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Jonathan J. Halperin
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A Conversation with Bill Clinton about Climate
Having heard President Clinton speak a few times while he was President, it was inspiring to have a conversation with him on Saturday (July 2) after his unscheduled presentation at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
A handful of us were talking after listening to his view of the 2012 election: Obama Administration success stories, observations on the Republican field, and calculations regarding Hispanic votes. I then solicited his thoughts on climate. He had just explained the critical importance of generating and managing uncertainty as a tool for political power.
I asked if he thought this ‘uncertainty principle’ could also be applied to generate support for successful climate and energy policy. After a brief pause, as his famous piercing blue eyes narrowed slightly, he said, “yes, I do.” He talked quickly and intensely about the importance of a single line in the stimulus legislation that Republican leaders have targeted. The fight is over $2 billion that has helped jump-start electric-vehicle battery manufacturing in the United States. (According to DOE, the 26 plants now operating will have capacity to meet 20 percent of global market demand in 2012).
A passionate advocate for aligning economic growth, “green jobs” and reducing carbon, Clinton then looked around, lowered his voice and leaned in to speak with the four of us in a huddle (perhaps because Chris Matthews and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi might otherwise have overheard his next point). Pointing again to the new jobs created in the automobile battery sector with federal support over the last 18 months, he said “and they are worried that we really will generate the jobs with these investments…and that’s why they killed it.” He then raised his eyebrows evocatively, “Got it?”
We then shook hands with the 42nd President of the United States, as he thanked us for coming and for the questions we posed. With nothing to gain and no votes to solicit, Bill Clinton still left us all feeling that we had had a few moments with one of the truly commanding leaders of our age.
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When I began to unhook from SustainAbility in 2008, after 20+ years, to co-found Volans, Jonathan was working with the US end of SustainAbility — and sent the London end of the Volans team a large cardboard box of multi-colored felt rocks, which initially I couldn't make head nor tail of. I thought he was mad, or overly American.
But I have to say that, over time, those felt rocks have become a central feature of the Volans culture, thrown by team members at other team members (or guests) on the slightest provocation. That aside, he's a consummate professional, creative collaborator, skilled communicator, and keen intellect—and I am delighted both to have had Jonathan as a colleague and to now count him as a friend.
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