Death to Tribalism: A Conversation With The Breakthrough Institute

In this week’s episode of The Interchange, we talk with Alex Trembath of the Breakthrough Institute about the “politics of possibility” in energy and climate.

Stephen Lacey February 08, 2018

Stephen Lacey

Contributing Editor
Greentech Media

Stephen Lacey is a contributing editor with Greentech Media. He is also the founder and executive producer of Post Script Media. Lacey produces and hosts The Energy Gang and Interchange podcasts, two of the most popular podcasts on energy and cleantech.

The Breakthrough Institute was founded on the idea that conventional environmentalists were wrong about how to protect the planet.

Back in 2004, the co-founders called for ending the "politics of limits" pushed by environmental groups. Rather, they saw economic growth, technological innovation and human ingenuity as the most important tools for environmental progress -- not necessarily regulatory constraints. That angered large swaths of the environmental community.

Over the last decade, the Breakthrough Institute has thrust itself into the tribal warfare that grips the energy and climate movement. Energy innovation versus deployment? Renewables versus nuclear? GMOs versus organic food? The organization advances bold and sometimes contentious views in all of these areas.

More recently, the Breakthrough Institute has moderated its tone -- trying to create a more inclusive vision for the future.

In this episode, we’re going to talk with Alex Trembath, the communications director at Breakthrough, about where the think tank stands on renewables, nuclear, climate policy and energy intensity. We'll also spend some time on how to get beyond tribalism.

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