Justin Worland: SEAL Award Winner 2021

A selection of this year’s best environmental journalism

Meet the Man Who Defines the Energy Markets — And Wants the World to Go Clean

“…Birol has become one of the most persuasive speakers on the need to rapidly grow clean energy. His case for renewables is manifold. The cost of clean energy has fallen, making it cheaper than fossil fuels in many places around the globe. Deploying clean energy can also grow the economy, creating a market worth more than $1 trillion by midcentury while providing power to developing countries in the Global South.”
Source: Time (Approx. 2 minutes)

The Energy Transition Is in Full Swing. It’s Not Happening Fast Enough

“The analytical work that underpins the report began long before the energy crunch gripping Europe and China and threatens to spread across the globe. Nonetheless, the report warns that the energy crisis — which the IEA attributes to a rise in energy demand amid the economic recovery from the pandemic, among other things — may presage future energy crises that could occur if governments fail to plan carefully.”
Source: Time (Approx. 4 minutes)

Infrastructure Is Important to Reduce Climate Risk. But It’s Not Enough

“On a global scale, climate change could reduce the value of financial assets by as much as $24 trillion by the end of the century, according to a report from the London School of Economics. That makes investments in climate-related infrastructure difficult to plan. When done right, infrastructure investments play an important role in mitigating this financial risk. Over the years, various analyses have found that infrastructure investment pays big dividends: $1 invested in climate-resilient infrastructure saves many more dollars in reduced disaster costs. It just has to be the right infrastructure.”
Source: Time (Approx. 4 minutes)

Angela Merkel Will Leave a Mixed Climate Legacy. Other Leaders Will Fare Far Worse

“That mixed assessment of Merkel’s climate legacy is the result of many factors: her prioritization of stability over disruptive climate policy in challenging times, the growing public concern over climate change today and a body of science that is far more decisive about the urgency of climate change now than it was 15 years ago. Merkel — who was dubbed the “climate chancellor” early in her long tenure — may be an obvious target for having that legacy reviewed as she prepares to exit. But as history is written, she won’t be alone. Leaders across the political spectrum in every corner of the globe didn’t do enough. In comparison, Merkel’s mixed legacy may not look so dim.”
Source: Time (Approx. 8 minutes)

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Believes the WTO Can Change the World. But First It Needs Reform

“Okonjo-Iweala noted that many of the countries subject to WTO rules today were under colonial rule when the current international financial regime was established after World War II. “I think multilateralism itself has been under attack for some time — and I think that attack intensified in the last four years — but it’s been under attack because these institutions like the WTO were developed 76–77 years ago,” she said. “There are questions about the rules: how does this work? Is this fit for purpose? This means finding ways to ensure that small developing countries benefit as much from global trade as their wealthier counterparts. “They need a level playing field,” she said.”
Source: Time (Approx. 6 minutes)

Read the SEAL Awards 2021 Environmental Journalism Award Announcement