How can we build a more secure digital future?

Cyber-attacks and data-breaches are escalating, attackers are employing all manner of sophisticated tools, AI is transforming the ‘arms race’ for both attackers and defenders. We see the headlines, but is this a future we have to accept? What are the pathways to a more secure digital future?

I asked Bruce Schneier, the biggest name in cybersecurity.

Bruce is a DEEP thinker. He’s been researching and writing prolifically on cybersecurity since 1998, has authored more than 12 books, is a Fellow and lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy school and a board member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and is also Chief of Security Architecture at Inrupt, a data-security venture co-founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Who better to shed light on pathways forward?

What I like best about him is this: he thinks about cybersecurity as the product of social, political, economic AND technical factors. He's a realist. Added to which, he has a wonderful turn of phrase: his razor-sharp one-liners slice right to the heart of an issue.

We discussed incentives, why government intervention is crucial for correcting market failures, IoT laws, the benefits of data decentralization and compartmentalization, disrupting cryptocurrencies to disrupt ransomware, treating superfluous data as a toxic asset, the unknowns of the post-quantum world, the need for crypto-agility, the benefits of zero trust authentication and more. I know you will enjoy his insights!

As always, you'll find my personal takeaways, links to some of Bruce’s related blog posts so you can take a deeper dive, and a full transcript of our conversation on the FutureBites page, where you can also learn more about my work as a futurist speaker.

The fifth largest economy in the world is smashing renewables records! For 41 of the past 49 days, California's grid has met more than 100% of electricity demand using solar, wind and hydro generation supplemented by grid-scale batteries. Supply is frequently exceeding 140% of demand, with the excess exported to neighbouring states. On some days renewables have supplied more than 100% of demand for more than 9 hours. These outstanding milestones for the atmosphere, the US economy and for consumers, are taking place earlier and faster than expected, with energy prices projected to fall steeply as California races towards the ultimate milestone: 100% solar, wind and hydro 24/7 365 days a year.

What factors are responsible? What lessons can be learned? What does this tell us about future of energy?

I asked Professor Mark Jacobson, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University.

Mark is a GIANT in his field. As well as being the current #1 cited scientist, he is a prolific public commentator and regularly cited as one of the world’s most influential people. When it comes to the science, engineering and economics of the global transition to renewable energy, I consider him the most respected voice on the planet. His leadership, as a tireless educator to the public as well as to policy-makers, as he helps steer all 8 billion of us towards a better, healthier, safer future, is an inspiration. What a privilege to listen to his insights!

As always, you'll find my personal takeaways, a ton of links to further resources, data and reading kindly supplied by Mark, and a full transcript of our conversation on the FutureBites page, where you can also learn more about my work as a futurist speaker.

Enjoy the conversation, and see you in a cleaner, greener future!!!

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with Michael Barnard, global energy expert and consultant to the biggest investors on the planet. In this episode we discuss biofuels, long-range shipping, carbon pricing, nuclear reactors, geothermal, grid-scale energy storage and more, and we wrap up with Michael's Short List of Climate Actions That Will Work. There's a ton of insight and wisdom to help you target the real energy opportunities. We also had a ton of fun. Wait until you hear some of Michael's one-liners as he eviscerates projects that fail on both science and economics -- priceless!

Michael lives and breathes energy tech. He is utterly pragmatic, laser-focused on cutting through the nonsense, and backs all his assertions with science and comprehensive, quantified, costed analysis. He is also passionate at debunking the myths and spreading the word about where the real opportunities lie. He shares these messages via his Redefining Energy – Tech podcast, and publishes prolifically in Clean Technica and Forbes Magazine. All of which explains why he's the perfect person to discuss what the future of energy generation will look.

For further reading, you'll find a list of Michael's go-to articles on the FutureBites page, where you can also learn more about my work as a futurist speaker.

See you in the future!