Will America embrace clean energy by 2050?

Following President Obama’s inauguration last week, ASU’s Global Institute of Sustainability explored the president’s energy plan at the event, “The Future of Energy: Brown, Clean, or In Between?”

The event, covered in a recent Future Tense article, featured panelists John Hofmeister, former Shell Oil president and founder of Citizens for Affordable Energy; Mark Jacobson, director of Stanford University’s Atmosphere/Energy Program; and environmental filmmaker Peter Byck.

The panelists were moderated by American Public Media's Eve Troeh. These "three prominent voices in the field of alternative energy" seemed skeptical about the administration’s efforts in alleviating climate change – especially if America is to depend only on clean energy by 2050.

Future Tense reporter David Sydiongco spoke with Hofmeister after the panel and the former oil president said: "Obama is in the same position as the last seven presidents who have promised energy independence. He’s not an expert. He has many other things on his plate."

Jacobson warned the audience that natural gas isn’t as clean as we think, and is actually a leading contributor to arctic ice melt. The most hopeful of the panelists, Byck, says the administration underestimates the public’s enthusiasm in leading the quest to a clean energy future.

So the question remains: Will America embrace clean energy by 2050?

To read Sydiongco's entire article, visit the link below. 

Future Tense is a collaboration among ASU, the New America Foundation, and Slate magazine that explores how emerging technologies affect policy and society. The Future Tense channel at Slate features multiple blog posts daily and several full-length articles weekly.