Sydney McGovern

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

23Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Energy, Louisiana State University, Policy

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

ULL's Mechanical Engineering Virtual Reality Lab uses a photovoltaic power plant model to facilitate virtual hands-on learning. The application teaches users how solar power is produced, converted and transmitted. Courtesy of The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center. By Sydney McGovern, Samantha Beekman, Josh Archote Traditional energy generation is declining, and renewable energy is on the rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that wind turbine service technicians and solar panel installers will be two of the fastest growing jobs in the United States through 2029. The switch to a low-carbon economy is necessary to minimize the impacts of climate change. But with these changes comes a complex set o...

22Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

AUTHOR

Content Producer, LSU My name is Sydney McGovern, and I'm a senior at Louisiana State University pursuing an honors dual degree in mass communication with a concentration in political communication and Spanish. I report on the Louisiana Legislature for over 60 news organizations across the state with the Manship Statehouse Bureau. I also serve as the vice president for Geaux Vote, an organization promoting civic engagement on LSU's campus, and an ambassador for the Andrew Goodman Foundation, working to promote youth leadership development, voting access and social justice initiatives. In my reporting on Louisiana public affairs, I examined the state of projects to recover Louisiana's diminishing coastline and provided nuance to the relationship between the state's thriving oil and gas i...

Efforts to halt Mississippi River erosion expected to yield promising results over next four years

14Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Louisiana State University, Policy

Efforts to halt Mississippi River erosion expected to yield promising results over next four years

By Sydney McGovern This piece was originally published on March 23, 2021, by BR Proud. Thousands of years ago, the Mississippi River Delta was formed from sediment deposited from the river. Layers upon layers of sand, silt and clay make up the land that millions of people live and work on today. But in the past 100 years, Louisiana has lost over 2,000 square miles of land. That’s about the size of Delaware, or the total combined landmass of St. Charles, St. John, St. James, Ascension, East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana parishes. Man-made levees protect South Louisiana from devastating flooding, but they also prevent the river from depositing sediment to maintain the marshes. Without major action, Louisiana would lose 4,200 square miles of land over the next 50 years, endangeri...

‘The real threat is not taking action’: Experts say renewable energy poses an opportunity, not a threat, to Louisiana

14Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Economy, Energy, Louisiana State University, Policy

‘The real threat is not taking action’: Experts say renewable energy poses an opportunity, not a threat, to Louisiana

By Sydney McGovern This piece was originally published on April 19, 2021, by BIZ Magazine. Since last October, Entergy has been purchasing power from this solar facility in West Baton Rouge Parish. In his first week in office, President Joe Biden signed executive orders to eliminate many federal subsidies for fossil fuels starting next year and pause new oil and gas permits on federal lands. Louisiana congressional delegation expressed outrage about Biden’s decision. Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican, said the changes would be “devastating to Louisiana,” and Sen. Bill Cassidy, called Biden’s use of the term “Cancer Alley” a “slam upon our state.” Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is leading a lawsuit against Biden’s moratorium on oil and gas leases. But local economic and...