Ep. 147: Kate Gordon, Senior Policy Advisor on Climate to Governor Gavin Newsom & Director of the Office of Planning and Research for California

This week's guest is Kate Gordon, Senior Policy Advisor on Climate to Governor Gavin Newsom & Director of the Office of Planning and Research for California. The California Governor's Office of Planning and Research serves the Governor and Cabinet for long-range planning across three significant buckets: land use and planning, climate risk and resilience, and sustainable economic development. As Senior Policy Advisor on Climate, Kate focuses on California's climate initiatives across policy, leadership, and budget. Kate has spent the last 15 years focusing on the intersection of clean energy, climate, and economic growth. Before she was appointed OPR Director and Senior Policy Advisor, Kate served as the founding Executive Director for the Risky Business project at the Center for the Next Generation. The Risky Business Project works to quantify the economic impacts of climate change on US energy demands, crop yields, and coastal infrastructure. She has also taken on senior roles at the Apollo Alliance, the Center for American Progress, and the Paulson Institute. Kate holds a J.D. and a Master's in City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. I was looking forward to this episode as policy plays a crucial role in a clean energy transition. Kate's knowledge and experience led to a lively discussion about the role of state government, public sector climate initiatives, and federal policies. She explains why California is unique and key ways the state is taking action to accelerate the transition. Kate also talks about her climate journey, what motivated her to work in climate, and her role in the Governor's office. Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. Episode recorded February 9th, 2021 Please note, Kate misspoke when she mentioned the Climate Cabinet Fund; she meant to say the Climate Catalyst Fund. For more information about the Climate Catalyst fund and the Governor's plan: https://calmatters.org/environment/2020/01/california-budget-billion-dollar-climate-innovation-loan-fund/