Should Democrats Reframe Climate Change as an Affordability Issue?

Guy Marzorati Marisa Lagos Scott Shafer

Dec 30, 2025

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The Governor of the state of Para, Helder Barbalho and the Governor of California Gavin Newsom pose for a picture after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on wildfire prevention and response, forest health, and sustainable land management during a meeting in the framework of the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on Nov. 11, 2025. (Mauro Pimentel/AFP)

Over the holidays, we’re rebroadcasting some of our favorite interviews from 2025.

In November, Governor Gavin Newsom was at the COP30 United Nations climate summit in Brazil, where he argued Democrats need to reframe climate change mitigation as an affordability issue. Marisa and Scott are joined by Guy to discuss the politics of energy and how the soaring cost of utilities is becoming a political cudgel.

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