level Segment of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels: Summary Report, 28-29 April 2026 by Earth Negotiations Bulletin (International Institute for Sustainable Development 2026, 9 pages, free download)
24/7 Renewables: The Economics of Firm Solar and Wind by S. Dardour et al (International Renewable Energy Agency 2026, 60 pages, free download)
Saying Less, But Doing More: The State of the Sustainability Profession 2026 by J. Davies & S. Hansell (Trellis 2026, 53 pages, free download with registration)
Peer-Reviewed Studies
Climatic Change (May) – “CC in Local US Opinion Journalism: Cmpttnl Analysis, 2013–2020”
CR&S – (AdvOn) – “Integrating the Health Sector into Nationally-Determined Contributions”
M&ASfGC – (AdvOn) – “Compounded Resilience: Achieving CC Mit. & Adapt in US Built Env.”
Nature (AdvOn) – “Deforestation-Induced Drying Lowers Amazon Climate Threshold”
Nature Sustainability (AdvOn) – “Climate Driven Depop./Adapt. in US Coastal Ground Zero”
Popular Commentary, News and Analysis
Deutsche Welle (05.06) – “Here’s What Happens When Cities Kick Out Cars: Berlin, Oslo, Paris”
Foreign Pol. (05.04) – “This Energy Crisis Is Undoing the Last Ones: Western-Led Order Is Losing Its Grip”
Grist (05.05) – “Cities Are Rehearsing for Deadly Heat. Will It Help When Disaster Comes?”
Guardian (05.05) – “As Household Bills Soar, Is It Time for a ‘Working Class Climate Agenda’?”
New York Times (05.06) – “The Global Oil Crisis Seems to Be Helping One Industry: Renewable Energy”
New Yorker (05.08) – “Letter from the UK: A Hundred Years of David Attenborough” by A. Lane
Scientific American (05.05) – “CO2 Level in the Atmosphere Just Hit a ‘Depressing’ Record High”
Wall Street Journal (05.07) – “AI Is Distorting Practically Everything about the Economy” by Greg IP
Washington Post (05.08) – “These Blue States Aren’t Getting Fire Prevention Money from Trump”
Podcasts & Radio Stories
Club of Rome – Podcast (4.24) – “Inequality, Power and the Fight for a Fairer World w J. Ghosh”
Drilled – Podcast (05. 05) – “What Was the Santa Marta Conference? w/ Nina Lakhani”
Food Tank – Food Talk (05.07) – “What’s at Stake in New Farm Bill, w/ Kathleen Merrigan”
Heatmap – Shift Key (05.06) – “Why Philanthropist J. Arnold Is Optimistic abt Permitting Reform”
ICN – Sunday Morning (05.10) – “The $370 Million Payout [to Largest Exporter of LNG]”
MPT - Chesapeake Bay Week (4.19) – “Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories”
OIES – Podcast (04.08) - “Evolution of Nuclear Energy: Current Capabilities, Future Prospects”
Planet Critical – Podcast (05.07) – “The Eco-Crisis Is a Feminist Crisis, w Natasha Walter”
RFF – Resources Radio (05.05) – “What Makes an Energy Economy Resilient? w/ D. Raimi”
Volts – Podcast – “Whole-Home Retrofits” (05/06) / “Uses Prices, not VPP, to Dist. Energy” (05.08)
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