Leading Spain in Paris Accords and Pushing Climate Policy Today

Miguel Arias Cañete was the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy and led the EU negotiations of the Paris Agreement.

He’s now involved with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation which has launched the Prize for Humanity, an annual €1m award for people or organizations from all over the world focused on mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change.

Miguel has served the Spanish Government as both the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Agriculture, Food and Environment before being selected to head his Party List in the European Parliamentary elections.

Listen and Learn:

The unique challenges that went into crafting the Paris Accord
What the US’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement means for climate policy
How hard it is to ensure collective action on big problems
China’s role in addressing the environment
Why Miguel thinks the US will rejoin the Paris Accords
How the EU is leading the effort on decarbonization
What to think about nuclear energy
The reason transportation is so hard to go green
What happens if we don’t reach climate goals
The problems of bureaucracy and why the EU is actually pretty efficient
Which agritech areas are most important to reduce global warming
How business can be used as a force for good
Are we headed for a future of mass migrations
Why democracy is a stronger governance system than centralized economies in the long run
How China’s policy on coal could crush climate goals