Cheap and clean: How Americans think about energy in the age of global warming

How do Americans think about energy? Is the debate over fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy highly partisan and ideological? Are people’s preferences for different energy sources idiosyncratic, or is there a common pattern that explains how people view energy across sources? How much does concern about climate change weigh on these opinions? In a September talk hosted by the MIT Energy Initiative, David Konisky of Indiana University answered these questions and more in a discussion of his 2014 book, Cheap and Clean. This talk was presented on September 17, 2015 as part of the IHS Markit Seminar Series. About the speaker: David Konisky is Associate Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. Konisky’s research focuses on American politics and public policy, with particular emphasis on regulation, environmental politics and policy, state politics, and public opinion. His research has been published in leading political science and public policy journals, and he has the authored or edited three books, including most recently, Failed Promises: Evaluating the Federal Government’s Response to Environmental Justice (MIT Press, 2015). Konisky earned his Ph.D. in political science at MIT, and has master’s degrees in environmental management and international relations from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in history and environmental studies from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the faculty at Indiana University, he served on the faculty at Georgetown University. ___ The MIT Energy Initiative is MIT’s hub for energy research, education, and outreach. Learn more at http://energy.mit.edu.