Climate One
Climate One from The Commonwealth Club
We’re living through a climate emergency; addressing this crisis begins by talking about it. Co-Hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious bring you empowering conversations that connect all aspects of the challenge — the scary and the exciting, the individual and the systemic. Join us.Subscribe to Climate One on Patreon for access to ad-free episodes.
Trump Breaks Wind?
It’s no secret that President Trump is not a fan of wind energy. As a matter of fact, he signed an executive order on his first day back in office that paused leasing for any new or renewed offshore wind energy projects and required the re-evaluation of all wind projects. This has thrown uncertainty into the entire industry, which already had supply chain and local opposition issues even before the new administration took office. Meanwhile, wind projects — especially offshore — have seen a decad
Mar 28, • 1:01:40
Justice and Faith: Catherine Coleman Flowers and Justin J. Pearson
Catherine Coleman Flowers has dedicated her life to fighting for the most vulnerable communities — people who have been deprived of the basic civil right to a clean, safe and sustainable environment. When she was first on Climate One in 2021, Flowers talked about growing up in Lowndes County, Alabama, and working to stem the raw sewage contaminating homes and drinking water in her county and beyond. In recognition of this work she was granted a MacArthur “Genius Award.” Now, she picks up the sto
Mar 21, • 58:57
Making Cents Out of Watts: What’s Driving Up Your Energy Bills?
A third of Americans say that they've skipped food, medicine, or something else to be able to afford their energy bills. Much of the increase in the cost of electricity is driven by rising demand from artificial intelligence and data centers, industrial onshoring and hotter temperatures. How does your electricity bill get calculated, and who’s in charge of setting those rates? Does public power serve consumers better than investor-owned utilities? And will rising electricity prices damp
Mar 14, • 1:02:55
Is ESG BS?
Who’s responsible for climate change? Fossil fuel companies would like us to believe it’s all of us as individuals (after all, BP invented the idea of the personal carbon footprint). But many large corporations bear at least as much of the blame. And for a decade or so, there was a push for every company to disclose its own emissions — a kind of corporate carbon footprint — and “sustainability” became the word of the day. But corporate shareholders demand profits, and managers are held
Mar 7, • 1:08:52
The $300M Lawsuit That Could Crush Dissent
Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, is suing Greenpeace for $300 million. The pipeline company accuses Greenpeace of criminal behavior — trespassing, vandalism, and assault of construction workers — and inciting riotous behavior by protesters at Standing Rock in 2016.Greenpeace considers this legal action to be a “SLAPP suit” — a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation — aimed at silencing not just Greenpeace, but civil protests everywhere. The trial i
Feb 28, • 1:03:55
Disasterology: Navigating Fossil-Fueled Chaos
From hurricanes on the East Coast to wildfires in LA, to floods in Vermont and storms in Texas, communities across the U.S. are facing a growing number of intense and devastating disasters. There are significant disparities in who has the means to evacuate during a disaster and who has the resources to rebuild once the storm has passed. Long after the immediate impact, the challenges continue, with many left to navigate a slow, complex, and often confusing recovery process. As the harsh reality
Feb 21, • 1:06:26
Solar Power to the People
At this moment, the cheapest way to create electricity is by pointing a solar panel at the sun. That’s good news for the climate. It’s also good news for communities who want to take control of their own electricity generation.In the heart of Brooklyn, UPROSE is helping to build a solar project that will be owned by the community, provide jobs, and help residents bring down their energy costs. In Puerto Rico, where hurricanes have devastated the power grid, community members are buildin
Feb 14, • 1:02:40
Drag Queen Pattie Gonia: Bringing Joy to Climate Action
When individuals want to take action on climate, it’s often in the form of electrifying a home, voting, or maybe even traditional activism. Those are very important, but we often overlook how individual skills and talents can also make a difference. This week we’re highlighting creative forms of climate action. Pattie Gonia is a drag queen, environmentalist and advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors who struts their message through national parks, in Pride events, and through the
Feb 7, • 58:11
What Climate Progress Is Possible Now?
The second Trump administration has hit the ground running. The president has signed a flurry of executive orders targeting everything from birthright citizenship to pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords. This is a far different moment from the first Trump term. The president is more focused, his team is more focused, and energy policy is at the top of their action list. However, the renewable energy market is also much more mature, and the transition away from fossil fuels has been
Jan 31, • 1:03:08
LA Wildfires: Loss, Recovery and Resilience
The wildfires ravaging Los Angeles have caused incredible destruction — loss of life, thousands of homes and businesses gone or damaged and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. While the scale and speed of these fires may feel unprecedented, the dry, fire-prone foothills around LA burn often. Yet increasingly we see wildfires spurred by climate factors including warmer temperatures and weather whiplash — cycles of heavy precipitation followed by extreme drought. This week we hear
Jan 24, • 1:06:06
Even Old Houses Can Learn New Elec-Tricks
If we include personal cars, along with appliances like water heaters, stoves and furnaces, more than 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from individuals at the home level. The good news: no matter where you live, there are steps you can take to make your home cleaner, healthier and more comfortable. And thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, there’s now a raft of federal incentives to help homeowners electrify their lives. Electrification has even become a theme on long running ho
Jan 17, • 1:02:06
Leah Stokes: 2024 Schneider Award Winner
Every year we highlight the work of a scientist who excels in communicating their work to the world. Climate One is delighted to present the 2024 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication to political scientist and energy expert Leah Stokes.Her rare ability to communicate complex information to both academic audiences and the general public has established her as one of the most influential voices in climate action and clean energy policy. “What I've started to thi
Jan 10, • 1:00:14
REWIND: Geothermal — So Hot Right Now
When most people hear the phrase renewable energy, they imagine fields full of solar panels or giant spinning wind turbines. But another source may be heating up: geothermal. Twenty years ago, it was thought that geothermal could provide at most 10% of any given area’s electricity, and only in very limited regions. There were also environmental concerns about depleting groundwater. But new technological advances may have unlocked the potential for scalable geothermal energy just about anywhere.
Jan 3, • 59:55
REFRESH — Big Plastic: The New Big Oil
Plastics are everywhere. And while we’ve known for a long time that plastics and our environment aren’t a good mix, it's becoming apparent that they’re massive climate polluters too. The production of plastics alone produces about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. After what is often a single use, the resulting waste continues releasing the greenhouse gasses ethylene and methane as it breaks apart.Yet, as petrochemical companies pay lip service ending fuel production, they are pouring resou
Dec 27, 2024 • 1:00:09
This Year in Climate: 2024
2024 set new records for extreme heat around the world in what is already the warmest decade on record. According to the World Meteorological Organization, sea-level rise and ocean heating are accelerating along with the loss of ice from glaciers. We continue to see extreme weather of all kinds wreak havoc on communities across the world. In spite of the growing disruption, countries continue to miss their self-imposed climate targets. And in November, the U.S. re-elected Donald Trump t
Dec 20, 2024 • 1:07:20
Transfer of Power: Life After Coal
For over a century, coal fueled much of the country and served as the economic backbone for many rural communities. But with the rise of more affordable wind and solar energy, coal is in decline, leaving these towns increasingly vulnerable. As jobs disappear, coal-dependent communities are faced with the threat of economic collapse and depopulation. To adapt, many are working to diversify their economies, seeking new industries and opportunities for the future. Today, we’ll visit coal communitie
Dec 13, 2024 • 58:13
What Trump 2.0 Means for the Climate
On the surface, climate policy couldn’t face a worse future than under a second Trump administration. As a candidate, Trump said on his first day back in office: “I want to drill, drill, drill.” So, what are environmental organizations, including those aligned with the Republican party, doing to keep making progress on addressing climate change? And what do Trump’s cabinet picks say about the incoming administration’s attitude toward energy policy? Guests: Abigail Dillen, President, Ear
Dec 6, 2024 • 57:36
REWND: You Gonna Finish That? Saving Good Food from Going Bad
Globally, one-third of food produced every year is wasted. That’s enough to feed about 2 billion people — twice the number of people who are undernourished. The global food system also accounts for a whopping one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. These two problems — waste and emissions — are intricately linked: Climate disruption exacerbates food insecurity. And industrial food production contributes to the climate crisis. When food is wasted, it’s also a waste of land, wa
Nov 29, 2024 • 58:50
Heroic Lives of Climate Defenders
Climate advocacy is a dangerous business. According to Global Witness, every week, somewhere in the world, between three and four environmental activists are killed. And even when they don’t suffer bodily harm, they are routinely arrested and jailed for speaking out. They are also sued in civil cases, bogging them down for years or even bankrupting them and their families. Each personal story in this episode is unique, but the physical threats and legal weapons fossil fuel companies and
Nov 22, 2024 • 1:03:41
Where Do We Go From Here? COP29 and the Path Ahead
For the third year in a row, the world’s most important climate conference is taking place in a country whose largest source of export revenue is fossil fuel. This year, over 190 countries are assembling in Baku, Azerbaijan. And despite nearly 30 years of pledges and promises, the UN’s recent Emissions Gap Report shows virtually every country failing to deliver on its promises.Ever since the Paris Agreement was signed at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP), the focus of this annual mee
Nov 15, 2024 • 1:03:16
In the Eye of the Storm: TV Meteorologists Talk Climate
When it comes to communicating climate science, weathercasters are uniquely positioned to connect the facts to viewers’ experiences. TV meteorologists are trusted members of their communities, and they’re often the only scientists the general public hears from regularly. How they communicate can shape public understanding and depoliticize a topic that has become disturbingly divisive. But in some parts of the country, politics continues to get in the way of the facts. So how do weathercasters e
Nov 8, 2024 • 1:00:21
REWIND: Artificial Intelligence, Real Climate Impacts
Artificial intelligence can do some pretty amazing things, including for the climate. AI can help optimize the electric grid, make heating and cooling buildings more efficient, and pinpoint exactly where greenhouse gas emissions are coming from all around the world. On the other hand, the energy use of AI is massive and growing. A recent study estimates that in just a few years, the extra energy needed will equal whole countries the size of Sweden or Argentina. How do we make sure the benefits
Nov 1, 2024 • 1:01:15
REWIND: What More Can I Do?
If you’re a climate-conscious person, you likely already know some of the main ways you can reduce your contribution to greenhouse gasses: buy less, eat less meat, ride your bike. But there are other, less obvious methods we don’t always think of: voting, having climate conversations, engaging with your local government, changing where your money is invested. And while our role as individuals does matter, we’re more powerful when we work together in collective action. Guests: Jon Foley, Executi
Oct 25, 2024 • 59:33
The Tunnel Vision: A Look at California’s $20 Billion Solution to Its Climate Crisis
California has one of the most ambitious and highly engineered water delivery systems on the planet, and it’s being eyed for a new extension. The Delta Conveyance Project is Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal for a 45-mile underground tube that would tap fresh water from its source in the north and carry it beneath a vast wetland to users in the south. The Delta is the exchange point for half of California’s water supply, and the tunnel is an extension of the State Water Project, which was built i
Oct 23, 2024 • 1:03:05
How To Dance With China
In the last two decades, China has made big commitments to renewable energy — and it’s delivered. Last year, China installed more solar panels than the U.S. has in its history. Solar panel exports increased 38%, and lower prices have all but killed solar manufacturing in the U.S. and EU. Chinese company BYD recently surpassed Tesla as the world's largest EV maker — with cars at just a fraction of the cost. This has leaders in the West fretting about competition, but isn’t this good news for the
Oct 18, 2024 • 58:15
What If We Get It Right?
In the face of hurricanes, wildfires, droughts and other fossil fueled disasters, it’s easy to feel hopeless about the future of the climate. But marine biologist, and co-founder of The All We Can Save Project, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson asks us instead to focus on the question, “What if we get it right?” Johnson’s new book, also titled “What If We Get It Right?” features such climate luminaries as Third Act Founder Bill McKibben and Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen, whom we also feature
Oct 11, 2024 • 1:06:07
No Justice Without Climate Justice
Before Justin J. Pearson became a national voice for common sense gun regulation, he was a strong advocate for climate and environmental justice, having worked to defeat a multi-billion-dollar crude oil pipeline that could have poisoned Memphis’s drinking water and taken land from South Memphis residents. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is working to make climate a top priority in his traditionally fossil fuel-friendly city. From his first press conference where he discussed making Cleveland a “15-
Oct 4, 2024 • 1:00:55
Jane Goodall: Celebrating 90
Environmental icon Jane Goodall is celebrating 90 years of life, and she’s not backing off of her passionate commitment to nature. The indefatigable Goodall is now focused on three intertwined crises: biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental inequity. She has one important message for her audiences around the world: vote like your children’s lives depend on it — because they do. Jane Goodall is joined by Rhett Butler, founder of Mongabay, a nonprofit media organization that delivers
Sep 27, 2024 • 53:52
REWIND – Wardrobe Malfunction: The Climate Impact of Clothing
What we wear defines us in so many ways. But in recent decades we’ve moved away from long-lasting, quality pieces in favor of disposable fast fashion, with major consequences for our climate and environment. From mechanized farming and pesticides to grow fiber crops, to energy for manufacturing and transportation, fossil fuels are embedded in the clothing industry at every step of the process. Companies large and small are working against this trend, with some setting lofty goals for reducing ca
Sep 20, 2024 • 1:04:04
Turning Election Anxiety Into Action
The U.S. is gearing up for a presidential election between a climate advocate and a climate denier. Scientists have given humanity a deadline to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels if we want a habitable Earth. While there has been some progress, it’s not anywhere nearly enough, and the consequences of our failure to address our fossil fuel addiction is becoming more and more obvious. All of which generates lots of anxiety about the election’s outcome. So what are some ways we can addres
Sep 13, 2024 • 1:01:22
Cheaper, Faster, Better: Tom Steyer on Winning the Climate War
Tom Steyer rose to public prominence as the billionaire investor and climate organizer who ran for president in the 2020 election on a climate-first platform. While he didn’t secure the Democratic nomination, his dedication to supporting and advancing climate solutions has remained steadfast. In his new book, “Cheaper, Better, Faster: How We’ll Win the Climate War,” Steyer argues that we are in a defining moment: We face the daunting, existential threat of climate change. And yet, with this grea
Sep 6, 2024 • 1:01:35
Military Power: Balancing Security and Climate Threats
The U.S. military is one of the world’s largest consumers of fossil fuels. And its carbon pollution is equally huge. At the same time, climate disruption is already amplifying crises and conflicts around the world — making climate change, in the words of one military expert, “a threat multiplier.”The Department of Defense has been making moves to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The Air Force has recently invested in electric aircraft, and several bases are tapping into geothermal energy —
Aug 30, 2024 • 1:02:04
What’s a Climate-Conscious Republican to Do?
The leaders at the top of the Republican Party want the U.S. to double down on carbon-intensive oil and gas — and avoid reckoning with the damage they cause. As temperatures continue to rise, a majority of young Republican voters say clinging to that stance could spell trouble for the sustainability of the GOP. And yet, conservatives aren’t a monolith when it comes to climate. A small wing of the party is warming up to the idea of climate action. The question is: Can those Republicans, who take
Aug 23, 2024 • 59:27
What the FERC Is Going on With the Electric Grid
The nation’s electric grid needs to be expanded and made more reliable for our future energy demands and climate forecasts. The way we’ve built transmission in the past — regionally siloed with short term planning — is now suffering from reliability and capacity issues and won’t work for the next century.The Department of Energy is drafting plans for national transmission corridors to help speed new construction. It’s also handing out funds to build new lines and upgrade existing infrastructure
Aug 16, 2024 • 1:00:01
Unions You Wouldn't Expect Bargaining for Climate Action
Last year was the hottest in recorded history, and this summer, much of the United States has already experienced record-shattering heat waves. That leaves millions of workers risking their health and possibly even their lives while on the job. And the danger is not limited to those who work outdoors. Warehouses, restaurants, and other indoor spaces are heating up. Most jobs lack heat protection from the federal or state government, but the same groups that brought us the 40-hour work week, chil
Aug 9, 2024 • 1:00:23
Thirst Trap: When Big Cities Run Dry
This week we take a trip to Mexico, a petrostate that just elected climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum as its next president. She’s also the former mayor of Mexico City, the largest city in North America, which has been going through a major water crisis due to climate change. It’s at risk of running out of water — and it has been for a long time. In fact, much of the country is coping with drought and heat waves exacerbated by climate change.Christine Colvin, a hydrogeologist with WWF Internati
Aug 2, 2024 • 1:01:12
Going for Green at the Paris Games
The Summer Olympic Games are here! That means more than 300 events, ten thousand athletes and millions of spectators coming to watch. And the athletes are not the only ones with an Olympian task; the organizers of the Paris Games pledged to make their event emit only half of the carbon pollution of the 2012 London Games. In order to make that happen, they are trying to do more — by doing less. Instead of building huge new structures, they’ve renovated a number of existing venues and installed a
Jul 26, 2024 • 1:01:46
What’s at Stake in November
This November, voters may have the rare opportunity to choose between two administrations that have already each had four years in office. Regardless of who ends up at the top of the ticket, when it comes to climate in particular, a lot is at stake. As Biden’s first term is winding down, the administration has been enacting numerous climate initiatives on top of his already robust climate wins, like new guidance on permitting and a new solar program. Meanwhile, former President Trump has promise
Jul 19, 2024 • 1:05:44
Local Climate Heroes with Project Drawdown
There are climate heroes everywhere among us, but few get the public attention they deserve. Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, has been shining a light on the work of such people in cities across the country in his documentary short series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.” In Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and more, Scott lifts up underrepresented voices of those working directly in their communities on climate issues. This week, we f
Jul 12, 2024 • 1:01:02
REWIND: Six People Who’ve Changed Jobs for Climate
One of the most common questions people ask about climate is: what can I do? Since time is one of our most valuable resources — and we spend so much of our time at work — changing jobs may be the most effective individual climate action a person can take. Those changes could be big or small: Leaving the oil and gas industry for geothermal, or helping to bring down the emissions where you already work. The truth is, almost any job can be a climate job. But how do people actually make the transiti
Jul 5, 2024 • 58:43
Crude Awakening: Why Ecuador Voted to Stop Drilling in the Amazon
As countries around the world become more serious about reducing carbon emissions to meet international targets, many are still approving new oil and gas projects, committing us to increased global warming. Yet an increasing number of countries are taking a stand to leave those future emissions in the ground, even at the expense of their own profits. Last year, Ecuadorians voted to halt the development of new oil wells in the Yasuní National Park in the Amazon, keeping around 726 million barrels
Jun 28, 2024 • 1:00:18
Climate Policy Wonk Turned Indie Pop Star: AJR’s Adam Met
Adam Met is a behind-the-scenes climate policy powerhouse. He also happens to be the bass player in the award winning indie pop group AJR. During Met’s time away from touring the world and rocking the bass in front of thousands of fans, he and the team at Planet Reimagined, the thought and action tank Met founded, set out on a cross country listening tour in order to better understand how to create bipartisan climate policy. What they came up with is a plan to help renewable energy projects get
Jun 21, 2024 • 53:16
Adulting in Turbulent Times
Acting like a responsible adult can be challenging at the best of times. Add dealing with climate chaos to the mix, and keeping it all together can feel like an outright miracle. Let’s start by acknowledging that all does not feel fine in the world at the present moment. But living through extreme intensity isn’t a completely unique experience. Generations before us have endured existential crises of unimaginable magnitudes. So how do we navigate this period of uncertainty — regardless of our ag
Jun 14, 2024 • 56:43
BONUS: Wade Crowfoot on Building Wildfire Resilience
More than 7% of California has burned in the last five years. Clearly, past methods of wildfire prevention haven’t worked. Now, California is embracing a variety of new approaches to land management in an effort to beat back the flames. California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot oversees the state's public lands, parks, wildlife and its firefighting agency, CalFire.As part of our slate of SF Climate Week events, Secretary Crowfoot spoke with KQED Science Reporter Danielle Venton about
Jun 10, 2024 • 15:40
Rekindling Our Relationship With Wildfire
Summer means peak wildfire season. And recently, we’ve seen some of the most destructive wildfires in recorded history. For years the message around fire has been: no fire is good. But increasingly, we’re starting to fight fire with fire. Prescribed burns may help prevent large, catastrophic wildfires. While using fire as a tool to manage the forest may be a relatively new concept to some, Indigenous communities have used fire to manage their environment for thousands of years. Is it time to ret
Jun 7, 2024 • 58:11
You Gonna Finish That? Saving Good Food from Going Bad
Globally, one-third of food produced every year is wasted. That’s enough to feed about 2 billion people — twice the number of people who are undernourished. The global food system also accounts for a whopping one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. These two problems — waste and emissions — are intricately linked: Climate disruption exacerbates food insecurity. And industrial food production contributes to the climate crisis. When food is wasted, it’s also a waste of land, water and e
May 31, 2024 • 54:40
Staycation: All I Ever Wanted
Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods? After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep.Thi
May 24, 2024 • 54:05
Fighting Fossil Fuels in the Courts and on the Ballot
At age 9, Nalleli Cobo, suffering headaches, heart palpitations, nosebleeds, and body spasms, became an activist, driven to fighting to close the local oil well responsible for her ailments. In 2022, at age 20, she won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work shutting down toxic wells throughout the Los Angeles region. The same year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law prohibiting such neighborhood wells. Then Big Oil bankrolled a referendum on the matter for the November 2
May 17, 2024 • 54:36
Special: Remembering Pete McCloskey
An environmental giant passed last week with the death of Pete McCloskey, a former Republican Congressman who co-authored the Endangered Species Act. He died at the age of 94. A Marine who served in the Korean War, McCloskey was perhaps best known for the politically fraught move of challenging a sitting president in his own party - Richard Nixon - in the 1972 presidential primary because of the Vietnam War. He was the first member of Congress — from either party — to call for President Nixon’s
May 15, 2024 • 7:10
Big Plastic: The New Big Oil
Plastics are everywhere. And while we’ve known for a long time that plastics and our environment aren’t a good mix, it's becoming apparent that they’re massive climate polluters too. The production of plastics alone produces about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. After what is often a single use, the resulting waste continues releasing the greenhouse gasses ethylene and methane as it breaks apart. Yet, as petrochemical companies pay lip service ending fuel production, they are pouring res
May 10, 2024 • 54:20
When California Dreams Hit Political Reality
The Golden State has staked much of its reputation on its green credentials, with state leaders touting its role on the leading edge of global and national climate progress. But California is falling behind in meeting its ambitious emission targets, and has been criticized for over-relying on emerging clean energy technologies that may not bear out. At the same time, the state is at increasing risk from severe wildfires, epic floods and other impacts worsened by burning fossil fuels. What can th
May 3, 2024 • 59:35
SF Climate Week 2024: Are Businesses and Governments Measuring What Matters?
Many businesses and governments have a goal of reaching net zero emissions. Sounds good. But what does “net zero” even mean? And how do we get there? Alicia Seiger is a lecturer at Stanford Law School and leads sustainability and energy finance initiatives at Stanford Law, Graduate School of Business, and the Doerr School for Sustainability. She argues that when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, businesses need to get as good at accounting for their pollution as they are for their dollars. G
May 1, 2024 • 23:44
Leading San Francisco in a Hot and Volatile World: SF Climate Week 2024
In 2021, Mayor London Breed released the San Francisco Action Plan, which aims to achieve net zero emissions for the city by 2040. The plan not only charts the course for eliminating emissions over the next two decades but also includes commitments to ensure that the benefits of climate action are extended equitably to all communities. That was three years ago. So what progress has been made? And what strategies are in place to get the city to its 2040 target? Guest: Tyrone Jue, Director of the
May 1, 2024 • 18:27
REWIND: Building a Better Battery Supply Chain with JB Straubel and Aimee Boulanger
Batteries are a critical part of the transition away from fossil fuels. From electric vehicles to grid scale storage for wind and solar, demand for batteries is expected to grow 500% by 2030. In order to meet that demand, we’re going to need a lot more batteries. And while companies like JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials are building capacity for recycling, for now that means a lot more mining. With the battery supply chain only growing more critical as the electric vehicle market matures, we’re
Apr 26, 2024 • 1:09:14
SF Climate Week 2024: Is California on Track for an Affordable and Just Energy Transition?
The Golden State has staked much of its reputation on its green credentials, with state leaders often touting its role on the leading edge of global and national climate progress. But California is falling behind in meeting its ambitious emission targets, and has been criticized for over relying on emerging clean energy technologies that may not bear out — and worse, increase harm to communities of color and low-income households. What role should regulators and community advocates play in ensu
Apr 24, 2024 • 20:34
SF Climate Week 2024: California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Suing Big Oil
On behalf of the People of the State of California, Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against five of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, along with the lobbying organization American Petroleum Institute, for willfully misleading the public about climate change. How big a deal could this lawsuit be? Guest: Rob Bonta, California Attorney General Did you enjoy this conversation? Wish you could've been there to see the full show? Tickets for the rest of SF Climate Week at Climat
Apr 23, 2024 • 19:40
Artificial Intelligence, Real Climate Impacts
Artificial intelligence can do some pretty amazing things, including for the climate. AI can help optimize the electric grid, make heating and cooling buildings more efficient, and pinpoint exactly where greenhouse gas emissions are coming from all around the world. On the other hand, the energy use of AI is massive and growing. A recent study estimates that in just a few years, the extra energy needed will equal whole countries the size of Sweden or Argentina. How do we make sure the benefits
Apr 19, 2024 • 57:11
Nearly 2 Years In… Is the Inflation Reduction Act Delivering Yet?
In August 2022, Congress passed the biggest piece of climate legislation in our nation’s history: The Inflation Reduction Act, which put $400 billion into boosting the transition to a clean energy economy over the next ten years. The IRA has spurred companies to announce nearly $110 billion of investment in new factories to build EVs, batteries and renewable energy facilities. That’s driving investments, reshoring of manufacturing, and real change. This week we check in on the impact of the IRA
Apr 12, 2024 • 1:00:29
Elizabeth Kolbert on Hope, Despair, and Everything In Between
Even before Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” brought climate change to the mainstream, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Elizabeth Kolbert was on the beat. Her reporting in the early 2000s culminated in her book “Field Notes from a Catastrophe,” which sounded the alarm on the causes and effects of global warming. Nearly 20 years later, Kolbert is still bringing the climate story to the public with her new book “H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z.” The book is told in bite size vignettes
Apr 5, 2024 • 56:02
Rising Temperatures, Rising Prices: How Climate Drives Inflation
Climate change means extreme weather, shifting landscapes, and generally more instability. More and more, you can feel the impacts of climate disruption in your wallets. Drought is pushing up the cost of candy and leading to shipping delays in the Panama Canal. Globally, researchers say climate could add one percent to inflation every year until 2035. The costs of car insurance, health insurance and property insurance are rising. And whether it’s tea in the morning or wine in the evening, disru
Mar 29, 2024 • 56:54
Climate Migration: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The places that most people call home are coming under increasing threat from climate change. From rising seas and more frequent floods to stronger hurricanes and cyclones, to more devastating droughts and wildfires, the most habitable parts of our world are becoming far less so. Over time, our cities will be forced to transform — and hundreds of millions will have to move. People who have the means are already starting to relocate to places that market themselves as climate-proof. But not every
Mar 22, 2024 • 56:03
Talk Isn’t Cheap: The Power of Conversation
As heat waves, storms, droughts and wildfires continue to worsen, talking can seem like a seriously insufficient climate solution. It’s fair to ask: Are we just engaged in blah, blah, blah? Too often, talking is one sided – more of a lecture aimed at conveying information or solely stating one's own point of view. And yet, when done right, real conversations and true listening can help us find common ground, which can then lead to collective action and change. So how do we make those conversatio
Mar 15, 2024 • 1:03:17
How Activism Can Win Bigger and Faster with Kumi Naidoo
Kumi Naidoo is a world renowned activist and climate leader. Before going on to lead Greenpeace International then Amnesty International, Naidoo was a 15 year old anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. The boycotts he organized led to him being a target of the Security Police. He fled South Africa and lived in exile in the UK. As a climate activist, Naidoo has been arrested for scaling oil rigs, has negotiated with heads of state, and rubbed shoulders with the most powerful people at the Worl
Mar 8, 2024 • 59:24
What More Can I Do?
If you’re a climate-conscious person, you likely already know some of the main ways you can reduce your contribution to greenhouse gasses: buy less, eat less meat, ride your bike. But there are other, less obvious methods we don’t always think of: voting, having climate conversations, engaging with your local government, changing where your money is invested. And while our role as individuals does matter, we’re more powerful when we work together in collective action. Guests: Jon Foley, Execu
Mar 1, 2024 • 55:57
Geothermal: So Hot Right Now
When most people hear the phrase renewable energy, they imagine fields full of solar panels or giant spinning wind turbines. But another source may be heating up: geothermal. Twenty years ago it was thought that geothermal could provide at most 10% of any given area’s electricity, and only in very limited regions. There were also environmental concerns about depleting groundwater. But new technological advances may have unlocked the potential for scalable geothermal energy just about anywhere.
Feb 23, 2024 • 55:55
Let’s Talk Dirty to Clean Energy
As fossil fuels are phased out, shuttered coal plants, contaminated landfills, and abandoned mine lands across the U.S. are finding new life as renewable energy projects. More than 23 states have 100% clean energy goals, and in order to reach those goals, some states are starting to convert what was once considered “dirty” into “clean” energy generation. But what happens to the infrastructure, workers, and community after a coal plant shuts down? And as billions are dispersed through policies l
Feb 16, 2024 • 1:03:35
Busted: The Newest Emission Cheaters
A settlement for the largest civil penalty resulting from the Clean Air Act has just been reached. The EPA, DOJ and the State of California have agreed to a $1.7 billion fine for engine maker Cummins Inc. The fine is the result of Cummins being caught using “defeat devices” to fool emissions testers into thinking the engines pollute less than they really do. Does that sound familiar? It’s exactly what Volkswagen was caught doing nearly 10 years ago. VW and Cummins aren’t the only ones; it’s an
Feb 9, 2024 • 52:13
REWIND: Jane Fonda: A Lifetime of Activism
Jane Fonda has spent the last several decades fighting for Indigenous peoples' rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, peace, gender equality and more. Now, she is devoting herself to the climate emergency, beginning with Fire Drill Fridays, the national movement to protest government inaction on climate change she started in October 2019. Through the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, she is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. At 85, Fonda continues to fight for the most vu
Feb 2, 2024 • 56:25
Indigenous Perspectives: What Makes a Just Transition?
We often talk about a “just transition” from dirty to clean energy as if the term means the same thing to everyone. Indigenous people have seen their resources extracted and exploited to further the wealth of others for centuries. Now renewable energy is looking to expand to Indigenous land. How can renewable energy help Tribes leapfrog the twentieth century technologies that put them at the end of the line for corporate-controlled electricity? How can we, as Chéri Smith, Founder of the Allianc
Jan 26, 2024 • 53:34
Wardrobe Malfunction: The Climate Impact of Clothing
What we wear defines us in so many ways. But in recent decades we’ve moved away from long-lasting, quality pieces in favor of disposable fast fashion, with major consequences for our climate and environment. From mechanized farming and pesticides to grow fiber crops, to energy for manufacturing and transportation, fossil fuels are embedded in the clothing industry at every step of the process. Companies large and small are working against this trend, with some setting lofty goals for reducing c
Jan 19, 2024 • 1:01:22
Pairing Scientists with Community Advocates
The climate crisis can feel distant — like it’s someone else’s problem — until your town is flooded, your home is damaged by storms, or you're struggling to pay electricity bills as the summers get hotter. Figuring out the specifics of how a region is vulnerable to climate impacts can be the difference between adaptation or disaster, especially for communities that don’t have a lot of climate or environmental expertise among their members. Community science — defined as communities and scientis
Jan 12, 2024 • 54:31
REWIND: Youth Activists 15 Years Later
From the climate movement’s earliest days, young people have been at the forefront of activism. But the first major international climate conferences took place 30 years ago. The first cohort of youth activists are now adults, some with children of their own. The emotional cost of seeing so little payoff for years spent fighting can be agonizing at any age, but perhaps more so for young people who put so much of themselves into the effort. Many youth activists burned out along the way, frustrat
Jan 5, 2024 • 1:05:25
REWIND: Just a Walk or Bike Ride Away: The 15-Minute City
Can you imagine if everything you needed in your everyday life was just a walk or bike ride away? That’s the goal of the 15-minute city, a new name for an old idea. Reducing the need for cars cuts emissions and gets autos off of the roads, which is a boon for safety, air quality and the climate. But, as is often the case, good ideas become a lot more difficult when you have to implement them in real places, with real people, who don’t always share the enthusiasm for the idea. What will it take
Dec 29, 2023 • 1:04:56
Ben Santer: 2023 Schneider Award Winner
Ben Santer has spent decades researching and identifying the human fingerprints on the climate system changes we’re now all seeing. He was lead author on the historic 1995 conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which proclaimed that “the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.” That was the first time the IPCC authoritatively stated humans are causing climate change. At the time, Stephen Schneider told Ben Santer that the sentence he w
Dec 22, 2023 • 1:00:52
This Year in Climate: 2023
It’s been a year of weather extremes — again. But there’s also been cause for renewed hope about our climate future. On the heels of this year’s international climate conference held in the oil-rich Middle East, Climate One hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious review major climate stories of the year, both lows and highs. This special episode features excerpts from some of Climate One’s most surprising, moving and compelling interviews of 2023, including conversations with luminaries Rev. Lenn
Dec 15, 2023 • 53:38
Reporting from COP28: The People at the Heart of It All
This week, we’re reporting from Dubai, where the 28th UN climate change conference (COP28) is now underway. Ever since the Paris Agreement was signed at COP21, the central issue has remained the same: How do the nations of the world keep global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels? This year marks the first “global stocktake,” where the data on how well we’re collectively doing on meeting the Paris targets are front and center. Across the board, countries are failing. How
Dec 8, 2023 • 1:01:08
On the Ground at COP28: What’s at Stake with the Global Stocktake?
The 28th annual Conference of the Parties, COP28, opens this week in Dubai. For the 28th time, the nations of the world have gathered to see what progress they can make on addressing the increasingly global climate crisis. It’s fair to wonder why, after three decades, we still haven’t taken the collective action necessary. And it’s equally fair to wonder why diplomats continue to bother with what Greta Thunberg famously called “blah, blah, blah.” This year’s COP marks the first “Global Stocktak
Dec 1, 2023 • 1:01:05
REFRESH: Another Look at Bridging the Great American Divide
Most Americans support climate action, but you wouldn’t know it from Congress or the courts – or from most of the media. People on both the left and the right experience the same devastating floods, the same life-threatening heatwaves and the same catastrophic wildfires. Yet individuals tend to socialize within insulated political tribes, operate in completely different information bubbles and see the problems and solutions through different lenses. How can we learn to bridge ideological divides
Nov 24, 2023 • 55:42
The Coolest Show: The Referendum — Stop Cop City with Rev. Keyanna Jones
From The Coolest Show: The City of Atlanta has leased 381-acres of Weelaunee Forest, stolen Muscogee land, to the Atlanta Police Foundation for a police military facility funded by corporations. This would be the largest police training facility in the US in a primarily Black community who overwhelmingly oppose the project. Despite over fifteen hours of public comments against the project, the City Council has approved $67 million in public funding for Cop City. The plans include military-grade
Nov 21, 2023 • 33:54
Six People Who’ve Changed Jobs for Climate
One of the most common questions people ask about climate is: what can I do? Since time is one of our most valuable resources – and we spend so much of our time at work – changing jobs may be the most effective individual climate action a person can take. Those changes could be big or small: Leaving the oil and gas industry for geothermal, or helping to bring down the emissions where you already work. The truth is, almost any job can be a climate job. But how do people actually make the transiti
Nov 17, 2023 • 54:38
Putting It All on the Line with Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. and Jacqueline Patterson
Climate affects everyone, but not equally. Those affected first and worst are often the same communities that suffer from housing and income inequality, and climate and societal injustice. Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. has made striving for social, economic, and climate justice his lifelong pursuit. Rising to prominence in the Hip Hop community, Yearwood brought like-minded artists and creatives together to advocate for justice with the Hip Hop Caucus by harnessing the power of film, podcasts and co
Nov 10, 2023 • 57:15
Rebecca Solnit on Why It’s Not Too Late
Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit has been examining hope and the unpredictability of change for over 20 years. In 2023 she co-edited an anthology called, “It’s Not Too Late,” which serves as a guidebook for changing the climate narrative from despair to possibility. How can we find hope on a warming planet? Guests: Rebecca Solnit, Writer, Historian, Activist For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 3, 2023 • 53:10
Is This a Joke? Comedy and Climate Communication
Laughter can be good medicine, but when is it okay to laugh at something as deadly serious as the climate crisis? Jokes help us remember information that otherwise might not be retained. A snappy punchline can be a powerful way to get a message through to an audience. Comedy can also be a way for performers and audiences alike to cope with a shared societal problem, like climate or social justice. Humor has a way of slipping through our perceived biases and giving us a new way of looking at chal
Oct 27, 2023 • 59:40
Community Resilience: Knowing Your Neighbor Could Save Your Life
Disasters caused by burning fossil fuels are becoming more frequent, and in the aftermath of hurricanes, floods and wildfires, federal and state responses are often slow or insufficient. There is a growing body of research showing that neighborhood ties can be the difference between life and death: Socially connected neighbors are less likely to die from excessive heat or other extreme weather events. Community-based action, like mutual aid, can bring resources to people overlooked by overburden
Oct 20, 2023 • 54:46
Ken Burns, Rosalyn LaPier and The American Buffalo
For thousands of years, the American buffalo evolved alongside Indigenous people who relied on them for food and shelter, and, in exchange for killing them, revered the animal. For millennia, this totemic animal lived in symbiotic relationship with grasslands throughout North America, then – in less than 100 years – new settlers and hunters brought their numbers from 30 million to the mere hundreds, while in the same era glorifying them as our iconic national animal. It’s a classic and cautionar
Oct 13, 2023 • 1:04:24
Rep. Ro Khanna on AI, Misinformation and Holding Big Oil Accountable
Congressman Ro Khanna has made a name for himself as a pragmatic progressive and critic of Big Oil. He grilled oil company CEOs under oath and helped negotiate with Senator Joe Manchin to keep climate policy in the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest piece of climate legislation ever passed in the United States. Despite being one of the more progressive voters in Congress, Khanna has a reputation for coalition building; he got more bills passed than any other Democrat during the previous admin
Oct 6, 2023 • 54:26
Jane Fonda: A Lifetime of Activism
Jane Fonda has spent the last several decades fighting for Indigenous peoples' rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, peace, gender equality and more. Now, she is devoting herself to the climate emergency, beginning with Fire Drill Fridays, the national movement to protest government inaction on climate change she started in October 2019. Now, through the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, she is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. At 85, Fonda continues to fight for the mos
Sep 29, 2023 • 56:27
Naomi Klein and Carolyn Beeler: Covering Big Ideas and Personal Stories
The climate crisis can be difficult to cover in a way that most people can relate to. The mechanism of harm goes from a person's gas car or stove to the Earth's atmosphere and back again in the form of floods and fires. That's why true stories of individuals and families experiencing the fallout of the climate crisis can be so impactful. They help us relate to each other on a more direct level, the way humans naturally do: person to person. Covering Climate Now Journalism Award winners Naomi Kle
Sep 22, 2023 • 54:46
Naomi Klein and Carolyn Beeler: Covering Big Ideas and Personal Stories
The climate crisis can be difficult to cover in a way that most people can relate to. The mechanism of harm goes from a person's gas car or stove to the Earth's atmosphere and back again in the form of floods and fires. That's why true stories of individuals and families experiencing the fallout of the climate crisis can be so impactful. They help us relate to each other on a more direct level, the way humans naturally do: person to person. Covering Climate Now Journalism Award winners Naomi Kle
Sep 22, 2023 • 58:28
Official Trailer: Climate One
We’re living through a climate emergency; addressing this crisis begins by talking about it. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 19, 2023 • 0:29
The Nuclear Option
Fourteen years after receiving its permit, the nation’s first new nuclear reactors in decades just fired up in Georgia. Massive, traditional nuclear reactors like this have faced so many cost overruns and construction delays that the investment market for them all but vanished. Despite a handful of recent technical breakthroughs in fusion power, its promise of virtually limitless power remains just a promise. But could a new wave of small, modular fission reactors bring new carbon-free power ont
Sep 15, 2023 • 58:28
Rethinking Economic Growth, Wealth, and Health
Since the industrial revolution, the global north has seen massive economic growth. Yet that growth has been linked to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. We also live on a planet with finite resources, so it's hard to believe that we can continue to consume resources and release emissions and not sail right past our collective climate goals. That’s why some people are starting to rethink perpetual economic growth as the best measure of a healthy economy. But what would an economy focused on me
Sep 8, 2023 • 54:43
Fairytales and Fear: Stories Of Our Future
Stories are the way we remember, the way we share knowledge, the way we play out possible outcomes. Climate fiction imagines dark or bright futures depending on how we address the climate crisis. And there’s a healthy debate about what kind of stories move more people to act: dark tales of a scary climate future or positive versions of a greener, more just world. “I think that if you want to create change in a democratic society, people have to believe that there is actually a threat,” says auth
Sep 1, 2023 • 57:48
The Road to Zero Emissions Trucking
As the build out of infrastructure for electric passenger vehicles gets underway, another segment of transportation is just starting down the road to electrification: heavy duty trucks. It’s one of the hard-to-decarbonize parts of our economy. Right now, nearly all long-haul trucks run on fossil fuels. And if we continue with business as usual, freight will become the highest-emitting part of the transportation sector by 2050. That’s why seven states, led by California, have mandated that an inc
Aug 25, 2023 • 55:06
Navigating Science and Feelings on a Destabilized Planet
This year is shaping up to be the hottest year in 125,000 years. It may also be the coolest year a child born today will ever see. In “The Quickening,” science writer Elizabeth Rush documents her journey to Antarctica's infamous “doomsday” glacier as she contemplates what it would mean for her to have a child at this time of radical change. In “Humanity’s Moment,” IPCC climate scientist Joëlle Gergis wrestles with their own questions of how we can all find enough hope to restore our relationship
Aug 18, 2023 • 1:01:21
Just a Walk or Bike Ride Away: The 15-Minute City
Can you imagine if everything you needed in your everyday life was just a walk or bike ride away? That’s the goal of the 15-minute City, a new name for an old idea. Reducing the need for cars cuts emissions and gets autos off of the roads, which is a boon for safety, air quality and the climate. But, as is often the case, good ideas become a lot more difficult when you have to implement them in real places, with real people, who don’t always share the enthusiasm for the idea. What will it take t
Aug 11, 2023 • 1:04:59
Youth Activists 15 Years Later
From the climate movement’s earliest days, young people have been at the forefront of activism. But the first major international climate conferences took place 30 years ago. The first cohort of youth activists are now adults, some with children of their own. The emotional cost of seeing so little payoff for years spent fighting can be agonizing at any age, but perhaps more so for young people who put so much of themselves into the effort. Many youth activists burned out along the way, frustrate
Aug 4, 2023 • 1:05:23
Building a Better Battery Supply Chain with JB Straubel and Aimee Boulanger
Batteries are a critical part of the transition away from fossil fuels. From electric vehicles to grid scale storage for wind and solar, demand for batteries is expected to grow 500% by 2030. In order to meet that demand, we’re going to need a lot more batteries. And while companies like JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials are building capacity for recycling, for now that means a lot more mining. How do we build a battery supply chain that meets demand and reduces harm? This episode is underwritt
Jul 28, 2023 • 1:08:00
REWIND: Anand Giridharadas: Persuaders in a Hot and Polarized World
In a democracy, meaningful change often requires adapting views and building coalitions. Some believe finding common ground and building rapport is the best way to change minds. Others believe activism and protests are key to raising awareness. Increasingly, however, the acts of listening and persuasion are left out, as each side is convinced that the other is unmovable. Anand Giridharadas is a journalist, columnist, on-air political analyst, and author. His latest book, “The Persuaders: At the
Jul 21, 2023 • 54:05
Green Energy / Red States
Billions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act have started flowing into renewable energy projects and manufacturing. That’s bringing jobs and revenue back to the country and to some areas abandoned by the oil, coal and gas industries. Despite the massive investments in their districts, some Republican politicians aren’t fans of the green energy companies moving into their backyards and are doing everything they can to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act – putting them at odds with their co
Jul 14, 2023 • 59:48
Law and Oil: Taking Climate Offenders to Court
The last several years have seen a big increase in the number of lawsuits focused on the climate crisis. Some lawsuits challenge governments for their support for fossil fuels and for their failure to take climate action, while other cases target the fossil fuel companies themselves for knowingly misleading the world about the climate disrupting impacts of burning their products. Some of these cases seek monetary damages, others seek to hold governments accountable to their emissions reduction p
Jul 7, 2023 • 54:40
Peter Gleick on Water Poverty, Conflict, and a Hope for the Future
No elemental force has done more to shape life on this planet than water, from originating the earliest forms of life, to sculpting our landscapes, to determining patterns of human civilization. Humans have tried to control water for thousands of years, and access to this precious resource has caused conflict and also unlikely partnerships. In an era defined by climate disruption, the control, access, and quality of water will continue to determine our ability to survive and thrive. How can we e
Jun 30, 2023 • 1:00:16
Cory Booker: Taking on Big Ag & Going Big on Climate
Our food and agricultural systems are helping fuel the climate emergency. But climate isn’t the only harm; these systems also impact local economies, human dignity, and animal welfare. The upcoming Farm Bill presents an opportunity to infuse more climate-smart practices in American agriculture, which accounts for about 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But doing so involves confronting industrial practices that focus on short-term gains and commodity subsidies that have deep support in both
Jun 23, 2023 • 1:03:56
REWIND: Saket Soni on the People Who Make Disaster Recovery Possible
Who cleans up and rebuilds our communities after floods, fires, and hurricanes? COVID redefined America's definition of “essential workers,” but many who help communities recover from climate disasters remain underpaid and overlooked. In 2006, labor organizer Saket Soni got an anonymous call from an Indian migrant worker in Mississippi who had scraped together $20,000 to apply for the “opportunity” to rebuild oil rigs after Hurricane Katrina. The caller was only one of hundreds lured into Gulf
Jun 16, 2023 • 57:29
Killer Heat: Confronting Disproportionate Impacts on Women and Girls
Extreme heat kills more people per year than any other climate disaster. It preys on the poor, exacerbates racial inequalities, and there is a growing body of evidence that shows women and girls are increasingly susceptible to heat-health effects. Globally, women and girls represent 80% of climate refugees. They are more likely to be displaced, suffer violence and die in natural disasters. As temperatures rise, children’s test scores decrease, gender violence increases, and miscarriage rates go
Jun 9, 2023 • 1:01:22
Bringing Biodiversity Back from the Breaking Point
Land use, pollution and the climate crisis are driving what may be the largest mass extinction event since the dinosaurs. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that the planet has seen an average 68% drop in mammal, bird, fish, reptile and amphibian populations since 1970. In order to help address species collapse, over 190 countries – signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Biodiversity – recently agreed to an ambitious new plan, called 30x30, which aims to conserve 30% of the wor
Jun 2, 2023 • 1:02:26
Naomi Oreskes, David Gelles and The Myth of Free Markets
Many on the left say that the growing climate crisis is the inevitable result of unbridled capitalism – industries seeking profits above all else. In “The Big Myth,” Naomi Oreskes (who brought us “Merchants of Doubt”) points to a concerted effort from American business groups to propagate the myth that only markets free of government regulation can generate prosperity and protect political freedom. “If we actually had appropriate regulations, appropriate rules of the road, we wouldn't be in th
May 26, 2023 • 58:48
Two Heroes Challenging the Powerful
Making the necessary changes to address climate disruption will take massive collective action. But sometimes, a single individual can make an extraordinary difference. At age nine, Nalleli Cobo, suffering headaches, heart palpitations, nosebleeds, and body spasms, became an activist, driven to fighting to shut down the local oil well responsible for her ailments. Separately, Marjan Minnesma brought a historic lawsuit holding the Dutch government accountable for its failure to protect its citize
May 19, 2023 • 58:05
Amy Westervelt on Drilling, Denial and Disinformation
Amy Westervelt has made a career out of exploring the underbelly of the oil industry through complex and compelling storytelling. Through her investigative series Drilled, including her latest season Light Sweet Crude, focused on the new wave of oil colonialism, Westervelt dives deep into the true crimes of the fossil fuel industry’s biggest players, including their misinformation and PR campaigns about the climate emergency, their unfair dealing and record of environmental disasters. Her narrat
May 12, 2023 • 56:54
Get Up, Stand Up: What Actions Move the Needle?
From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, activists have long sought to bring pressing issues into the public consciousness. Climate activism is no different. This past Earth Day spawned a new ripple of climate activism. Activists protested at the headquarters of BlackRock in New York City, smeared paint on the casing around an Edgar Degas statue and even tried to block the entrance of the White House Correspondents dinner in DC. But that’s not the only style
May 5, 2023 • 1:00:22
Lights, Camera, Inaction: Where is Climate’s Starring Role?
Hollywood has been slow to include climate in its stories. Executives fear it won’t sell – that it’s too overwhelming or depressing. Apple TV+ has just released the series Extrapolations, which revolves entirely around the climate crisis. But it’s an outlier. We ask writer, producer and director Scott Z. Burns – who also worked on the films Contagion and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth – and Anna Jane Joyner of the climate story consultancy Good Energy about why climate doesn’t play a more promi
Apr 28, 2023 • 1:02:50
Missed Connections: Modernizing Our Multiple Grids
Thousands of renewable energy projects are ready to be built and start producing fossil-free power, but they’re stuck in a long limbo for one essential piece of the puzzle: getting connected to the grid. A slow and inefficient federal permitting process and insufficient transmission capability are prohibiting renewable energy projects from going online. To make matters even more difficult, the U.S. lacks a centralized grid. That means adding layers of complexity to an already slow process. The B
Apr 21, 2023 • 56:18
Bitcoin Uses a Ton of Energy — On Purpose. Is it Worth It?
Studies estimate that global bitcoin mining uses more electricity than most countries, and that bitcoin mining may be responsible for about 65 megatons of carbon dioxide a year, comparable with the emissions of Greece. Some bitcoin operations are bringing old coal plants back on line, even as lobbyists for the bitcoin mining industry argue that mining operations can have a positive impact on the climate by creating more demand for carbon-free power. But even if all of the power were derived from
Apr 14, 2023 • 59:27
Two Voices on Climate That Will Surprise You
It’s easy to write off people outside our own ideological bubbles, even when we may have many goals in common. But as the effects of the climate crisis become more apparent, we need leaders from all political and industrial perspectives to work together. In the U.S., climate is a polarizing issue where it’s too easy to assume that one side is working to reduce emissions and the other side is defending the status quo. But that’s only a caricature of reality. There are people from many ideological
Apr 7, 2023 • 57:38
White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi on Willow and Biden’s Climate Agenda
Biden’s policy wins have secured vast amounts of funding for the energy transition, and that money is just beginning to flow, with new programs becoming available to everyday Americans. With hundreds of billions tagged for chip and battery plants, climate smart agriculture, rail, modernizing the electric grid, and tax incentives for citizens to run their homes and cars on electricity, ensuring these dollars and programs have real impact is now the name of the game. White House National Climate
Mar 31, 2023 • 58:52
Yes, Happiness and Climate Action Can Go Together
Our brains have evolved over millions of years to deal with immediate and direct challenges, but they’re not so great at processing large existential threats, like the climate crisis. Understanding why people behave the way they do could be a critical step in bringing about more meaningful climate action. Despite having the technical ability we need to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, we’re on a path to surpass that number by the early 2030s. Yet doom and gloom framing can drive people
Mar 24, 2023 • 55:49
A Global Just Transition — For Whom?
According to the United Nations Development Program, 54 countries, accounting for half the world’s population, face such critical debt burdens that they simply cannot finance climate adaptation and mitigation on their own. Most of these same countries are in the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world, setting them up for compounding disasters. At the same time, every nation on earth is being asked to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels — which enabled the richest countries to develop
Mar 17, 2023 • 58:51
Stop, Listen, What’s that Sound?
Every place we inhabit has its own tapestry of sound, whether you’re hiking through the woods or sitting in a cafe with a friend. And not only are sounds a part of our sensory experience, but they can give us vital information about the health of our ecosystems. As the planet warms and we lose biodiversity, those sounds are changing. The natural world isn’t the only space where the soundscape is changing. Electrifying everything will have a direct effect on the sound of urban centers. What will
Mar 10, 2023 • 54:32
Has Hydrogen’s Moment Finally Arrived?
Not long ago, it was said that “hydrogen is the fuel of the future - and always will be.” Now, with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law tagging $9.5 billion for developing a domestic hydrogen economy, this simplest of all elements is increasingly being discussed as a viable pathway for long-distance trucking, shipping, and hard-to-decarbonize industries like cement and steel. But how clean is clean hydrogen, really? And what will it take to make green hydrogen a cost-competitive option in applicat
Mar 3, 2023 • 56:35
Housing Density as a Climate Lever with Scott Wiener
The lack of affordable housing in the U.S. has contributed to a homelessness crisis and has forced people to move farther away from urban centers. Inevitably, that increases car travel and emissions. One solution is to increase density in areas where jobs and infrastructure exist to accommodate more people. But some aren’t comfortable with the idea of their neighborhoods growing, and building multi-story apartments in urban cores usually costs more per square foot than one or two-story houses wh
Feb 24, 2023 • 55:25
Climate Smart Agriculture with Secretary Tom Vilsack
Agriculture is responsible for around 11% of U.S. carbon emissions. And yet soil holds the potential for massive carbon sequestration. Conventional agriculture focuses more on crop productivity than soil health, relying on pesticides, fertilizer, and other practices that contribute to climate-changing emissions rather than reduce them. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack advocates for a federal initiative focused on supporting “climate smart” agriculture for commodity crops that comprise the
Feb 17, 2023 • 58:01
What We’re Watching in Climate Now
2022 was a banner year for climate – both in terms of climate-fueled disaster and historic federal investments in clean energy, electric vehicles and home electrification. The questions now: How will the programs be implemented ? How will the money be spent – and who will benefit? This week, we examine the coming trends in raw material prices, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, new investments in clean tech, tighter rules on pollution and western water negotiations. Guests: Felicia Mar
Feb 10, 2023 • 57:07
Saket Soni on the People Who Make Disaster Recovery Possible
Who cleans up and rebuilds our communities after floods, fires, and hurricanes? COVID redefined America's definition of “essential workers,” but many who help communities recover from climate disasters remain underpaid and overlooked. In 2006, labor organizer Saket Soni got an anonymous call from an Indian migrant worker in Mississippi who had scraped together $20,000 to apply for the “opportunity” to rebuild oil rigs after Hurricane Katrina. The caller was only one of hundreds lured into Gulf
Feb 3, 2023 • 59:36
Blue Carbon: Sinking it in The Sea
When most of us think about using nature to remove carbon dioxide from the air, we think of trees. Yet blue carbon, a new name for storing carbon dioxide in coastal and marine ecosystems where it can no longer trap heat in our atmosphere, may have even greater potential. Salt marshes and mangroves have carbon-capturing capacity that may surpass that of terrestrial forests. Seagrasses, for example, currently cover less than 0.2% of the ocean floor, but store about 10% of the carbon buried in the
Jan 27, 2023 • 58:41
Activism, Art and Environmental Justice
Art can inspire community and conversation, provide fresh insights into understanding history, and cultivate connection. It can challenge your worldview and shift perspectives. This week we discuss how art and activism can work together to elevate some of the vast inequities that exist between those who benefit from fossil fuel energy and resource extraction and those who suffer its impacts. Guests: Ladonna Williams, Program Director, All Positives Possible Doug Harris, documentary filmmaker Chr
Jan 20, 2023 • 59:35
REWIND: Coping with Climate through Music
Music and social movements have historically gone hand in hand. Folk music played a unifying role for the labor movements in the United States. Music was central to the protests against the Vietnam War and in favor of Civil Rights. As more people become aware of the climate crisis, music is starting to reflect that. But there is still no one song or artist inspiring climate action the way music catalyzed other movements. Why aren’t more musical artists raising the alarm over the growing climate
Jan 13, 2023 • 54:51
REWIND: Molly Wood on Tech, Money and Survival
After a 20-year career as a tech reporter for CNET, the New York Times, and the public radio program Marketplace, Molly Wood has come to see the climate crisis as an engineering problem requiring an acceleration of investment. And so, after producing the acclaimed climate podcast “How We Survive” for Marketplace, she left that program to begin a new career in venture capital. What are the limits of media in changing human behavior? And what is the role of capital in addressing the climate crisis
Jan 6, 2023 • 54:05
Revisiting The Enablers: The Firms Behind Fossil Fuel Falsehoods
For years, fossil fuel companies have claimed to support climate science and policy. Many have recently pledged to hit net zero emissions by midcentury. Yet behind the scenes, they fight those very same policies through industry associations, shadow groups, and lobbying – all while spending vast sums on advertising and PR campaigns touting their climate commitments. This week we focus on the PR and consultancy firms helping fossil fuel companies delay the transition to clean energy while claimin
Dec 30, 2022 • 56:28
This Year in Climate: 2022
Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves through global energy markets, destabilized international food security, and continues to keep the world wondering whether the war will accelerate the transition to clean energy or lead to renewed dependence on fossil fuels. Climate One hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious review the top climate stories of the year, from the war’s global impacts, to the passage and signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, to the recent international climate s
Dec 23, 2022 • 57:28
Stefan Rahmstorf: 2022 Schneider Award Winner
Every year, Climate One grants an award in memory of pioneering climate scientist Steve Schneider, who fiercely took on the denial machine from the 1970s until his death in 2010. This year's recipient is German physicist and ocean expert Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf. Dr. Rahmstorf says we’re running toward a cliff in a fog. What can science tell us where that cliff is – and how to avoid it? In a time of oceanic changes happening at an unprecedented pace, Dr. Rahmstorf exemplifies the rare combination o
Dec 16, 2022 • 54:37
Green Buildings: Cooking Without Gas
It’s become common for homeowners to install solar panels to provide themselves with emission-free electricity. But increasingly more attention is being paid to decarbonizing things inside the home – the machines that heat and cool water and air, dry our clothes and cook our food. The Inflation Reduction Act includes many ways for homeowners and renters to start to electrify their lives. And in some places, builders are developing highly efficient, all electric homes from the get-go. What more i
Dec 9, 2022 • 1:00:07
What’s in My Air?
Over a 20-year period, methane is 80 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Yet those responsible for releasing methane into the atmosphere often don’t even know how much they themselves are emitting. And methane is only one of many harmful air pollutants that result from our dependence on burning fossil fuels. Now, research coalitions, citizen scientists and activists are using a slate of new tools to detect and report emissions. They’re also using many of the same tools to s
Dec 2, 2022 • 59:43
Yvon Chouinard: Giving It All Away
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard made headlines recently when he announced that he and his family had transferred their $3 billion stake in the storied outdoor gear company to a special purpose trust and nonprofit that would give away $100 million a year, specifically to environmental causes. Patagonia has a long history of donating at least one percent of its profits – and 100% of profits made on Black Friday – to grassroots environmental non-profits. Yet even with this massive gift, and Laure
Nov 25, 2022 • 59:08
In Person at COP27: Funding the Global Energy Transition
Climate One has been at this year's UN climate summit, COP27, where one of the issues at the forefront of the conversation has been “loss and damage” – the idea that rich countries who have historically emitted the vast majority of climate-disrupting pollution should have to pay for the resulting suffering borne by those least responsible for the problem. At the same time, the whole world needs to drastically reduce its emissions and transition to clean energy – and that costs money, too. When
Nov 18, 2022 • 55:05
On the Ground at COP27: Tallying Payments and Progress
The 27th UN convention on climate change, known as COP27, is now underway in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. When Climate One spoke with Egyptian Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd in October, he argued that progress at this year’s summit would be more rapid than in past years, because this year, the focus is on implementation rather than negotiation. And for the first time, loss and damage — what richer nations owe poorer ones for the climate impacts their emissions have caused — is on the agenda. How will the
Nov 11, 2022 • 1:04:51
Kamala Harris and Gina McCarthy: Views From The Inside
It’s been a big year for U.S. climate policy. Three major pieces of legislation: the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act have all become law, ushering in the largest commitment of federal money toward the climate crisis to date. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate also finally ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which will help phase out some of the most potent greenhouse gasses. Gina McCarthy has helped shepherd these achieve
Nov 4, 2022 • 54:58
Anand Giridharadas: Persuaders in a Hot and Polarized World
In a democracy, meaningful change often requires adapting views and building coalitions. Some believe finding common ground and building rapport is the best way to change minds. Others believe activism and protests are key to raising awareness. Increasingly, however, the acts of listening and persuasion are left out, as each side is convinced that the other is unmovable. Anand Giridharadas is a journalist, columnist, on-air political analyst, and author. His latest book, The Persuaders: At the
Oct 28, 2022 • 55:45
Two Hemispheres, One Story: Reporting on Rising Seas
Twenty of the world’s richest countries – mostly in the Global North – are responsible for 80 percent of the carbon pollution that’s driving extreme weather and supercharging natural disasters. Yet poorer countries in the Global South are experiencing climate-induced disasters first and worst. Wealthier and whiter countries in the Global North are being hit by climate disruption as well, but they also have more resources to adapt. We talk with two award-winning journalists, one from each hemisph
Oct 21, 2022 • 54:10
Bonus COP27 Preview: Egyptian Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd
The Paris Agreement requires every country to declare their own nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, for reducing emissions. Last year at COP26 in Glasgow, it became clear that even the updated targets would – at best – limit warming to 2.4°C, almost a full degree above the 1.5° goal. But even more important than goals or promises is how every country turns policy into reality. This year’s COP27, hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt, is being framed as “the implementation COP,” where th
Oct 14, 2022 • 44:43
Countdown to COP27: Feeling the Heat
For decades, scientists and activists have called for action to slow the pace of global warming. The political process has struggled and largely failed to keep up with the growing climate crisis. But through annual summits known as the United Nations Conference of the Parties, or COP, countries have finally started to commit to reducing their emissions. At last year’s climate summit, nations that make up about two thirds of the global economy committed to reducing emissions enough to try to limi
Oct 14, 2022 • 1:10:09
Political Climate: The Midterm Forecast
With the US midterm elections looming, the window for enacting meaningful climate policy may be closing. November’s elections will determine which party controls Congress, and that will have far reaching implications for the planet. Historically, the midterms have been bad news for the party in control of the White House, but the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act may have changed that calculus. Where do voters stand going i
Oct 7, 2022 • 55:27
Risky Business: Underinsured Against Climate Disaster
In recent years, hundreds of thousands of people in high-risk disaster areas across the US have been dropped from their insurance policies, leaving them both physically and financially vulnerable. At the same time, premiums have sky-rocketed, making insuring homes and businesses out of reach for many. And federal insurance and relief programs have come under scrutiny for payouts that contribute to inequality. The insurance industry wasn’t set up to account for climate change, which is increasi
Sep 30, 2022 • 58:31
The Inflation Reduction Act Passed. Now What?
In August, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. The IRA allocates around $370 billion over ten years to invest in renewable energy, make EVs more affordable, address climate inequities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help mitigate the climate crisis. But like any law, the way the money is doled out matters, and the law’s implementation will ultimately determine its success. Some of the IRA money moves through state governments, including some that are outright host
Sep 23, 2022 • 56:48
Molly Wood on Tech, Money and Survival
After a 20-year career as a tech reporter for CNET, the New York Times, and the public radio program Marketplace, Molly Wood has come to see the climate crisis as an engineering problem requiring an acceleration of investment. And so, after producing the acclaimed climate podcast “How We Survive” for Marketplace, she recently left that program to begin a new career in venture capital. Now, in conversation with Climate One Host Greg Dalton, Molly Wood explores the limits of media in changing huma
Sep 16, 2022 • 54:12
No Going Back: EVs and Clean Tech Tipping Points with Albert Cheung
In the tech world, there’s a common belief that once a new device hits 5% market penetration, it rapidly goes from a niche to mass adoption. According to Bloomberg, the US has just passed that critical 5% tipping point for new EV purchases. Norway, an oil-rich country, was first to hit that 5% mark in 2013 and today boasts a stunning 86% of new cars being fully electric. Now California is driving the US along a similar road away from gasoline and diesel by passing a new law that will only allow
Sep 9, 2022 • 54:13
Bridging The Great American Divide
Most Americans support climate action, but you wouldn’t know it from Congress or the courts – or from most of the media. People on both the left and the right experience the same devastating floods, the same life-threatening heatwaves and the same catastrophic wildfires. Yet individuals tend to socialize within insulated political tribes, operate in completely different information bubbles and see the problems and solutions through different lenses. How can we learn to bridge ideological divides
Sep 2, 2022 • 1:00:45
Ukraine and the Middle East: Climate Action in Conflict Zones
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused horrific damage and casualties, in spite of Ukraine’s remarkable efforts to defend itself. The conflict has disrupted energy markets, grain shipments and is still destabilizing the global economy. All of this has shoved climate further down the list of international priorities, as has happened so many times before. Yet within conflict zones, many brave individuals and organizations work every day to stave off the even greater threat of climate catastrophe
Aug 26, 2022 • 56:53
Will Sustainable Aviation Ever Take Off?
For those of us who love to travel, climate guilt weighs heavily. Civil aviation accounts for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that number is going up. But while electrifying cars and trucks is already well underway, flying planes on anything other than liquid fuels remains devilishly difficult. Despite that difficulty, there are options. Sustainable aviation fuels, or SAFs, hold the most promise, as they can theoretically drop right into existing engines and infrastructure. Beyo
Aug 19, 2022 • 54:45
The Inflation Reduction Act: What’s in the Sausage?
For nearly six decades, the US government passed no comprehensive climate legislation. Now that’s changed. The Inflation Reduction Act contains approximately $370 billion of investments in clean energy and climate solutions. But not everyone is happy. To get through the Senate, the bill offered carrots to entrenched fossil fuel interests, along with investments in renewable power. Many in disadvantaged communities, who so often bear the brunt of climate-induced disasters, feel they’ve been left
Aug 10, 2022 • 1:00:55
REWIND: Climbing, Conservation and Capitalism
Rick Ridgeway estimates he’s spent about five years of his life sleeping in tents, often in the world’s most remote places alongside fellow outdoor adventure luminaries. Ridgeway worked for Patagonia for 15 years and was behind the company’s infamous “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad campaign, which paradoxically advocated sustainability and increased sales. Outdoor companies like Patagonia may push for sustainability, but they largely still present a mostly white, wealthy experience with nature, whic
Aug 5, 2022 • 54:00
Patti Poppe: Reinventing Utilities During a Climate Emergency
As the CEO of the California utility giant PG&E, Patti Poppe is charged with navigating the company through massive wildfires, disrupted energy markets, and lingering public distrust of the utility. The company is undergrounding 10,000 miles of electric lines, working with GM and Ford on incorporating power from electric vehicles into homes and the grid, deploying batteries at large power plants, and pushing to change net metering rates that pay homeowners for electricity generated on their roof
Jul 29, 2022 • 1:02:29
Turning Down the Heat: Decarbonizing Cement and Steel
Along with aviation, the construction industry is one of the hardest to decarbonize sectors in the global economy. Cement and steel production together are responsible for about 15% of global CO2 emissions. But look around our modern world and it’s hard to imagine doing without these materials. Carbon-negative cement has been talked about for years, and innovations in steel production show promise as well, but is either technology ready for primetime? And what about replacing these materials wi
Jul 22, 2022 • 54:59
On The Run: Voluntary and Forced Climate Migration
The climate crisis is a growing driver of human migration, exacerbating the misery of already struggling communities. According to the UN Refugee Agency, climate change typically creates internal displacement within countries before it pushes people across national borders. While much of this displacement is involuntary, many with wealth and foresight are able to move before they personally feel the most devastating effects. How well are governments prepared to handle an influx of people driven
Jul 15, 2022 • 59:02
REWIND: Firefight: How to Live in the Pyrocene
We’re on track for yet another summer of record wildfires in the western U.S., endangering lives, displacing communities, and sending unhealthy smoke across the nation. The science is clear: human-caused climate change is making lands more conducive to burning, and we are increasingly living in flammable landscapes. Forest experts say there are tools to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, keep forests alive as valuable carbon sinks and make communities more resilient to megafires. But
Jul 8, 2022 • 1:01:46
Wanjira Mathai on Sustainable Development and the Power of Women
Africa is responsible for only less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet its people are already suffering some of the world’s most devastating climate impacts. For Wanjira Mathai, Regional Director for Africa and Vice President at the World Resources Institute, and the daughter of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, this raises a central moral question: When those most affected are those least responsible, how can those most responsible address that injustice? Guest: Wanjira M
Jul 1, 2022 • 55:01
Rebuilding for Climate: Successful City Strategies
83% of people in the United States live in urban areas. And these days that’s where important climate progress is happening. Cities all over the country and globe are experimenting with climate resilience projects specific to their local environments and challenges. In many cases, these projects also look to address historic injustices and provide more equitable models for transportation, housing, green space, and more. This week, we feature stories from a few different cities around the country
Jun 24, 2022 • 55:17
REWIND: Climate Miseducation
Climate change science isn’t taught accurately — or equally — across the country. Investigative reporter Katie Worth dug into textbooks and talked with dozens of children and teachers to find out why. In her book, Miseducation: How Climate is Taught in America, Worth unpacks the influence of the fossil fuel industry, state legislatures and school boards on school curricula in their effort to spread confusion and misinformation about the climate crisis. Some organizations skip the textbook battl
Jun 17, 2022 • 58:25
Digging Deep into the Next Farm Bill
Roughly every five years, the U.S. designs and implements a new farm bill, which sets federal policy on agriculture across a huge swath of programs, including subsidies, food assistance, land practices and more. As the discussion around what to include in the 2023 farm bill intensifies, many are pushing for climate mitigation and adaptation measures to be a primary focus of the legislation. Then there’s equity. Since the 1930s, the Federal Government has supported farmers with subsidies, credit,
Jun 10, 2022 • 55:47
Disrupted Energy Markets: Fossil Revival or Renewable Opportunity?
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other economic pressures disrupt global energy markets, even insiders are scrambling to make sense of this moment. Ahead of the midterm elections, the Biden administration has signaled it wants more oil and gas now to ease the pain of surging fuel prices while maintaining support for cutting carbon emissions. Oil and gas aren’t the only commodities affected by market chaos. The supply chain, including for clean energy technology, has also been disrupted. How a
Jun 3, 2022 • 55:12
Indigenous Insights on Healing Land and Sky
According to the World Bank, land managed by Indigenous peoples is associated with lower rates of deforestation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and better biodiversity protection. But in many places, Indigenous people have been displaced from their ancestral lands through outright theft, land grabs, violence and war — sacrificing both indigenous livelihoods and the traditional knowledge that has protected their lands for centuries. Still, across the U.S. we can find examples of land access, s
May 27, 2022 • 58:19
Coping with Climate through Music
Music and social movements have historically gone hand in hand. Folk music played a unifying role for the labor movements in the United States. Music was central to the protests against the Vietnam War and in favor of Civil Rights. As more people become aware of the climate crisis, music is starting to reflect that. But there is still no one song or artist inspiring climate action the way music catalyzed other movements. Why aren’t more musical artists raising the alarm over the growing climate
May 20, 2022 • 55:20
Russ Feingold on Biodiversity, Climate and The Courts
Russ Feingold became a household name co-authoring the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, more commonly known as McCain-Feingold. It’s the only major piece of campaign finance reform legislation passed into law in decades. Today he is using his experience navigating the levers of power to tackle alarming biodiversity loss and the worsening climate crisis. Feingold believes, “The threats posed to people from the destruction of nature are just as serious as those posed by climate change.” Guests: R
May 13, 2022 • 55:10
Big Money: Investment Managers Driving Corporate Action
More than half of Americans are invested in the stock market, either directly or through their retirement funds, but individual investors rarely think about how their money is actually being put to use. And even if they decide to take a stand and divest from fossil fuels, that may not translate into a single molecule less carbon being released into the atmosphere. On the other hand, large institutional investors - like those that manage individuals’ retirement funds - can wield huge influence ov
May 6, 2022 • 56:45
Dismantling White Supremacy to Address the Climate Crisis
A fundamental injustice of the climate crisis is that those who have contributed to it least are already bearing the brunt of the impacts, and that will continue as global temperatures rise. Like many other environmental and societal challenges, we can’t make real progress if certain groups are left behind. How might a new model for working together to solve interconnected crises, by tracing the origins of ecofeminism, environmental justice and other movements that center the voices and experien
Apr 29, 2022 • 55:26
Climate & Democracy with Jamie Raskin, Heather McGhee and Rebecca Willis
Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) took the national spotlight as the lead manager for the second impeachment trial of the former president. As a member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, he has grilled fossil fuel executives on the industry’s long history of intentionally misleading the public. And as a constitutional law professor, he has offered deep insight into the connections between an informed citizenry and a robust democracy. At a time when many Americans doubt Congress’s abilit
Apr 21, 2022 • 1:00:49
Breaking Down Climate Misinformation with Amy Westervelt and John Cook
Fossil fuel companies and others have spent decades casting doubt on climate science to allow them to continue to profit. As documented by climate communication expert John Cook and others, these strategies have taken many forms: deny, dismiss, delay, deflect; and they have evolved over time. They’ve also included a concerted effort to recast political speech, banned and regulated in some contexts, as protected free speech, giving corporations more leeway in broadcasting their messages. In a sp
Apr 15, 2022 • 1:02:11
Can We Get Clean Energy Without Dirty Mines?
Global sales of electric vehicles more than doubled in 2021. Projections for this year are for another huge gain as more automakers introduce more models with increasing range. This is all good news for transitioning to a clean energy economy. But sourcing the materials needed for clean energy might not be so clean. Mining is the leading industrial polluter in the U.S., but the climate crisis demands a transition to technologies that require raw materials to be extracted. How can the world get t
Apr 8, 2022 • 59:31
Solar Flare-ups
Earlier this year, California regulators were set to propose significant changes to the incentives that drive rooftop solar installations. After widespread opposition from industry and climate advocates, the California Public Utilities Commission paused the effort. The issue centers on how much rooftop solar customers pay to use the grid and what rewards they get for selling their excess power. But California is far from the only state where net metering is a hotly contested issue. While utilit
Apr 1, 2022 • 57:32
Coping with COVID and Climate Fatigue
Since March 2020, the global community has grappled with an unprecedented pandemic. At first, most people were willing to do what it takes to keep themselves and others safe. Two years in, pretty much everyone feels exhausted by the effort and by the general anxiety of living with COVID. The global community simultaneously faces an even greater existential threat: climate change. For those fighting to stave off this slower-moving catastrophe, fatigue is a familiar feeling. What have we learned f
Mar 25, 2022 • 53:52
Playing With Fire: Russia, Ukraine and the Geopolitics of Energy
The IPCC released its latest report the same day as the U.S. Supreme Court heard the most environmentally significant case in a decade, all while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has rattled global energy markets. It’s a lot to take in all at once. Will the disruption of methane gas supplies to Europe give it the extra push it needs to decarbonize, or will some countries always be beholden to untrustworthy partners for the resources they need? What other options exist to power our economies more su
Mar 18, 2022 • 54:12
Turning Air into Stone: Tech-Based Carbon Removal
It has been 3 million years since there’s been this much CO2 in the atmosphere. Even if we stop all burning of fossil fuels today, humans have already emitted enough CO2 that we’ll continue experiencing extreme weather events for years to come. Not only do we need to stop emitting greenhouse gasses, but according to the IPCC, we also need to accelerate the removal of CO2. With forests burning faster than we can grow them, nature-based solutions may not be enough. What role might tech-based solut
Mar 11, 2022 • 53:43
Peat, Kelp and Trees: Nature-Based Carbon Capture
Humans must dramatically rein in greenhouse gas emissions in order to slow the planetary warming caused by centuries of fossil fuel combustion. But even if we accomplish that through major reforms to our power supply, food systems, industrial industries and more, we still need to remove huge amounts of carbon already in the atmosphere to stave off the worst impacts of climate disruption. This is no easy task. We need to explore every option – both nature-based solutions and tech solutions. In a
Mar 4, 2022 • 1:02:22
Cow Poop and Compost: Digesting the Methane Menace
In a 20-year time frame, methane is 80 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide. Nationally, 37% of methane emissions come from cows. 17% of all US methane emissions come from food waste rotting in landfills. More than 100 countries, including the US, signed The Global Methane Pledge, promising to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. In California, a new law went into effect directly addressing the state’s methane emissions from organic waste and dairy farms. The law targets a
Feb 25, 2022 • 56:59
Our Greatest Unintended Experiment
For years, scientists, activists, and politicians have tried to warn the world of the potential catastrophic consequences of dumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere: Think of An Inconvenient Truth in 2006. Or NASA scientist James Hansens’ testimony before the U.S. Senate in 1988, in which he said that “the greenhouse effect has been detected and it is changing our climate now.” Or go all the way back to 1856, when Eunice Newton Foote first warned the world that an atmosphere heavy with carb
Feb 18, 2022 • 1:01:27
The Enablers: The Firms Behind Fossil Fuel Falsehoods
For years, fossil fuel companies have claimed to support climate science and policy. Many have recently pledged to hit net zero emissions by midcentury. Yet behind the scenes they fight those very same policies through industry associations, shadow groups, and lobbying – all while spending vast sums on advertising and PR campaigns touting their climate commitments. This week we focus on the PR and law firms helping fossil fuel companies delay the transition to clean energy while claiming they ar
Feb 11, 2022 • 53:44
REWIND: Should We Have Children in a Climate Emergency?
The climate crisis seems to be unfolding faster than ever before — with catastrophic floods, winter wildfires, and last summer’s killer heat. It’s becoming increasingly hard to mentally set climate aside as a future problem — it is here, real in our present moment. How do we grapple with the weight of these changes, and process our fear for what is coming for us, and for the next generation? And how do those emotions affect our decisions about whether or not to have children, who in many ways r
Feb 4, 2022 • 1:00:28
State of the Unions: Navigating Job Creation and Destruction
With expanding electrical infrastructure and some jurisdictions beginning to ban gas appliances in new construction, the transition to a clean energy economy is already happening. Understandably, labor unions that represent workers tied to the fossil fuel infrastructure are digging in their heels. While recognizing that climate change is a threat, the Laborers’ International Union of North America and the Utility Workers Union of America are skeptical of promises of a just transition, saying gre
Jan 28, 2022 • 56:54
Corporate Net Zero Pledges: Ambitious or Empty Promises?
Corporate pledges of reaching net zero carbon emissions have quickly become commonplace. Critics argue that such pledges are mere greenwashing, and even if pledges are fulfilled, the balance sheets usually utilize carbon offsets, which can be of questionable quality and accountability. Proponents of corporate net zero pledges say we’ll never get to net zero emissions without corporate action, and pledges represent legitimate ramping up of ambition and commitment. How can consumers, investors and
Jan 21, 2022 • 58:26
REWIND: Should Nature Have Rights?
If corporations can be legal persons, why can’t Mother Earth? In 2017, New Zealand granted the Whanganui River the full legal rights of a person. India granted full legal rights to the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, and recognized that the Himalayan Glaciers have a right to exist. In 2019, the city of Toledo passed the Lake Erie Bill of Rights with 61 percent of the vote, but then a year later, a federal judge struck it down. As Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin, an attorney who represented Lake Erie, explain
Jan 14, 2022 • 56:05
John Doerr And Ryan Panchadsaram: An Action Plan For Solving Our Climate Crisis Now
Beyond his position as chairman of the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, John Doerr rose to global prominence in the business world with his popularization of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), which he promoted in his best-selling book, Measure What Matters. Could the same set of management tools be applied to preventing the growing climate crisis? In Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now, John Doerr and Kleiner Perkins advisor Ryan Panchadsaram argue that it can.
Jan 7, 2022 • 55:22
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Naomi Oreskes: The Schneider Award
Each year, Climate One gives an award to a natural or social scientist for excellence in science communication. This year’s recipient of the Stephen H. Schneider Award is marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, co-founder of the Urban Ocean Lab and co-creator of the All We Can Save project. “What gets me out of bed in the morning, what makes this work of communicating about climate science and policy so important, is that we have such a huge spectrum of possible futures available to us. A
Dec 30, 2021 • 56:00
Managed Retreat: When Climate Hits Home
Southeastern Virginia currently experiences the fastest rate of sea level rise on the Atlantic seaboard, and that’s only projected to accelerate. For many neighborhoods, it’s not a question of if they will go underwater, but when. On the west coast, between $8 billion and $10 billion of existing property in California is likely to be underwater by 2050, with an additional $6 billion to $10 billion at risk during high tides. Increasingly, local and regional governments are considering – and start
Dec 23, 2021 • 1:00:44
This Year in Climate: 2021
A recent poll shows that in 2021, for the first time, a majority of Americans personally felt the effects of climate change. But has that growing awareness translated into action? This week, Climate One hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious review the top climate stories of the year – from Joe Biden’s climate agenda to the extreme weather events so many experienced, to the recent international climate summit in Glasgow, to the passage and signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. This spec
Dec 17, 2021 • 59:38
Climate Miseducation
Climate change science isn’t taught accurately — or equally — across the country. Investigative reporter Katie Worth dug into textbooks and talked with dozens of children and teachers to find out why. In her book, Miseducation: How Climate is Taught in America, Worth unpacks the influence of the fossil fuel industry, state legislatures and school boards on school curricula in their effort to spread confusion and misinformation about the climate crisis. Some organizations skip the textbook battl
Dec 10, 2021 • 58:22
What the Infrastructure Deal Means for Climate
President Biden recently signed the biggest piece of climate legislation in U.S. history into law. To be sure, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act got pared down significantly from what was first put on the table, but the final measure still contains five times more money for projects aimed at mitigating the climate crisis than the best legislation the Obama administration could get through. What did it take to get 19 Republican senators (not to mention Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema) to
Dec 3, 2021 • 59:23
REWIND Finding the Heart to Talk About Climate
Ever have a difficult conversation about climate? Pretty much everyone has. Knowing all the facts and figures only goes so far when talking to someone who just doesn’t agree. So how do we break through the barriers? Scientists trained to present information in a one-way lecture format face a particular challenge: they first need to unlearn old habits. “Everybody's trying to figure out ‘how do we move past this idea that just arming people with facts will lead to a better world,’ right, because w
Nov 25, 2021 • 54:38
Taking Stock of COP26
In 2015, delegates from 196 nations entered into the legally binding treaty on climate change known as the Paris Agreement, which set a goal of limiting global warming to “well below 2 and preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.” Yet in August of this year, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a new assessment report that starkly illustrated the world’s collective failure to meet that target. Delegates from across the globe have just
Nov 19, 2021 • 1:08:04
Climbing, Conservation and Capitalism
Rick Ridgeway estimates he’s spent about five years of his life sleeping in tents, often in the world’s most remote places alongside fellow outdoor adventure luminaries. Ridgeway worked for Patagonia for 15 years and was behind the company’s infamous “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad campaign, which paradoxically advocated sustainability and increased sales. Outdoor companies like Patagonia may push for sustainability, but they largely still present a mostly white, wealthy experience with nature, whic
Nov 12, 2021 • 55:34
Geoengineering: Who Should Control Our Atmosphere?
According to the latest IPCC Assessment Report, we’re currently on course for at least 3°C (5.4°F) of warming by 2100 even if all of the voluntary Paris Agreement emissions pledges are fulfilled. Clearly the world needs to do more to reduce emissions. But what if that’s still not enough? Solar geoengineering – such as putting sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to reduce the amount of the sun’s heat from reaching the earth – could be one tool to slow warming temporarily. But it has become so
Nov 5, 2021 • 56:19
Electrify Everything
Fully electrifying our homes, cars and industries could cut the amount of total energy we need by half, says Saul Griffith, an entrepreneur, inventor and author of Electrify: An Optimist’s Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future. This electric revolution would mean significantly scaling up our solar, wind and battery storage and reorienting the electric grid – but could also mean “thousands of dollars in savings in every household, every year.” President Biden wants half the cars sold in the US to
Oct 29, 2021 • 59:54
What’s on Tap at COP26 in Glasgow
People around the world have been experiencing unprecedented extreme weather events – raging wildfires, killer heatwaves and catastrophic floods. In August, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a new Assessment Report, which UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called “code red for humanity,” adding that alarm bells are deafening and the evidence is irrefutable. Against this backdrop, delegates from across the globe are set to convene for the international climate summit k
Oct 22, 2021 • 56:26
Zen and Coping with Climate
How do we manage our own anxiety around an uncertain climate future – let alone help our children work through their feelings and fears? In his latest book, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet, internationally renowned Zen Master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hahn argues that addressing the intersection of ecological destruction, rising inequality, racial injustice, and the lasting impacts of a devastating pandemic requires us to strengthen our clarity, compassion, and courage to act
Oct 15, 2021 • 54:33
Firefight: How to Live in the Pyrocene
We’ve experienced yet another summer of record wildfires in the western U.S., endangering lives, displacing communities, and sending unhealthy smoke across the nation. The science is clear: human-caused climate change is making lands more conducive to burning, and we are increasingly living in flammable landscapes. Forest experts say there are tools to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, keep forests alive as valuable carbon sinks and make communities more resilient to megafires. But we
Oct 8, 2021 • 59:05
Katharine Hayhoe on Hope and Healing
Despite her identity as an evangelical, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe doesn't accept global warming on faith; she crunches the data, analyzes the models, and helps engineers, city managers and ecologists quantify the impacts. In her new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, Hayhoe argues that when it comes to changing hearts and minds, facts are only one part of the equation. “The biggest problem we have is not the people who willfully decide
Oct 1, 2021 • 58:42
Preparing for Disasters We Don’t Want to Think About
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed structural weaknesses and inequities that existed long before 2020. Like COVID-19, climate change is another “threat multiplier,” with the power to disrupt many of our social systems. In her new book, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19, Alice Hill says we need to adapt our thinking and our policies to combat the ever-increasing threat of climate change. Especially when we see more compound disasters – like a wildfire followed by a mudslide. “We need to come toge
Sep 24, 2021 • 1:00:40
Diet for a Threatened Planet
This September marks the 50th anniversary of the seminal work Diet for a Small Planet, in which Frances Moore Lappé argued that cattle constitute “a protein factory in reverse.” Lappé’s book inspired countless people to adopt vegetarian diets for environmental reasons. But in the last 50 years the industrial food systems in America have only grown bigger and more concentrated, and – as the Lappés would argue – more powerful. Together with her daughter Anna Lappé, author of Diet for a Hot Planet
Sep 17, 2021 • 59:39
Water and Civilization: Resilience and Collapse
Water is essential for life, and throughout history we have sought to control and make use of it. As Giulio Boccaletti explores in his new book, Water: A Biography, that relationship with water has underpinned human civilization, forming an integral part of society, government and land use systems. But despite its essential nature, access to water has never been equal or entirely fair. Climate disruption will further destabilize the systems we’ve built to control water in our environment – even
Sep 10, 2021 • 59:32
The Fight Over Pipelines
Hundreds of people have been arrested in Minnesota in ongoing protests against Line 3, a pipeline that will move Canadian tar sands oil, and which could be operational as soon as this month. Pipeline advocates, like Mike Fernandez of Enbridge (Line 3’s builder), argue that as long as people are still using oil, we need a way to transport it — and pipelines are the safest, least carbon-intensive means of doing so. Opponents, like Sierra Club’s Kelly Sheehan Martin, argue that oil companies bolst
Sep 3, 2021 • 54:31
Should We Have Children in a Climate Emergency?
Listener Advisory: This episode contains some content related to a suicide. If you or someone you love is thinking about suicide, the National 24-hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. This summer, the climate crisis seems to be unfolding faster than ever before — with catastrophic floods, huge wildfires, and killer heat. It’s becoming increasingly hard to mentally set climate aside as a future problem — it is here, real in our present moment. How do we grapple with the weight of t
Aug 27, 2021 • 57:18
Which Way Are Swing Voters Swinging on Climate?
In early August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report unequivocally connecting global warming and extreme weather to human-driven greenhouse gas emissions, and warning of much more dramatic climate futures if we don’t change course soon. Since the 2020 election, Rich Thau’s Swing Voter Project has been querying those who shifted from Trump in 2016 to Biden in 2020 about a range of issues. How will their views affect the 2022 midterms and the 2024 election? Where does c
Aug 20, 2021 • 56:05
30x30: This Land Is Whose Land?
In October 2020, California Gov. Newsom announced a plan to protect 30% of his state by 2030. In 2021, the Biden Administration announced its own 30x30 plan, later dubbed America the Beautiful. With 12% of the U.S. already under some form of protection, where will the other 18% come from? In states like Nebraska, nearly all the land is in private hands — and the owners are worried. With increased focus on the climate crisis, it’s easy to think we have enough to worry about without considering sp
Aug 13, 2021 • 54:49
Jay Inslee, BP and Washington’s Climate Story
In Washington State, voters defeated initiatives to put a price on carbon ― twice. Governor Jay Inslee himself then lost his personal bid for the White House. Yet his bold ideas have proven staying power. The state legislature recently passed a carbon cap and invest bill that will reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 95 percent by 2050. “We’ve got to wake up every morning figuring out ‘how can I disrupt the status quo.’ Because the status quo is deadly, it’s fatal, it will destroy econo
Aug 6, 2021 • 1:03:12
Vandana Shiva and the Hubris of Manipulating Nature
From clearing land for pasture to building dams, humans have long changed the face of the Earth. But Indian eco-feminist Vandana Shiva is highly critical of how we’ve changed our relationship with the land through industrial monocrop agriculture. She firmly opposes genetically modified crops, and has called seed patents “bio-piracy.” But it’s not just the technology she’s critical of. “I’m critical of the world view of arrogance. The worldview that came with colonialism, the mechanistic mindset
Jul 30, 2021 • 53:27
How a Manufactured Car Culture Blocks Transit
The United States is famous for its car culture. But a hundred years ago, pedestrians didn’t want cars to take over the streets — and it took decades of pressure and lobbying by car companies to make them feel otherwise. Today, traffic jams, maintenance and pollution make cars more like the cigarette no one wants to quit. Urban areas have grown up and spread out along ever widening highways with parking spaces required for each new building, further entrenching the car into our lives and choking
Jul 23, 2021 • 1:02:38
REWIND: A Feminist Climate Renaissance
Pathways for reducing carbon emissions include electrifying transportation and replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar power. But in this time of national reckoning on racial and economic disparities, there is growing support for a more holistic approach. This view holds that the climate crisis won’t be resolved until we first address the systemic imbalances that have fueled it – racism, capitalism, white supremacy and patriarchy. In their recent book, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solu
Jul 16, 2021 • 54:01
Mark Carney, Fatih Birol and the Narrow Path to Net Zero
When we think of action on climate change, we usually think of what individuals can do, what governments can do, and maybe what businesses can do. But what about the broader economic levers that affect behaviors? Can we get companies to walk away from billions of dollars they’ve already invested in a fossil fuel-based economy? Insurers are on the front lines of climate disruption; it’s their business to put a price on risk. So how can the financial and insurance sectors create better-aligned in
Jul 9, 2021 • 55:40
Clearing the Air on Carbon Offsets
For over two decades, carbon offset programs have promised individuals and businesses that they can reduce their overall carbon footprint by paying someone else to reduce their carbon emissions. Yet many programs have been plagued by scandal – like shady accounting and paying forest owners not to cut down trees they weren’t planning to log anyway. A new nonprofit called Climate Vault wants to buy emissions permits from regulated markets and lock them away so other polluters can’t buy and use the
Jul 2, 2021 • 55:01
Extreme Heat: The Silent Killer
Extreme heat causes more deaths than any other weather-related hazard in the U.S., wreaking quiet havoc on the health and economic well-being of billions of people across the world. But it’s rarely given the same billing or resources as other, more dramatic, natural disasters. Because of racist and discriminatory housing and development practices, extreme heat also disproportionately impacts poorer and minority communities. Recognizing a growing need for local responses to a global problem, the
Jun 25, 2021 • 56:04
Shepard Fairey, Mystic and the Power of Art
From activism to political campaigns to corporate advertising, the power of music and images is undeniable. So how can the arts inspire and advance the climate conversation? For more than three decades, Shepard Fairey’s work has provoked thought and controversy in the art and political spheres. Now, with a public weary of climate charts and apocalyptic images of melting glaciers and emaciated polar bears, we explore how the arts can provoke a more productive conversation with Fairey and Grammy-
Jun 17, 2021 • 54:56
Colorado River Reckoning: Drought, Climate and Equal Access
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven states. Lake Mead has fallen to its lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s, which could trigger the first stage of real water cutbacks. For years, “much of the discussion in the Colorado River Basin has been who gets the next drop,” says journalist Luke Runyon. “The conversation very recently has shifted to who has to use less.” In the midst of long-term drought, warming temperatures and decreasing runoff, water
Jun 11, 2021 • 56:05
Finding the Heart to Talk About Climate
Ever have a difficult conversation about climate? Pretty much everyone has. Knowing all the facts and figures only goes so far when talking to someone who just doesn’t agree. So how do we break through the barriers? Scientists trained to present information in a one-way lecture format face a particular challenge: they first need to unlearn old habits. “Everybody's trying to figure out ‘how do we move past this idea that just arming people with facts will lead to a better world,’ right, because w
Jun 4, 2021 • 54:20
Should Nature Have Rights?
If corporations can be legal persons, why can’t Mother Earth? In 2017, New Zealand granted the Whanganui River the full legal rights of a person. India also recently granted full legal rights to the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, and recognized that the Himalayan Glaciers have a right to exist. In 2019, the city of Toledo passed the Lake Erie Bill of Rights with 61 percent of the vote, but then a year later, a federal judge struck it down. As Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin, an attorney who represented Lake
May 28, 2021 • 58:10
Hot Cities, Methane Leakers and the Catholic Church
Mapping has emerged as a powerful tool for helping humans combat climate disruption. Technology for measuring the totality of global carbon emissions, for example, is highly refined: we know that half of all the carbon pollution humans have dumped into the sky has happened in just the last three decades. But understanding the specific sources of those emissions at the scale of factories or communities has been more elusive. Riley Duren, CEO of Carbon Mapper, has said, “you can’t manage what you
May 21, 2021 • 55:40
Journey of a Former Coal Miner
What motivates the activists? Grassroots activism can take many forms, from protests to letter-writing to citizen science to community organizing. But these often more local forms of activism can get short shrift compared to the more powerful, national players in climate and environmental movements. Nick Mullins, a former fifth-generation coal miner, grew up seeing multiple generations of his family endure hardships created by our nation’s demand for cheap coal. In search of decent pay, he becam
May 14, 2021 • 54:46
Climate Stories We Tell Ourselves
How do our identities and values shape the way we listen to others’ climate experience? Author Nathaniel Rich and journalist Meera Subramanian cover the hopes, fears, and middle-of-the-night concerns affecting the people living closest to climate change. In Georgia, farmers were convinced that climate is a political issue — until too-warm winters began upending the Peach State’s prized crop. In a wealthy Los Angeles suburb, an invisible methane gas leak caused outrage and hysteria for local res
May 7, 2021 • 54:46
Distorted Democracy and the “Zero-Sum Game”
In the US, we’ve become accustomed to climate – like nearly everything else – being politicized. Even when potential solutions might benefit everyone, a zero-sum mentality has taken hold where there’s an “us” and a “them” and progress for them comes at the expense of us. “Racism in our politics and policymaking is distorting our ability to respond to big problems and to advance collective solutions,” says political strategist Heather McGhee. But does it have to be this way? Can we look to the UK
Apr 30, 2021 • 53:59
Living with Climate Disruption
Guests: Tamara Conry, Camp Fire survivor Julia Fay Bernal, director of Pueblo Action Alliance Britt Wray, postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University focused on the intersection of mental health and the climate crisis The impacts of climate change may come fast or slow. A wildfire amplified by drought may rip through a town in a matter of hours, or rising seas may take years to destroy a neighborhood. Health impacts may show up in months, or take the form of devastating cancer rates that ri
Apr 22, 2021 • 54:54
REWIND: Billionaire Wilderness
For many of us, the story of the American wilderness begins when Europeans arrived on these shores and began conquering it. The wide open spaces of the American West loom large in our country’s mythology. But what often gets written out is the history and culture of those native societies who were here to begin with — and whose relationship to this land is very different. And while one-percenters have contributed generously to preserve and protect the pristine wilderness they love, the people w
Apr 16, 2021 • 55:51
Investing in a Clean and Equitable Recovery
Speakers: Julian Brave NoiseCat, Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Data for Progress Julie Pullen, Director of Product, Jupiter Intelligence Alicia Seiger, Managing Director, Sustainable Finance Initiative, Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University The COVID-19 shutdown has hit women and minorities hardest: four times as many women as men dropped out of the workforce in September 2020, with Latina and Black women seeing the highest levels of unemployment. The Biden Administration
Apr 9, 2021 • 53:59
Entrepreneurs Creating an Inclusive Economy
Guests: Sandra Kwak, CEO and Founder, 10Power Donnel Baird, CEO, BlocPower Andreas Karelas, Author, Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America Summary: As the spring of 2021 arrives, it would be hard to design a more challenging — or more promising — moment for implementing climate solutions. Americans are reeling from an economic shutdown that’s pushed many out of the workforce, and widened the gap between
Apr 2, 2021 • 54:00
Weird Winters
Warmer, shorter winters may sound like an impact of climate change that would inspire more joy than despair. But rising temperatures and decreasing snowpack won’t just transform water supplies and species ranges. It will also disrupt a multi-billion dollar winter sport industry, including the jobs and local economies associated with them. “If we're not able to ski or snowboard anymore,” says Mario Molina, CEO of Protect Our Winters, “the least of our concerns will be the activities that we part
Mar 26, 2021 • 53:59
When Words Aren’t Enough: The Visual Climate Story
Guests: Céline Cousteau, Explorer and Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, Director, An Inconvenient Truth; Founder, Concordia Studio Cristina Mittermeier, National Geographic Photographer; Co-Founder, SeaLegacy While IPCC risk assessments and emission projections can help us understand climate change, they don’t exactly inspire the imagination or provoke a personal response to the crisis. But a growing league of storytellers is using photographs, films and the human experience to breathe life into the
Mar 19, 2021 • 53:59
The Political Reality of Climate Action
True to his campaign promise, President Biden dove right into the climate crisis on Day One, signing a stack of executive orders that signaled his determination. But how effective are they? “Executive orders, I think, are often very splashy when they're introduced, and they get a lot of attention,” notes Axios reporter Ben Gemen. “I think the better way to look at an executive order is sort of firing a starting gun for an extraordinarily long race.” But while he faces certain blowback from Repu
Mar 12, 2021 • 52:52
Temperature Check: Science, Texas, and Climate Chaos
Just two months into 2021, deadly winter temperatures left millions of Texans without water and power. Meanwhile, California is preparing for another year of intense drought, and Wall Street millionaires are moving their remote work to Florida, ground zero for flooding and sea-level rise. “We think about the Earth as a system,” says Marshall Shepherd, director of Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia, “so we can't understand climate change unless we understand changes in the
Mar 5, 2021 • 53:59
John Kerry, Gina McCarthy and Biden’s Climate Team
“The long-term energy future of America is not going to be written in fossil fuels,” declared John Kerry last April. President Biden recently appointed the former Secretary of State to a top position in his climate cabinet - United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Joe Biden did not start his campaign as the “climate candidate.” But as he starts his second month as president, he is looking at everything through a climate lens – from jobs and infrastructure to international diplomacy
Feb 26, 2021 • 51:50
Climate Narratives with Jeff Biggers, Elizabeth Kolbert and Kim Stanley Robinson
In the past decade, narratives of a dystopian climate future have helped connect people with heroes in worlds decimated by climate disruption and industrial expansion. In today’s real world, scientists are looking to geo-engineering and other human innovations to preserve the wellbeing of life on Earth. “What we’re missing is a way to galvanize people to support policies that are actually gonna change,” says Jeff Biggers, founder of The Climate Narrative Project. So how can climate storytelling
Feb 19, 2021 • 53:59
Killer Combination: Climate, Health and Poverty
Experts have warned us that COVID-19 is just one example of climate change-related diseases on the rise. And while climate disruption, environmental health and the current pandemic may seem like three distinct problems, to those in the health and environmental justice field, that’s not the case. "All of them are connected," says Adrienne Hollis of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "And the underlying cause is systemic racism." "If you want to address pandemics, and you want to address climate c
Feb 11, 2021 • 52:35
This Moment in Climate with Michael Mann & Leah Stokes
With a new pro-science, pro-climate action administration in the White House, there are more pathways — and far greater political will — than ever before for the clean energy transition. The question is now less about what can be done to act on climate, and more about how soon. “We have the best opportunity in more than a decade now to see federal climate action through legislation,” says Leah Stokes from UC Santa Barbara. So how quickly can a new administration turn around a gutted EPA, myriad
Feb 5, 2021 • 53:59
Varying Degrees: Climate Change in the American Mind
A decade ago, a nationwide survey showed that only around twelve percent of Americans were seriously concerned about climate change. Today, public perceptions have changed. “The alarmed are between a quarter and 30% of the public,” says Edward Maibach. “That makes them the largest single segment of Americans…as their name implies, they’re alarmed about climate change.” How does understanding the perceptions of a broadly concerned public enable our leaders to create lasting change? How do climat
Jan 28, 2021 • 51:53
Fast, Fair and Clean: The New Energy Transition
Hopes and expectations are high for President Biden’s first weeks in office. His recovery plans promise to take on COVID-19, a battered economy, and a rapid clean energy transition in a way that doesn’t leave communities behind. But Navajo Nation, which until recently was home to the largest coal-fired power plant in the U.S., has been left out of economic and energy plans for a long time. “The community that has been the provider is the one that has the most homes that don't have access to elec
Jan 22, 2021 • 53:59
Biden’s Climate Opportunity (Part 2)
Incoming President Biden faces an unimaginable set of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a gutted economy and a nation reeling from the recent capital attack. With all of that and more on his plate, what of Biden’s plans to fight climate change? “This President-elect has shown that he is absolutely committed to addressing the issue of climate,” says former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. “Because it affects everything.” Advancing a bipartisan climate agenda will be a hard
Jan 15, 2021 • 53:53
Talk Green, Play Dirty: Corporate America’s Mixed Record
Questioning science, funding vocal climate denial groups, and encouraging the focus on personal carbon footprints are corporate America’s preferred tools for shifting the responsibility for action on climate from industry to the individual. “Companies that are very much pro-climate action, that are acting in their own operations, are mostly silent on public policy,” says Bill Weihl, former Sustainability Director at Facebook. But with more workers holding their employers accountable and the sta
Jan 8, 2021 • 53:59
REWIND: Erin Brockovich / Inconspicuous Consumption
Twenty years ago, Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her portrayal of maverick environmental activist Erin Brockovich in the film of the same name. These days, in addition to her work on water safety and toxins in communities, Brockovich has taken on the climate emergency. In her mind, the connection is fundamental. “Climate change is about too much water, not enough water, no water, drought, flooding,” Brockovich says, adding, “It’s becoming real because it's tangible, it's touchable. You're runnin
Jan 3, 2021 • 52:43
REWIND: Reimagining Capitalism / Fossil Fuels in Your Portfolio
Maintaining a consumption-driven economy while keeping emissions down seems more and more like a pipe dream -- is it time to re-think capitalism altogether? “The only thing it requires is a massive cultural and political movement changing the rules that constrain capitalism,” says Rebecca Henderson, author of Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire, “but as soon as we can do that we’re done.” Short of a whole new capitalism, can the stock market be used as a tool for climate action? We may not
Dec 26, 2020 • 53:59
Biden’s Climate Opportunity (Part 1)
President-elect Joe Biden says he will infuse climate change into every corner of his agenda. That’s becoming evident looking at his emerging team. "You're already seeing signs from the nominees and the people they’re choosing that climate is going to be a part of every single agency," says Christy Goldfuss, Senior Vice President for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress. But it will take more than staff buy-in to get the country to net-zero emissions. When he’s swor
Dec 18, 2020 • 53:03
Mary Nichols: A Climate Champion’s Legacy
Throughout a 45-year career as an environmental regulator, Mary Nichols has been a powerful champion for climate action and cutting emissions. Having been called everything from “Trump's nemesis” to “the most influential environmental regulator of all time,” Nichols has both taken on automakers and collaborated with them. Environmentalists have cheered her moves to limit carbon emissions, while occasionally criticizing her for not doing enough for disadvantaged communities. So where does Califor
Dec 11, 2020 • 53:59
Breaking Through: A Year of Climate Conversations
“Unprecedented” is one of the most overused words of 2020, but it reflects the superstorm of disruption brought on by an overlapping pandemic, racial justice awakening, and presidential election. For the first time ever, climate change galvanized a record number of voters to elect Joe Biden to the Presidency. How has the focus on climate shifted in a year shaped by multiple social and economic crises? Join us for a look back on a year of climate conversations like no other. Visit climateone.org/
Dec 4, 2020 • 53:59
Last Call for Gasoline
Is this the end of the road for the internal combustion engine? California isn’t the first major economy to ban gas-powered cars and trucks, and it won’t be the last. Fifteen countries, including some of the world’s top auto markets, have announced plans to phase out gas-powered engines as a step toward a 100% zero-emission vehicle future. It’s a bold move, but a critical one for climate. Transportation emits more greenhouse gas than any other sector of the US economy, and 15% of all global emis
Nov 27, 2020 • 53:51
REWIND: Racism and Climate / Climate Change Through the Artist’s Eyes
In this program, we revisit two Climate One programs from earlier in the year. First, events of the past year, including the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black citizens by police, have shone a glaring spotlight on the racism embedded in every aspect of American society. How can we amplify and advocate for leaders of color in the fight against climate change? Can art help us process our changing climate? The story of climate change is typically told in the language of facts a
Nov 20, 2020 • 53:49
Cropped Out: Land, Race and Climate
Harvest season is especially hard this year as the pandemic strains farmers and food systems, highlighting a deeply divided and often unjust America. Black farmers are no strangers to the intersection of these challenges, as structural racism in the food system makes it increasingly challenging for non-white farmers to own and profit from land. Is small-scale, regenerative agriculture a solution to climate disruption? How have years of redlining and discriminatory real estate policies shaped lan
Nov 13, 2020 • 53:59
The 2020 Election: Anxiety and Incrementalism
The 2020 campaign season has finally come to a close. And days after November 3rd has passed, the country is still reeling. About seventy percent of Americans - Democrats, Independents and Republicans - say the election caused a significant amount of anxiety and stress in their lives. That’s up from fifty percent four years ago. How should we process those difficult emotions surrounding the election? Climate psychologist Renée Lertzman recommends practicing self-awareness and self-care. “It’s
Nov 6, 2020 • 51:53
Power Shift: Jamie Margolin and Dorceta Taylor
What is the role of power in deciding the fate of a planet? 2020 has seen a reckoning with various forms of power embedded in racial, gender, and generational identities. As we think about a transfer of U.S. presidential power, what can we learn about how other types of power are shaping our climate and our future? “It is precisely for people when they vote to not just think of the vote as voting for health or voting for schools or libraries, but to start connecting the dots,” says Dorceta Tayl
Oct 30, 2020 • 53:59
Steve Schmidt and Varshini Prakash on Disrupting Climate Politics
Can we break up the political logjam on climate? “The brokenness of our politics,” says Republican political strategist Stephen Schmidt, “is that we have 90% agreement on a dozen different solutions that we cannot get through the state or federal legislative processes -- because of the systemic brokenness of politics.” Not long ago, Democrats and Republicans basically agreed on climate change. Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzennegger put California at the head of the charge to reduce greenhous
Oct 23, 2020 • 52:16
Climate Ambition with Gina McCarthy, Annie Leonard and Tamara Toles O’Laughlin
Environmental groups like NRDC, 350.org, and Greenpeace helped move climate onto the presidential agenda last year, pushing Joe Biden and other Democrats’ stance on bold action. Now organizers and advocates are backing recovery plans that bolster clean energy jobs, help strengthen communities, and dismantle systems that exploit people and the planet. “We’re not calling for a referendum on business as usual,” says Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, North America Director of 350.org, “we’re calling for the
Oct 16, 2020 • 53:59
A Feminist Climate Renaissance
Pathways for reducing carbon emissions include electrifying transportation, replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar power. But in this time of national reckoning on racial and economic disparities there is growing support for a more holistic approach. This view holds that the climate crisis won’t be resolved until we first address the systemic imbalances that have fueled it - racism, capitalism, white supremacy and patriarchy. In their new book, All We Can Save:Truth, Courage and Solutions fo
Oct 9, 2020 • 54:00
Tech to the Rescue?
Technology has helped the world survive, thrive and stay connected through the COVID-19 lockdown. As countries look toward re-opening in a post-pandemic world, does tech hold the same promise in the fight to solve climate change? From mapping weather patterns with pinpoint accuracy using artificial intelligence, to engineering algae that gobbles up carbon dioxide, climate tech is ripe with breakthroughs. “The technology is there,” says inventor and entrepreneur Saul Griffith, ”it’s now down to
Oct 2, 2020 • 53:59
Erin Brockovich: Superman’s Not Coming
Twenty years ago, Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her portrayal of maverick environmental activist Erin Brockovich in the film of the same name. These days, in addition to her work on water safety and toxins in communities, Brockovich has taken on the climate emergency. “Climate change is about too much water, not enough water, no water, drought, flooding,” Brockovich says. “I think it's becoming real because it's tangible, it's touchable. You're running from it, you’re breathing it. You're swimm
Sep 25, 2020 • 53:57
Daniel Yergin: Energy, Markets and the Clash of Nations
From pipelines to clean power, the world’s biggest economies are brokering developments in oil, gas, and renewables that will shape climate and politics for years to come. But COVID, plummeting oil prices, and expectations for diversity and sustainability are changing the way successful industries must do business. “This isn't about supply and demand, this is about the economies being open or closed,” says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergn. Will the pursuit of energy and economic effic
Sep 18, 2020 • 53:59
Living With Fire
Wildfires are nothing new – they’ve been part of the west’s ecology for millennia. But burning fossil fuels and suppressing the burning of forests over the past century have led to larger, more frequent and ever-more catastrophic wildfires. And burning trees release carbon dioxide. California’s fires now are so big and fierce that they threaten to erase the state’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And even for those miles from the flames, the smoke from raging wildfires presents an
Sep 11, 2020 • 54:04
Polluting and Providing: The Dirty Energy Dilemma
The cost and health burdens of electricity production have long been higher for low-income communities of color than for wealthy white ones. But for many of those communities the fossil fuel industry is also a source of jobs, tax dollars, and cheap energy. “It makes it difficult for anyone to speak out against the hand that’s feeding them,” says Ivan Penn, Alternative Energy Reporter for the New York Times. “The NAACP would typically support the positions of the utility companies.” So is the ind
Sep 4, 2020 • 53:59
Climate Change Through the Artist's Eyes with Alonzo King
Can art help us process our changing climate? The story of climate change is typically told in the language of facts and figures, graphs and charts. But through dance, music, sculpture and other media, artists can reach people on a deeper and more emotional level, designing cultural moments that can bring us together - and bring us to tears. Choreographer Alonzo King sees the union of art and science as the perfect balancing act. “There is nothing that exists that you can create that does not ha
Aug 28, 2020 • 53:51
COVID-19 and Climate: Implications for our Food System
Coronavirus outbreaks in food markets, food plants, and farmworker communities have impacted food access and put a spotlight on food insecurity. Farmers are hurting as supply chains for fresh, perishable foods shrivel, while food banks have seen a surge in demand that has required distribution support from the National Guard. “Farmers saw a lot of increased demand direct to consumer, which requires extra labor, extra packaging -- just so much time essentially creating a whole new business model,
Aug 21, 2020 • 53:59
Flooding in America
Miami may be the poster child of rising waters in the U.S., but further inland, states are grappling with torrential flooding that is becoming the new norm. The Great Flood of 2019 caused destroyed acres of farmland and caused billions in damage throughout the Midwest. And scientists predict that there’s more climate-related precipitation to come. What does that mean for America’s aging infrastructure? “It’s absolutely going to fail for future climate events,” warns Martha Shulski of the Nebr
Aug 14, 2020 • 52:59
Billion Dollar Burger
Long before the coronavirus began disrupting America’s trillion-dollar meat industry, lab-grown proteins were upending the way we consume chicken, pork, and beef. With an environmental footprint far smaller than traditional animal agriculture, are cell-cultured and plant-based meat products — now on the menus of major chains like Burger King — still the future of food? "While no one should reasonably be expected to eat a thousand dollar, million dollar burger, so too should we really be questi
Aug 7, 2020 • 53:59
The Future Earth: Eric Holthaus and Katharine Wilkinson
Science has given us a realistic picture of what Earth will look like with unmitigated climate change: increased extreme weather events, crippled economies, and a world where those with the least are the hardest hit. By creating community and sharing feelings of fear and determination, “you can rely on each other and feed off each other…having an ecosystem of all these different people and entities and organizations that are involved in this great transformation effort is so critical,” says Proj
Jul 31, 2020 • 53:48
Billionaire Wilderness
For many of us, the story of the American wilderness begins when Europeans arrived on these shores and began conquering it. The wide open spaces of the American West loom large in our country’s mythology. But what often gets written out is the history and culture of those native societies who were here to begin with - and whose relationship to this land is very different. In some places like Jackson Hole, Wyoming, one-percenters contribute generously to preserve and protect the pristine wilderne
Jul 24, 2020 • 53:55
John Kerry: The Global Dynamics Of Decarbonization
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to cut U.S. carbon emissions by 7.5% in 2020 — exactly the rate needed globally to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. Can other major economies like China and Europe make plans to decarbonize at the same rate without throwing their economies over a cliff? What happens when the world’s top clean energy exporters are also the top greenhouse gas emitters? With post-COVID economic recovery plans taking precedence, will the transition to a clean
Jul 17, 2020 • 53:59
The 2020 Election with Tiffany Cross, Rick Wilson and Rich Thau
Racism, police and the pandemic are dominating hearts and headlines, but will they translate to votes in national and regional elections? One study found wavering Trump voters rank immigration and climate change as top reasons for a possible vote change, but it’s unclear if that will materialize. Other studies contend climate doesn’t even rank on the minds of swing voters. Young, liberal Americans are leading the charge on climate, but Bernie Sanders learned they are more likely to protest than
Jul 10, 2020 • 53:59
Real Talk: Racism and Climate
The national uprising ignited by the murder of George Floyd has cast a spotlight on the country’s embedded, institutional racism, including the fraught relationship between environmentalism and communities of color. Air pollution, severe weather and the economic upheaval brought on by climate change impacts black and minority communities first and worst, yet their voices are often left out of policy responses and market solutions. How can we amplify and advocate for leaders of color in the fight
Jul 2, 2020 • 51:54
Reimagining Capitalism: Wealth, Power, and Patriarchy
Expanding oil extraction and clean energy, supporting capitalism while fighting climate change: can humans ever really have it all? In their new books, authors Hope Jahren and Rebecca Henderson explore how a healthy climate might coexist with a consumption-driven economy — and what we need to change to get the best of both worlds. Meanwhile, is Norway the perfect example of having it all — or just a walking contradiction? Like “a drug dealer who doesn’t use its own product”, Norway’s sovereign w
Jun 26, 2020 • 53:51
Empowering Women: The Climate Solution We Don’t Talk About
As the global population approaches eight billion, humans continue to test the number of bodies that can fit onto a planet of finite resources. Empowering women through access to education and family planning may be at the core of establishing a healthy population balance, not just for the planet’s sake, but for ours. So why aren’t we talking about it more? How big a role can gender equity play in reducing our global carbon footprint — and who gets to decide? Visit climateone.org/watch-and-list
Jun 19, 2020 • 53:53
Will Climate Matter in the Election?
With less than four months before early voting begins in the presidential election, America is enraged and inflamed across the country. People of all races are expressing their anger and solidarity in the streets and on social media. Separately, COVID infection rates are rising in over 20 states including South Carolina, Georgia, Utah and Washington. Still, primary voting continues apace. So how will the turmoil across America impact the November election? How will voters cast their ballots? A
Jun 12, 2020 • 54:31
A Decade of Oil: From Deepwater Horizon to Deflation
America's latest oil boom began with a bang, literally, on Earth Day, 2010. That’s when an offshore oil rig owned by BP exploded, killing eleven workers and spilling nearly five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. John Hofmeister, co-founder of Citizens for Affordable Energy, was in Washington D.C. at the time. “We simply have to get what are called negative emissions. The oil and gas industry, I think, is supremely qualified to have the scale, to have the engineers, to have this exp
Jun 5, 2020 • 54:36
REWIND: Fate of Food / Plate to Planet
How do we go about feeding a planet that’s hotter, drier, and more crowded than ever? The connection between global warming and the dinner table isn’t always obvious when we go to the grocery store. But our choices about how we put food on our plates, and what we do with the waste, contribute to as much as one third of total greenhouse-gas emissions. How can we continue to feed the planet without destroying it in the process? Can a clean, climate-resilient food system be built to distribute cal
May 29, 2020 • 52:53
COVID-19 and Climate: The Future of Energy
After decades of relying on imported oil, the U.S. achieved the unthinkable and became the world’s largest producer. Production has doubled over the past decade, and in February reached its highest level ever - thirteen million barrels a day. But as it turns out, all of that overabundance has led to a different kind of oil crisis. “We’re producing more oil and gas than ever,and this industry’s stocks are tanking,” says Amy Harder, energy reporter for Axios. Meanwhile, renewables are experiencing
May 22, 2020 • 54:53
Storytelling Through the Climate Crisis
How do we confront the reality of a future that will be hauntingly different from today? Some authors are using fiction to create relatable narratives while sparing us from a deluge of sobering facts that can make audiences feel detached. The dystopian worlds in the films Mad Max and The Hunger Games do the same to both entertain and distance viewers from the realities of an increasingly destabilized climate. Can fiction give access to hopes and fears that we can’t handle in our daily lives? How
May 15, 2020 • 54:52
Zero-Emission Cities
Can we solve the climate crisis by reimagining our cities? Climate activists have long envisioned the zero-carbon cities of the future. Now, with COVID-19 shutting down congested urban areas, city dwellers from Los Angeles to New Delhi are getting a rare taste of clean air and blue skies. But the view is also more clear of things more painful to see - social inequalities that have existed for generations. “This is an opportunity to think about what kind of systems do we actually want, what kind
May 8, 2020 • 54:57
Fossil Fuels in the Ground and in Your Portfolio
When institutional investors divest from fossil fuel companies, does it make a difference, or is the impact merely symbolic? Some advocate keeping your stock and your influence, using investor dollars to encourage change from within. We’re not all managing billions in assets, but how can we use our nest eggs to help finance a green economy? Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on today's episode. Guests: Brian Deese, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable
May 1, 2020 • 55:01
COVID-19 and Climate: Economic Impacts
The COVID-19 recession is unfolding at historic speed and depth. New jobless claims reached a record 10 million in just two weeks. Wall Street’s fear gauge closed at an all-time high in mid-March. Environmentally, though, the shutdown has come with some temporary benefits — decreased travel, cleaner water, a plunging demand for oil. But crashing the economy isn’t exactly a climate solution. How will the coronavirus recession reshape the economy and prospects for addressing climate in a post-pa
May 1, 2020 • 54:52
COVID-19 and Climate: Implications for Public Health
What can the spread of coronavirus teach us about the spread of climate change? Both crises have global reach, invisible perpetrators, and require aggressive, early action for containment. But while an infectious disease is acute and deeply personal, the impacts of a changing climate are systemic and vague. Scientists point out that the coronavirus family — which includes COVID-19 and SARS — originated as an animal disease that can be passed along to humans. With increased human development enc
Apr 17, 2020 • 54:52
What’s the Future of Nuclear Power?
Nuclear power - revive it or allow a slow death? Today, about a hundred nuclear plants provide 20 percent of America’s electricity. Once touted as a modern power source, nuclear fell out of favor after a series of major accidents – most notably those at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. A handful of the plants that once dotted the landscape have been shuttered because they can’t compete with cheaper sources of power. By the end of the century, the industry was languishing. But the ur
Apr 10, 2020 • 54:57
COVID-19 and Climate: Human Response
Why does an invisible, life-threatening virus prompt a nationwide emergency, but invisible, life-threatening gases don’t? Experts have been emphasizing the dangers of unchecked climate change for years, underscoring the need for rapid, bold action early-on to avoid the worst impacts. Now health experts are pushing the same level of global mobilization to quell the spread of the novel coronavirus. Why are humans wired to respond to some fears and emergencies more than others? Can the reaction to
Apr 3, 2020 • 55:13
REWIND: Aligning Profits with Planet / The Circular Economy
“How do you move from a place of simply trying to stop bad things and asking instead how would you make products and services in a sustainable manner?” asks Adam Davis of Ecosystem Investment Partners. Is it possible to protect profits and the planet? Despite claims that a win for the environment is a loss for the economy, corporations are finding innovative ways to have it both ways, realizing that protecting watersheds and ecosystems can also protect their business. Now, innovative companies
Mar 27, 2020 • 53:18
Me vs We: What Matters Most for Climate Action?
Addressing the climate challenge requires incremental and transformational change on both personal and systemic levels. That means altering our personal habits as citizens, consumers, employees and parents. At the same time, society needs to fundamentally modernize the food, transportation, building and energy systems. That mind-blowing amount of change is so daunting, it’s no wonder people want to skip away into the happy land of denial. How should we think about change — and how do our words s
Mar 20, 2020 • 53:46
What the 2030 Climate Deadline Really Means
For years, scientists have been saying that the climate battle will be won or lost in the next decade. The IPCC has stated that to avoid climate catastrophe, global emissions must be halved by 2030. Politicians and the media have picked up the message; some making it a rallying cry. But is a ten-year goal realistic? What is needed to get people to take notice of -- and take action on -- the climate deadline? Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on today's episode.
Mar 13, 2020 • 55:54
Big Ideas with Dan Esty and Andy Karsner
Does solving climate change mean re-thinking old top-down approaches and embracing big change at high speed? A half-century after the first Earth Day, some environmental advocates argue it’s time to challenge some of our basic assumptions about climate action. In the new book A Better Planet: 40 Big Ideas for a Sustainable Future, editor and Yale law professor Dan Esty showcases innovative ideas designed to push the boundaries of possible climate solutions from leaders in industry, government, b
Mar 6, 2020 • 54:46
Oil and Opioids on Trial
Tobacco companies, opioid suppliers, gun manufacturers and the fossil fuel industry -- all have been brought under fire, and into the courts, for knowingly causing public harm, and even death, with their products. Should corporations be held liable for harmful outcomes like mass shootings, the opioid crisis, and climate change? We all benefit from the energy fossil fuels provide, from the lights we turn on to around-the-world airline flights. How much responsibility falls on the product, and how
Feb 28, 2020 • 54:45
Is California’s Climate Progress Going Up in Smoke?
California has been at the forefront of America’s climate fight since Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the country’s first major climate law in 2006. The state’s suite of policies for decarbonizing the economy survived industry-funded attacks in court and at the ballot box, and remained largely consistent under Democratic and Republican governors. But a recent report by Next 10, an independent think tank, indicates the state will meet its 2030 goals 30 years late. Is California really the c
Feb 21, 2020 • 54:13
Building a Resilient Tomorrow
Climate-fueled floods, fires and droughts have devastated America’s cities and rural areas. Our natural response is to regroup, recover and rebuild. But should we instead be preparing for managed retreat? In her book Building a Resilient Tomorrow: How to Prepare for the Coming Climate Disruption, Alice Hill warns that the consequences of failing to prepare for further global warming will be staggering. How will we manage the costs of the growing climate threat? Visit climateone.org/watch-and-lis
Feb 14, 2020 • 53:50
Driving Forces: How Climate Fuels Human Migration
From the first humans to venture out of Africa 60,000 years ago to the displaced refugees of today, migration has always been a part of human life. And in parts of the world where immediate threats include violence and poverty, climate change probably isn't a driving motivation to leave home. But with erratic weather, extended droughts, and resource scarcity fueling political conflict and pressures on vulnerable rural livelihoods, it's impossible to leave climate out of the conversation. How i
Feb 7, 2020 • 52:13
What is a Just Transition?
Our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels has led to climate disruption and inequality. Underserved communities are the ones most harmed by pollution, lack of green space and heat-related illness. Transitioning to clean energy would seem to be the obvious answer. But in the process of trying to right old wrongs, do we risk leaving some communities behind? What does a just transition to a cleaner, greener economy look like? Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on tod
Jan 31, 2020 • 52:16
REWIND: Drawdown / Solving Climate Change
When it comes to cutting carbon pollution, where do we start? Today’s solutions are doable, but daunting: decrease global meat consumption, improve family planning, shut down coal-fired power plants, or expand solar energy. Some countries have taken concrete steps to replace fossil fuels with nuclear, hydro and renewable energy, but the absence of U.S. climate leadership is causing heads of state to ease off their goals. What are the most impactful steps we can take individually and collectively
Jan 24, 2020 • 51:59
REWIND: Exploring Climate Psychology / Getting Outside in the Digital Age
We all know about the environmental effects of climate change. But what about its impact on our mental health? Therapists report that their patients are exhibiting symptoms of what they call “climate anxiety” – loss of sleep, changes in appetite, feelings of grief, anger and hopelessness. One way to cope with the stress and depression brought on by global warming is to get out into the natural world. Two Climate One discussions from the past year explore the psychology of climate change and high
Jan 17, 2020 • 52:02
Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have
Everyday choices – like deciding which shirt to buy or on which platform to binge-watch shows on – may impact the planet more than you think. Tatiana's Schlossberg's new book Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have, looks at how seemingly small choices can have a big impact on the climate. We sit down with experts in the fashion and energy sectors, two industries with a big carbon footprint, to see how far individual actions can take us – and when it's up to c
Jan 10, 2020 • 51:59
Dr. Robert Bullard: The Father of Environmental Justice
Often described as the father of environmental justice, Dr. Robert Bullard has written several seminal books on the subject and is known for his work highlighting pollution on minority communities and speaking up against environmental racism in the 1970-1980s. Climate One honors Robert Bullard with the ninth annual Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on today's episode. Guests: Robert Bul
Jan 3, 2020 • 52:11
The Big Climate Stories of 2019
2019 saw a number of significant events in the climate world. Wildfires, floods, wind and extreme weather continued to batter the nation from California to Florida. There were firestorms in Congress and Tweetstorms from the White House. The rise of the youth climate movement, the advance of electric cars...and the emergence of climate as a top-tier campaign issue. Two reporters who cover the climate beat discuss the stories dominated their news feeds this year - and the ones that aren’t getting
Dec 27, 2019 • 52:10
Blackout
The 2018 Camp Fire was one of the most destructive in California’s history, resulting in over eighty deaths and destroying the town of Paradise. Dry weather and hot winds fanned the flames - but the spark that lit them came from a faulty transmission line. That and other wildfires have been found to be the result of negligence on the part of California’s biggest utility, PG&E. Their solution? Pulling the plug on millions of customers. But who pays the bill? And with PG&E facing bankruptcy, how w
Dec 20, 2019 • 52:28
Rewind: Jonathan Safran Foer and David Wallace-Wells
A look back at conversations with two writers confronting the climate challenge in 2019. In The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, David-Wallace Wells allows fear — along with a storyteller’s appreciation for the human drama involved — to move him out of climate complacency. In We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, Jonathan Safran Foer asks how individuals can change their behavior to create new climate-sensitive social norms. Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/p
Dec 13, 2019 • 52:41
High Risk, High Hopes: A Year of Climate Conversations
2019 has been a year of climate rising. Youth activists skipped school and took to the streets, the Green New Deal thrust climate equity into the spotlight, and Democratic presidential candidates were forced to respond. Even a few Republicans dared to suggest climate is a concern that needs to be addressed. Join us for a look back on the big ideas that shaped some of our favorite episodes from 2019. Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on today's episode. Guests
Dec 6, 2019 • 53:43
Shadows to Spotlight: Climate in the Media
Murder, love, and the human experience are the stuff of great stories, as podcasts like Serial and RadioLab have shown us. But climate change? Not so much. The story is overwhelming and the ending is predictable and depressing, say radio producers. But coverage in national newspapers has increased since President Trump took office. It’s also expanded from science and environmental beats to culture, health and finance. And as the conversation shifts further toward companies’ role confronting cli
Nov 29, 2019 • 52:41
Letters to The Boss: Help Fix Our Climate
Climate change has become a major risk factor for corporations. With groups like the Carbon Disclosure Project grading companies on their carbon footprint, employees, consumers and investors are taking note -- and woe to those CEOs who are slow to pick up the ball. “We’re gonna start to see some efforts where silence is complacency and it’s no longer acceptable,” says Joel Makower of Greenbiz. “You’re gonna have to get off the sidelines, to use the football metaphor, and get into the game one wa
Nov 22, 2019 • 52:38
John Browne: Engineering the Future
Can oil companies reinvent themselves as clean energy providers? John Browne attempted it over more than a decade as CEO of British Petroleum, where he led the company's “Beyond Petroleum” rebranding campaign. In his new book, Make, Think, Imagine: Engineering the Future of Civilization, Browne argues that the solution to reducing emissions and addressing climate change is a mass deployment of engineered technology — and that the tools we need to get there already exist. Join us for a conversati
Nov 15, 2019 • 51:59
California’s Story: How Did It Get Here?
California has long led the country in environmental action. It established strong automobile emission standards; it preserved fragile lands from development; it set energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances. But as climate change fuels megafires across the state and the state’s largest electric utility shuts off power to more than a million residents, can the state’s legacy of environmental leadership save it from climate disaster? In a state already accustomed to swinging wildly
Nov 8, 2019 • 51:59
Libation Migration: Beer, Wine and Climate Change
America’s most popular alcoholic beverages are about to take a hit from climate. Mild, sunny growing conditions have made California king of a $62 billion wine industry, and more than 7,000 breweries in the U.S. rely on barley, a key ingredient in beer that is partial to the cool temperatures of northwestern states and Canada. But both grapes and barley are sensitive to a changing climate. And years of disruptions from drought, fires, and rising temperatures have brewers and winemakers wondering
Nov 1, 2019 • 51:59
Cities for the Future
Cities around the world are bracing for a growth spurt. With over half of the global population living in urban centers, and another 2.5 billion expected to join them by 2050, it’s time to rethink the traditional car-centric cityscape. How do we redesign our cities to withstand the challenges of cars, climate change and rapid population growth? This week on Climate One, one of our favorite summer 2019 episodes on building sustainable cities that make public life healthier, more inclusive and mo
Oct 25, 2019 • 52:13
Law and Disorder: Climate Change in the Courts
The jury is out on whether our legal system is equipped to deal with climate change. While some parts of the country are inundated by floods, others are resisting the growth of oil and gas infrastructure — and both are running into the law. Do youth have a constitutional right to a clean environment? At what point should disaster preparedness become disaster law? Does water have legal rights? A discussion on how many facets of the climate challenge are pushing, and changing, the law. Visit cl
Oct 18, 2019 • 51:59
Scorched Earth: Culture and Climate Under Siege
From the Amazon to the Congo to California, our planet’s forests are being decimated. And along with them, the stability of our climate. Why? Because trees are among our most effective weapons against carbon emissions. The Amazon alone is responsible for removing five percent of the world’s 40 billion tons of CO2 emissions from the air each year. When forests burn, carbon storage is lost -- along with biodiversity, indigenous culture, and more. Join us for a conversation about the climate fac
Oct 11, 2019 • 51:50
Jonathan Safran Foer: We Are the Weather
Is clinging to habits and cravings destroying our future? An outspoken critic of factory farming and animal-centric diets, Jonathan Safran Foer writes that stopping climate change begins with a close look at what we eat — and don’t eat — at home for breakfast. At the office, industry leaders like Google are taking steps toward veggie-forward diets by reducing meat, rather than cutting it out entirely. But when it comes to global food habits, are societies up for changing norms — individually and
Oct 8, 2019 • 51:58
Heavy Weather: Balancing Joy and Despair
Can we still find happiness in our daily lives without ignoring the dark reality of climate chaos? Author and meditation teacher Mark Coleman recalls experiencing just that juxtaposition of joy and sadness working on an article on a ridgetop north of San Francisco during the wildfires of late 2018. “It was just such a poignant moment of going into nature for refuge and solace and at the same time being reminded of the fires and the climate crisis,” Coleman says, noting the irony that he the art
Sep 26, 2019 • 51:59
My Climate Story: Terry Root
Scientist Terry Root’s research has helped reveal how climate change puts bird and animal species at risk for extinction. For Root, the climate connection is also personal: she was married to the late Steve Schneider, a Stanford professor and pioneer in communicating the impacts of climate change, who died suddenly in 2010. “It's been a fabulous career, but it has been very painful at times, very painful,” says Root, who was the lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Fou
Sep 20, 2019 • 26:33
A Tale of Two Cities: Miami and Detroit
Climate change is upending Miami’s real estate markets, turning one of its poorest neighborhoods into some of the most desirable real estate around. It’s a phenomenon known as “climate gentrification,” a term coined by urban studies professor Jesse Keenan. In a 2018 paper, Keenan writes that while gentrification is most often driven by supply – that is, a surplus of devalued property that invites development and transformation – climate gentrification is the opposite. “[It]is really about a sh
Sep 19, 2019 • 51:44
My Climate Story: Ben Santer
In 1995, Ben Santer authored one of the most important sentences in the history of climate science: “the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.” While one of the first statements to identify humans’ role in driving climate change, the vitriol that followed was personal and malicious, impacting both Santer’s career and family. “If you spend your entire career trying to advance understanding, you can't walk away from that understanding when someone criticiz
Sep 17, 2019 • 29:46
From Wheels to Wings: Our Flying Car Future
Can we beat the traffic by taking to the skies? For more than a century, the automobile has ruled our city streets, chaining us to grid-shaped streets choked with lines of traffic. And for many of us, seemingly endless hours of daily commuting. “But what if we can remove those chains?” asks JoeBen Bevirt of Joby Aviation. “What do our lives, what do our cities, how does the world look 20 years from now or 50 years from now? That's what gets me up everyday. “So my mission is to save a billion
Sep 13, 2019 • 51:50
How Pro Sports Can Be a Player in Climate
From stadiums packed with fans, to food, beer, and waste – pro sports can have a big carbon footprint. But could the core values of athletics — integrity, teamwork, and commitment — be the same values we need to tackle the climate challenge? ”Doing sports the right way is more important now than ever,” says Jim Thompson, Founder of the Positive Coaching Alliance. “We spent a lot of time as adults trying to get kids to do certain things. What if we spend our time trying to encourage them to bec
Sep 6, 2019 • 51:59
Carbon Offsets: Privileged Pollution?
A carbon offset is a credit – a way to offset a unit of pollution created in one place by, say, planting a tree, or otherwise sequestering carbon, somewhere else. But in the race to bring carbon emissions to zero, are offsets a legitimate tool, or a delusion that allows heavy emitters a way out of taking real action? “I just need to recruit everybody to make sure the forests remain forests and the farmlands have as many trees as possible,” says Pauline Kalunda, Executive Director of Ecotrust U
Aug 30, 2019 • 51:59
Tom Steyer: Power Disruptor?
Would you vote for the candidate who says he’ll declare climate change a national emergency on Day One of his presidency? Businessman and activist Tom Steyer says his willingness to use emergency powers to deal with the climate crisis sets him apart from the crowded field of Democratic candidates. “You have to start on day one, urgently – it's an emergency, treat it like an emergency,” Steyer urges. “I would give the Congress a 100 days … to pass something like the Green New Deal, but they've
Aug 23, 2019 • 51:59
Superpower: How Renewables are Transforming America’s Energy Future
What’s new in renewable energy? In April, 23 percent of America’s electricity came from renewables, surpassing coal for the first time. Ten states, and Puerto Rico and Washington DC, have policies in place to run on 100 percent clean power in coming decades. Achieving that presents a host of challenges, from updating an aging electricity grid to financing energy innovation to figuring out how to transport and store the renewable power. Fortunately, says author Russell Gold, we have the talent t
Aug 16, 2019 • 51:43
The Land of Dreams and Drought
The California dream, with its promise of never-ending sunshine, fertile soil and rivers running with gold, has been beckoning people west for over two hundred years. But making that dream come true for an ever-increasing population has taken its toll on the landscape. Is the California dream coming to an end? When its current water system was built in the 1960s and ‘70s, California’s population was about half of the forty million who live there today. And every one of its citizens needs water
Aug 9, 2019 • 51:41
Drawdown: Do We Have What It Takes to Solve Climate Change?
When it comes to solving climate change, where do we start? The organization Project Drawdown has published a list of top solutions for climate change – impactful actions already in existence that not only reduce carbon emissions, but also improve lives, create jobs and generate community resilience. “If you’re thinking about how to solve climate change here's where you start,” says Jonathan Foley, Project Drawdown’s executive director. “Electricity is about a quarter of the problem. Food, agric
Aug 2, 2019 • 51:49
The Art of the Green Deal
The climate conversation in Washington has changed enough that Democrats and Republicans are talking climate deals. A lot of that change can be attributed to the Green New Deal, a Democratic resolution introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. “What we're doing with the Green New Deal is we’re putting together an army that won't just be a resolution, it's a revolution,” boasts Markey, who has served over 40 years in Congress and co-authored the last big legislative push f
Jul 26, 2019 • 51:59
The Fate of Food
How will we feed a planet that’s hotter, drier, and more crowded than ever? Much of it starts with innovators who are trying to re-invent the global food system to be more productive and nutritious. Vanderbilt University Journalism professor Amanda Little chronicles some of these efforts in her new book, The Fate of Food: What We'll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World. “We see disruption in the auto industry, we see disruption in tobacco – disruption is coming in the meat industry,” says Lit
Jul 19, 2019 • 52:33
Cities for the Future
When Ridley Scott envisioned the dystopian Los Angeles of 2019 in “Blade Runner,” he probably didn’t think about how much energy would be needed to run those flying cars and sky-high animated billboards. Or what all those carbon emissions would be doing to the climate. We’re now living in the world of 2019. Flying cars are still in the future. But with over half of the global population living in urban centers, and another 2.5 billion expected to join them by 2050, maybe it’s time to take a ste
Jul 12, 2019 • 52:13
Climate Winners and Losers
Do you live somewhere that might actually benefit from climate change? Rising temperatures and seas will produce losers and winners. Some parts of the world will see more moderate weather and economic gains, while others are already seeing sagging property prices and economic losses. “Many people think oh it’s just the temperature, but actually temperature affects everything,” says Solomon Hsiang of UC Berkeley. Hsiang co-authored a 2017 paper in the journal Science that outlines the impacts o
Jul 5, 2019 • 49:47
David Wallace-Wells: The Uninhabitable Earth
At what point does Planet Earth become inhospitable to life – let alone a flourishing human civilization? In his new book The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, David Wallace-Wells explores how climate change will impact not just the planet, but human lives – including how a five degree increase in temperatures would make parts of the planet unsurvivable. “The more I learned about the science the deeper I got into it… the more scared I was,” he admits, “and from where I sat as a journa
Jun 28, 2019 • 52:33
Can a Circular Economy Salvage the Climate?
Produce, consume, discard; we all know the routine. Raw materials are extracted, produced into goods, and used – sometimes only once – before turning into waste. And maybe we think that recycling that Starbucks cup or Smartwater bottle is the best we can do for the planet. But that’s the wrong way to think about it, says John Lanier of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. “Recycling is not the answer or the solution to advancing the circular economy,” Lanier asserts. It's an answer, but actually o
Jun 20, 2019 • 50:37
Jay Inslee: The Climate Candidate
As the 2020 presidential election approaches, Greg Dalton will be sitting down with some of the candidates to talk about their plans for a clean energy supply, a greener economy, and their specific strategies for addressing the climate crisis as President of the United States. Keep your eyes out for those episodes on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Washington Governor Jay Inslee is a notable departure from other Democratic presidential hopefuls who regularly mention, but rar
Jun 14, 2019 • 52:33
Mindful Travel in the Age of Climate Change
Guests: Jennifer Palmer, Founder, Women for Wildlife James Sano, Vice President for Travel, Tourism and Conservation, World Wildlife Fund Norbu Tenzing, Vice President, American Himalayan Foundation We’ve all heard that hopping on a plane is one of the worst things we can do for the climate. So how do we justify the environmental costs of world travel? Seeing the effects of global warming for yourself could be one argument for getting on that flight. For James Sano of the World Wildlife Fund,
Jun 7, 2019 • 51:40
If You Won't, We Will: Youth Action on Climate
Although many climate conversations talk about impacts on future generations, all too often those younger generations are not at the table or in the room. So how are young people taking charge of their climate future? For Isha Clarke, a high school student and activist from Oakland, California, by speaking truth to the senior U.S. Senator from her state. “I think that truth is respectful and that you can speak truth in a way that is compassionate and authentic,” says Clarke, who recently gained
May 31, 2019 • 52:33
David Gergen on Climate Politics and Public Opinion
“This is turning out exactly the way scientists predicted, with one exception: it’s happening faster than they thought,” says political analyst David Gergen, who served in four presidential administrations. “The question is what can we do rapidly that would alleviate this and be fair to all.” “There’s a lot of signs that voters, you know, they may not completely agree with the Green New Deal,” says Marianne Lavelle, a reporter with InsideClimate News, “but they’re not very happy with having poli
May 31, 2019 • 51:59
Republicans and a Democrat on Climate
This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco on April 30, 2019. During the 2016 presidential election, climate change barely surfaced as a campaign topic. This cycle it’s a different story. “It’s gonna be the first election where it's a major issue,” predicts former congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL). “I don't support it, but we can thank the Green New Deal for that.” Democrats have rallied around the Green New Deal and its lofty promise o
May 17, 2019 • 50:25
Sea Changes: Why Oceans Play a Bigger Role in Climate Change Than You Think
Global temperatures would be soaring even higher were it not for a powerful heat-trapping ally: oceans. From regulating the temperature of the planet to generating half of the oxygen we breathe, oceans are a vital part of sustaining life on Earth. Increasing their temperature as little as two degrees, however, has an opposite effect, threatening marine biodiversity and turbocharging dangerous hurricanes and typhoons. But there are bright prospects on the horizon for humans and oceans. Join us fo
May 10, 2019 • 51:59
How Climate Broke California’s Biggest Utility
PG&E has had a bad few years. A series of record-breaking wildfires culminating with 2018’s devastating Camp Fire propelled the California utility giant into lawsuits, $30 billion in liabilities and, ultimately, bankruptcy. Under new state laws, regulated utilities will have a hard time avoiding blame in fires where their equipment is involved—so what’s ahead for PG&E’s peers and their shareholders when a deadly blaze could spell bankruptcy? What happens when the California dream of living near
May 3, 2019 • 53:02
REWIND: Oppressive Heat: Climate Change as a Civil Rights Issue
While the environmental movement is typically associated with upper-class white folk, it is also a civil rights issue. Communities of color often live closest to factories and refineries that spew toxic pollution. That’s one reason why polls show more African Americans and Latinos say climate is a serious concern than whites. So why do environmental movements lack diversity, and why has it been so difficult for nonprofits to reach communities of color? Guests: Ingrid Brostrom, Assistant Direct
Apr 25, 2019 • 51:59
Fighting Fossil Fuels All the Way to Prison
How far would you go to make your voice heard on climate change? College student Tim DeChristopher disrupted an auction for oil and gas leases - and landed in prison. Georgia Hirsty and other Greenpeace activists suspended themselves from a Portland bridge to protest an oil rig bound for the Arctic. Such extreme activism gets headlines, and sometimes results. But is radical civil disobedience the most effective weapon for change? Or is collaborating with corporations to encourage sustainable
Apr 20, 2019 • 50:07
Climate One at Harvard With Obama’s Climate Team
With the Green New Deal in the national spotlight, a vigorous debate is happening: how ambitiously and broadly must the U.S. act on climate? Are issues like economic equity, job security and public health outside the frame of climate action — or fundamental to its success? Greg Dalton welcomes two key members of President Obama’s climate team: former White House Science Advisor John Holdren and former U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, in a special program recorded at the Harvard T.H. Chan Sc
Apr 12, 2019 • 51:59
The New Surf and Turf
Production of animal protein is producing vast amounts of climate-eating gases. But a new generation of companies are creating innovative food products that mimic meat and have much smaller environmental impacts. Some of this mock meat is derived from plants with ingredients designed to replicate the taste and pleasure of chomping into a beef hamburger. Others are growing meat cells that come from a laboratory and not a cow. Could these and other culinary innovations wean Americans away from the
Apr 5, 2019 • 49:51
Insane Mode: Tesla’s Wild Ride
Despite having the top-selling luxury car in 2018, and a loyal if not rabid customer base, Tesla has been facing major challenges. In August, maverick CEO Elon Musk was slapped with SEC charges over some rather misleading tweets. That move cost him and the company millions in fines and forced Musk to step down as chairman. Other skidmarks for Tesla include production delays, shareholder skittishness and some well-publicized workplace complaints. Host Greg Dalton invites three journalists and Tes
Mar 29, 2019 • 49:58
Naturally Wired: Getting Outside in the Digital Age
What does it take to get people off their phones and into the outdoors? Research has shown the deleterious effects of electronics on weight, sleep, and cognitive development in children, who in 2018 spend four hours or more each day glued to screens. Other barriers like income and proximity to nature make access to the outdoors extremely challenging for some families. Meanwhile, doctors have started prescribing hikes over medications, and terms like “forest schools” and “unstructured playtime” a
Mar 22, 2019 • 51:59
EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler on Cars, Coal, and Climate
Greg Dalton sits down for a rare interview with newly-confirmed U.S. EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler on cars, coal, and climate. Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, responds to Wheeler’s position on vehicle standards, and discusses her agency’s role leading a group of states in contesting the Trump administration’s revised auto emissions rules. Also featuring Albert Cheung of Bloomberg New Energy Finance on the future of personal mobility, and Helen Clarkson of The Climate Group
Mar 15, 2019 • 52:59
If Global Warming Exists, Why is it so Cold Outside?
The last five years have been the hottest on record globally. But this past winter, plunging temperatures, snowstorms and torrential rains throughout the country have a lot of people questioning the reality of climate change. If the planet is warming up, why is the Midwest suffering record cold temperatures? Climate scientists, communicators and educators join us to talk about about why, after one of the hottest years on record, the country has suddenly gone into deep freeze. On today’s Climat
Mar 8, 2019 • 50:17
Weathering the Storm in America's Cities
From floods and fires to heavy snow and hurricanes, recent years have brought a raft of extreme weather disasters costing the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars in damages. How do we fight back? The mayors of three cities on the front lines of climate change – Houston, Miami, and Columbia, South Carolina – discuss what their cities are doing to recover, rebuild and prepare for the next mega-storm. And Seattle Times reporter Jon Talton explains why he thinks fighting climate change should be ou
Mar 1, 2019 • 51:59
Donor Power: The Influence of Climate Philanthropy
Fighting climate change isn’t cheap. Where’s the money coming from? Major philanthropic organizations like Hewlett and Bloomberg are at the forefront of addressing climate change, but could smaller funders be more in touch with grassroots needs? Are big donors out of touch – or just stretched too far? Where is the money coming from, where is it going, what are the biggest wins and what missteps are being made along the way? Greg Dalton is joined by donors big and small for a discussion on harne
Feb 22, 2019 • 50:05
Can California Go Carbon Neutral?
Just ten years ago, an entire state running on 100% renewable electricity seemed fanciful. But this dreamy vision became reality when, with the backing of big utilities, California committed to 100% use of zero-carbon electricity by 2045. A statewide pledge to go carbon-neutral by 2045 raised the stakes even higher. So what will it take for California to achieve such a feat? Will Governor Gavin Newsom embrace climate initiatives started by former Governor Jerry Brown? Join us in a discussion of
Feb 15, 2019 • 51:59
Katharine Hayhoe: Why We Need to Talk About Climate Change
Many of us find it daunting to talk with our neighbors, colleagues and family members about climate change. But climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe says that having those difficult conversations is the first step towards solving the problem. Hayhoe is known as a “rock star” in the climate world for her ability to talk to just about anyone about global warming. She is joined by Stanford atmospheric scientist Noah Diffenbaugh for a conversation about communicating climate change in transparent, en
Feb 8, 2019 • 50:23
How Some Countries Are Solving Climate Change
When it comes to cutting emissions, there are many paths to success. Sweden, France, South Korea, and Ontario have all taken steps to replace fossil fuels with nuclear, hydro and renewable energy, while China is expanding electric car and battery production. But the absence of U.S. climate leadership is causing heads of state to ease off their goals, and violent protests in France against higher diesel taxes are casting a shadow over efforts to combat climate change. Join us for a discussion abo
Feb 1, 2019 • 51:59
Cool Clean Tech
Over a century ago, the industrial revolution brought wealth and opportunity to a generation of American innovators. It also brought us dirty coal power and a sky clogged with carbon emissions. The good news? There’s a new generation of entrepreneurs eager to make their fortune by fighting global warming. Creative start-ups are coming up with fresh, climate-friendly ideas for getting around town, powering your cell phones, and even eating breakfast. And there are a growing number of forward-thin
Jan 25, 2019 • 50:40
REWIND: We're Doomed. Now What?
Can changing our consciousness hold off the climate apocalypse? When we think about the enormity of climate change and what it’s doing to our planet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, even shut down, by despair. But is despair such a bad place to be? Or could it be the one thing that finally spurs us to action? A conversation about climate change, spirituality and the human condition in unsettling times. Guests: Roy Scranton, Author, "We're Doomed. Now What?" (Soho Press, 2018) Matthew Fox, Co-Auth
Jan 20, 2019 • 52:01
The Hidden Health Hazards of Climate Change
Climate change isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s also a health hazard. Air pollution and changing weather patterns give rise to heat-related illnesses, asthma and allergic disorders. Hurricanes and other disasters leave hospitals scrambling to save patients without power and resources. According to the Centers for Disease Control, insect-borne diseases have tripled in the United States in recent years – and warmer weather is largely to blame. Jonathan Patz, of the Global Health Institut
Jan 13, 2019 • 53:24
The Paris Agreement at Three: Floundering or Flourishing?
In its infancy, the Paris Agreement carried the promise of a truly global climate solution. Supporters still say the Agreement is the first step in setting the global economy toward a sustainable future, but U.N. reports now say current commitments are only a fraction as strong as they need to be, and critics say it's dangerously delusional to think the pact is ambitious enough to avoid catastrophic climate change. Katharine Mach, Senior Research Scientist at Stanford University, and Trevor Hous
Jan 3, 2019 • 51:59
Going Carbon Negative
The math is clear: lowering greenhouse gas emissions is not enough to keep the earth below 1.5 degrees Celsius of post-industrial warming. The latest science states that actively removing carbon from the atmosphere — storing it in rocks, soil, trees, and even turning it into products like concrete — is critical to restore the carbon and energy balance. To keep our planet from dangerous levels of warming, we’ll need to go carbon negative. Which natural and technological approaches are the most pr
Dec 28, 2018 • 50:24
The Big Climate Stories of 2018
We’re making a list (and checking it twice) of 2018’s biggest climate stories, with the help of Vox reporter David Roberts. Roberts notes that while President Trump’s continued rollbacks of environmental protections made the news, the Green New Deal and ongoing decline in costs of clean energy technologies are the year’s big stories. For other parts of the country, wildfires and other extreme weather events made the biggest headlines. Greg Dalton talks to some of California’s leading wildfire ex
Dec 21, 2018 • 51:59
Mind Over Chatter: Exploring Climate Psychology
We all know about the environmental and physical effects of climate change. But what about its impact on our mental health? Therapists report that their patients are exhibiting symptoms of what they call “climate anxiety” – loss of sleep, changes in appetite, feelings of grief, anger and hopelessness. How do we maintain our optimism in the face of a global existential crisis? And how do we talk with others about our fears without turning them off – or freaking them out? Three climate psychologis
Dec 14, 2018 • 49:49
Fire and Water: A Year of Climate Conversations
From fires and floods to hurricanes and hot temperatures, 2018 put climate on the front page in ways it hadn’t been before. Yet amidst the disruption, clean energy prices continued to fall, climate-conscious technologies continued to progress, and people living on the front lines of climate change found ways to adapt and thrive. Join us for a look back on some of our most memorable conversations of 2018. Guests (in order of appearance): Lizzie Johnson Scott Stephens Francis Suarez Steve Benjam
Dec 7, 2018 • 52:59
A Four-Zero Climate Solution
Stabilizing our climate is going to take some hard truths – and hard numbers. “If you look at 1.5 degrees, it's about 13 years,” says Stanford’s Arun Majumdar. “If you look at 2 degrees, it’s 20 years. And after that, it’s zero.” We can fight back with the power of zero: a zero-carbon grid, zero-emission vehicles, zero-net energy buildings and zero-waste manufacturing. Whether through massive technological breakthroughs or deployment of existing technologies, powering these opportunities will r
Nov 30, 2018 • 50:10
Documentaries for the Holiday Season
It’s a holiday movie special as Climate One talks to the directors/producers of four recent documentaries that bring human drama to the climate story: Hillbilly, which explores the myths and realities of life in the Appalachian coalfields; My Country No More, the story of one rural community divided by the North Dakota oil boom; Saving the Dark, which focuses on the battle of dark-sky enthusiasts to fight light pollution; and Point of No Return, in which two pilots risk their lives flyin
Nov 27, 2018 • 52:34
Are Human Lives Improving?
In their 1968 book The Population Bomb, Paul and Anne Ehrlich warned of the dangers of overpopulation. These included mass starvation, societal upheaval and environmental ruin. This and other dire predictions about humankind earned Ehrlich a reputation as a prophet of doom, and fifty years later he doesn’t see much in the way of improvement. Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker, on the other hand, prefers to look on the bright side: people are living longer, extreme poverty has been decr
Nov 15, 2018 • 50:01
Saudi America
The U.S. has surpassed Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world's biggest oil producer, largely due to the fracking revolution. Yet new development of fossil fuels is not consistent with the math of the Paris climate accord. So what's next for fossil fuels? Guests: Bethany McLean, Author, Saudi America: The Truth about Fracking and How It's Changing the World Kassie Siegel, Senior Counsel, Climate Law Institute Director at Center for Biological Diversity Severin Borenstein, E.T. Grether Profess
Nov 9, 2018 • 51:59
Prosperity and Paradox: A Conversation with Arlie Hochschild and Eliza Griswold
Red states, blue states – when it comes to our environment, are we really two different Americas? New Yorker writer Eliza Griswold spent time in southwestern Pennsylvania to tell the story of a family living on the front lines of the fracking boom. Berkeley professor Arlie Hochschild traveled to Louisiana to escape what she calls the “bubble” of coastal thinking. Both writers emerged with books that paint an honest portrait of a misunderstood America. On today’s program, tales of the people wh
Nov 1, 2018 • 49:38
Climate Silence: Why Aren’t There More Votes?
After a year of climate-amplified fires and hurricanes around the country, New York Times reporter Trip Gabriel tells host Greg Dalton how climate and energy issues are playing in the midterm elections. Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, describes what his organization is doing to mobilize the more than 10 million Americans who cite environmental protection as a core value but who don't vote regularly. And Sam Arons, Director of Sustainability at Lyft, explains how h
Oct 26, 2018 • 51:41
Will China Save the Planet?
Chinese factories churn out parts and products that end up in our cars, our kitchens and our cell phones. And all that productivity has improved the lives of its citizens, many of whom can now afford cars and cell phones of their own. It’s also made China the global leader in carbon emissions. But in her new book, “Will China Save the Planet,” Barbara Finamore says that China may well take the lead in saving the world from environmental catastrophe. How? By phasing out coal and investing in gree
Oct 18, 2018 • 49:54
Climate Press Pool: Robert Gibbs and Jeff Nesbit
Climate used to have bipartisan support. Now that the Republican party is skeptical about fighting climate, companies are moving into a leadership void. On the show today we'll hear from two former white house spokesmen in Republican and Democratic administrations now working on climate from different angles. Robert Gibbs addresses what McDonald's is doing to cut its carbon emissions and environmental impact. Jeff Nesbit heads a communications organization trying to get the climate story covered
Oct 12, 2018 • 52:36
Christiana Figueres: A Conversation on Mindfulness and Climate
Former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres credits Buddhist teachings both for helping her through a personal crisis, and for providing a source of inner strength that sustained her through negotiations at the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, and helped contribute to its success. “I realized my commitment and my task here is to change that global mood,” Figueres remembers. “And of course I can't change the global mood before I change myself, because as we know all change starts with self.” Can
Oct 5, 2018 • 49:59
Let's Talk Solutions: Global Climate Action Summit
The Paris Climate Accord was successful in bringing together the entire world around a common goal, but the focus was on what could be done at the national level. In light of the U.S. abdicating their own leadership role, there is a growing chorus demanding that subnational leaders take on the issue of climate change. The goal of GCAS is to inspire and elevate the solutions from those leaders. This event is in partnership with Cool Effect, Capital Public Radio and in affiliation with the Global
Sep 28, 2018 • 52:59
The World on Fire
Wildfires have always been part of the landscape in the western states. But the size and intensity of fires over the last several years is something new. They are being called “megafires;” wildfires covering over 100,000 acres each. The higher temperatures and lower humidity, brought on by climate change, are whipping up these hotter and bigger wildfires. And people’s lives are being upended by the flames. Today we’re exploring the damage megafires are unleashing on life, property and natur
Sep 22, 2018 • 50:36
Farm to Table 2.0: Chefs Cutting Carbon
Can a menu at a fancy restaurant be a map for solving the climate challenge? A handful of high-end chefs are using their restaurants to show how innovative grazing and growing practices can cut carbon pollution. Anthony Myint, asks “What would it look like if you had ... environmentalism right up there with deliciousness, as your top priorities?” Dominique Crenn, a two Michelin star chef, pushes to move beyond the restaurateurs who she says only pay lip service to responsibly sourcing their food
Sep 14, 2018 • 51:59
Let's Talk Solutions: Global Climate Action Summit
On the eve of the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS), we started the conversation about how solutions could be led by states, cities, businesses and NGOs. The Paris Climate Accord was successful in bringing together the entire world around a common goal. But as Gina McCarthy points out, “We need to get together and figure out how you address and drive solutions to climate that actually end up in not just a cleaner and healthier and more sustainable world, but one that’s more just.” This eve
Sep 14, 2018 • 1:07:10
Climate Gentrification
Solutions to the climate crisis include driving cleaner cars, planting more trees, eating less meat. But how do our housing choices factor into this? Where we build housing and how close it is to mass transit has a big impact on our carbon footprint. Plans to green our cities should include new, urban housing that’s convenient to transportation. But this runs the risk of boosting the real estate market and gentrifying the neighborhood out of the reach of all but the wealthy. Can we build sma
Sep 7, 2018 • 50:38
Carbon Captives: The Human Experience
Fossil fuels have helped bring people out of poverty around the world, and many people working in the industry are proud of their contribution. William Vollmann writes about the lives of laborers and executives in different parts of the vast fossil fuel system. Discussing an alternative path for these communities, National Director of Green for All Michelle Romero advocates, “for some, retraining is a viable option and for others nearing retirement...maybe providing a benefit package that will h
Sep 1, 2018 • 51:59
Permanently Temporary: Living with Rising Seas
The reality of permanent change along the shoreline is starting to slowly sink in. Recent studies indicate that vulnerability to changing tides is starting to be reflected in property markets around the country. And now cities are grappling with how to build roads, airports and other infrastructure for a very uncertain future. How fast and how high will the tides rise? No one knows for sure but every new forecast tends to be faster and higher than scientists predicted just a few years ago. Ela
Aug 25, 2018 • 50:41
National Security and Climate Change
What’s the connection between climate change and national security? “Military commanders don't operate on the basis of fiction,” says Leon Panetta, who served as Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA under President Obama. “Understanding climate change and what was happening had to be part and parcel of our effort to protect our security.” The military has long seen climate as critical to readiness, as Rear Admiral David Titley (Ret) explains. “If you’re directly connecting renewable ener
Aug 17, 2018 • 52:24
California Greenin': Shaping America’s Environment
California. Land of sunshine and seashore. In an effort to protect the state’s magnificent landscape, California has led the country in environmental action. It established strong automobile emission standards. It preserved fragile lands from development. But as climate change fuels megafires across the state and sea level rise threatens the coast, is California doing enough, fast enough? Huey Johnson Chair, Resource Renewal Institute Jason Mark Editor, Sierra Magazine David Vogel Autho
Aug 10, 2018 • 50:47
The New Surf and Turf
Production of animal protein is producing vast amounts of climate-eating gases. But a new generation of companies are creating innovative food products that mimic meat and have much smaller environmental impacts. Some of this mock meat is derived from plants with ingredients designed to replicate the taste and pleasure of chomping into a beef hamburger. Others are growing meat cells that come from a laboratory and not a cow. Will those options wean enough people from burgers and chicken wings to
Aug 3, 2018 • 51:43
We're Doomed. Now What?
Can changing our consciousness hold off the climate apocalypse? When we think about the enormity of climate change and what it’s doing to our planet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, even shut down, by despair. But is despair such a bad place to be? Or could it be the one thing that finally spurs us to action? A conversation about climate change, spirituality and the human condition in unsettling times. Guests: Roy Scranton, Author, "We're Doomed. Now What?" (Soho Press, 2018) Matthew Fox, Co-Aut
Jul 27, 2018 • 51:51
Climate Storytellers
Strategic Adviser for National Geographic, Andrew Revkin, has been writing about climate change since the 1980s, including 21 years for The New York Times. So what are some things he’s learned in those three decades? How has he learned to best tell the story? As New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert knows all too well, covering climate change is journey that can be a challenge. “On some level it’s the worst story ever. It’s sort of everything and nothing and so finding the narrative is very, very
Jul 20, 2018 • 52:34
New Wheels in Town
Electric scooters, skateboards and bicycles are popping up all over in cities all over the country. Ride-hailing companies are also moving to two wheels. Uber bought the bike sharing company Jump, and Lyft followed suit by scooping up Motivate, which operates bike sharing services in San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York and other cities. Is an electric skateboard company next? As companies jockey to offer a suite of transportation options what is the future of urban mobility? Are these new u
Jul 12, 2018 • 52:25
Making the Grade: Corporations and the Paris Climate Accord
When you think of climate activism, Wall Street doesn’t immediately come to mind. But as investors are coming to realize, they do have a voice – and a vote – when it comes to corporate environmental action. Responsible investing is a concept that’s been around for many years, but it’s only recently that companies have begun to take notice. And who’s driving that change? Shareholders. Greg Dalton talks with three experts about the ways that market forces can turn the ship, inspiring awareness, tr
Jul 10, 2018 • 52:00
Summer Films on Corn, Coal, Lights and Flights
It’s a summer movie special as Climate One talks to the directors/producers of four recent documentaries that bring human drama to the climate story: Hillbilly, which explores the myths and realities of life in the Appalachian coalfields; My Country No More, the story of one rural community divided by the North Dakota oil boom; Saving the Dark, which focuses on the battle of dark-sky enthusiasts to fight light pollution; and Point of No Return, in which two pilots risk their lives flying around
Jun 29, 2018 • 52:34
Rounding Up the Facts on GMOs
Are GMOs the answer to our planet’s food shortage? Or do they jeopardize our health, crops and climate by creating a destructive cycle of Roundup resistance? Like many issues these days, it depends on who you believe. Supporters of genetically modified organisms say that altering the DNA of corn and other crops is just another tool in the farmers’ toolbox - an innovation that will help feed a world whose food production has been disrupted by climate change. Opponents maintain that modified crops
Jun 22, 2018 • 51:49
Climate Winners and Losers
The new climate reality means that even those living on a hill will be affected by flooding in the valley, and those living in the North will be affected by droughts in the South. There are many factors to consider how you will be affected by climate change. “I think this question of inequity is also really, really important,” states Katharine Mach. “And the flipside of that is that wealth is not necessarily protection.” Who will win and lose as climate disruption impacts agriculture, employme
Jun 15, 2018 • 52:33
Al Gore and Bill Nye
Looking for a movie that takes climate science to the masses? In the first part of this week’s episode, former Vice President Al Gore joins Climate One along with co-directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk to talk about the making of their 2017 movie AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER and the solutions that it offers. In the second part, TV’s Bill Nye is joined by director Jason Sussberg, who shadowed Nye as he goes toe-to-toe with outspoken climate deniers and travels the world to show the caus
Jun 8, 2018 • 52:25
Mark Kurlansky and Anna Lappé: Plate to Planet
Mark Kurlansky and Anna Lappé are two of the country’s most prolific and influential authors writing about feeding a crowded planet with a destabilized climate. The connection between global warming and the dinner table isn’t always obvious when we go to the grocery store. But our choices about how we put food on our plates, and what we do with the waste, contribute to as much as one third of total greenhouse-gas emissions. How can we continue to feed the planet without destroying it in the pr
Jun 2, 2018 • 53:03
California Gubernatorial Candidates on Climate One
For fifteen years, California Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown charted a steady bi-partisan course as climate leaders. Their combined legacies include reduced carbon emissions, a clean energy economy and forward-thinking electric transportation. During that time, the effects of climate disruption -- rising seas, shrinking aquifers, wildfires and drought - have become increasingly clear. Greg Dalton sits down with three of the leading gubernatorial candidates to ask them how they
May 30, 2018 • 1:00:00
Cool Clean Tech
Over a century ago, the industrial revolution brought wealth and opportunity to a generation of American innovators. It also brought us dirty coal power and a sky clogged with carbon emissions. The good news? There’s a new generation of entrepreneurs eager to make their fortune by fighting global warming. Creative start-ups are coming up with fresh, climate-friendly ideas for getting around town, powering your cell phones, and even eating breakfast. And there is a growing number of forward-think
May 25, 2018 • 52:50
A Paris Progress Report
In June 2017, President Trump announced his plan to withdraw the country from the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, claiming it disadvantaged the United States. The symbolism of the American government’s retreat overshadowed the reality that the U.S. business community has embraced a low-carbon future. “We committed under Paris to do nothing we weren’t gonna do anyway and that we aren’t doing anyway,” says former Sierra Club chairman Carl Pope. Many countries have also reaffirmed their commitments to t
May 18, 2018 • 52:25
The Hidden Health Hazards of Climate Change
Climate change isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s also a health hazard. Air pollution and changing weather patterns give rise to heat-related illnesses, asthma and allergic disorders. Disasters like Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Irma leave hospitals scrambling to save patients without power and resources. According to the Centers for Disease Control, insect-borne diseases have tripled in the United States in recent years – and warmer weather is largely to blame. Guests: Jonathan Patz
May 11, 2018 • 53:22
Selling the Science of Climate Change
The scientific consensus is that human activity is cooking the planet and disrupting our economies. Yet many people still don’t believe that climate change will affect them personally, or they deny the urgency of the problem. Can better communication help sell the science of climate change? “Only the repetition of simple messages changes public opinion and affects the brain,” says David Fenton, a four-decade veteran of PR campaigns for the environment, public health and human rights. “If you are
May 4, 2018 • 53:02
The Population Bomb, 50 Years Later: A Conversation with Paul Ehrlich
In 1968, the best-seller “The Population Bomb,” written by Paul and Anne Ehrlich (but credited solely to Paul) warned of the perils of overpopulation: mass starvation, societal upheaval, environmental deterioration. The book was criticized at the time for painting an overly dark picture of the future. But while not all of the Ehrlich’s dire predictions have come to pass, the world’s population has doubled since then, to over seven billion, straining the planet’s resources and heating up our clim
Apr 27, 2018 • 53:41
Geo-Engineering Climate Solutions
In an emergency, we’re told to “break the glass” and grab the fire extinguisher. If we’re in the midst of a climate emergency, is there a firehose we could spray into the sky to cool down our atmosphere? It may sound like science fiction, but some climatologists endorse research into such techniques known as geo-engineering. But could tinkering with the stratosphere in this way lead to a new ice age – or worse? What group of people could be trusted with such God-like powers? Join us for a discus
Apr 20, 2018 • 52:56
Climate One at Duke University: How Climate Change Will Change the Way We Eat
As the planet gets hotter, it’s affecting many of the foods we love – when and where they’re grown, how they get to the grocery store and how much we pay for them. On today’s program, we’ll talk about migrating crops, shrinking grasslands, and how food producers and restaurants are using technology to better predict and adapt to the new food normal. Ashley Allen, Senior Manager, Climate and Land, Mars Corporation Jason Clay, Senior Vice President, Food & Markets; Executive Director, Markets Ins
Apr 12, 2018 • 53:48
Exposed: Dieselgate's Impact on the Auto Industry
Volkswagen’s brazen cheating on air pollution rules rocked an industry with a history of skulduggery. The scandal has now cost the company $30 billion plus jail time for one. Furthering chaos in the auto industry is a Trump administration looking to roll back emissions standards while California and 12 additional states, making up 36% of the auto market, threaten to maintain theirs. Alberto Ayala, Air Pollution Control Officer, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Edward Ni
Apr 6, 2018 • 52:25
Mindful Travel in the Age of Climate Change
We’ve all heard that hopping on a plane is one of the worst things we can do for the climate. So how do we justify the environmental costs of world travel? Whether we’re scaling Mount Everest or diving with sea turtles in the Galapagos Islands, it’s important to tread lightly – and respectfully – on every corner of our planet. And ideally, use the experience to make the world a better place. Three veterans of adventure and eco travel talk about doing just that. Join us for a conversation about
Mar 30, 2018 • 53:03
Dark Money and The US Chemical Safety Board
In her book “Dark Money: the Hidden History Behind the Rise of the Radical Right,” New Yorker writer Jane Mayer exposes the powerful group of individuals who bankroll our political system. Mayer traces the billions of dollars spent by the Kochs, the Mercers, and other wealthy conservative activists to influence policies related to climate change, the economy and more. And as the Trump administration rolls back regulations, the head of the US Chemical Safety Board, Vanessa Sutherland, wonders how
Mar 23, 2018 • 52:59
Is Silicon Valley as Green as it Claims?
Tech companies are cleaning up their data centers and building shiny new buildings that sip water and energy. But are they really as green as they claim? Many companies issued statements in support of the Paris climate agreement, but their actions will be more important than their statements. According to guest Aron Cramer from BSR, the way we measure how green companies are needs an update. “Companies should be judged not only on what they do, which is more traditional,” Cramer says, “but also
Mar 16, 2018 • 53:00
Dooley and Pelosi: Bridging Trump's Divide
Executive Committeewoman of Democratic National Committee Christine Pelosi, as well as staunch Trump supporter and clean energy advocate, Debbie Dooley, join Climate One for a discussion about the politics of energy more than a year into the Trump presidency. Reviving fossil fuels and rolling back action on climate change has arguably been one area where his agenda has achieved the most traction. Debbie Dooley, President, Conservatives for Energy Freedom, Co-Founder, Tea Party Movement Christi
Mar 9, 2018 • 52:58
Cloudy Days for Solar?
When the U.S slapped 30 percent tariffs on imported solar panels, headlines heralded bad times ahead for clean energy in this country. But the stock prices of solar installers increased because the hit could have been worse. Solar entrepreneur and advocate, Jigar Shah, said it was “good news.” Our guest and professor from University of California Berkeley, Severin Borenstein said, “there's no question, this is a policy that was designed to make renewables more expensive because it doesn't make a
Mar 2, 2018 • 52:50
Power Shift: The End of Gasoline Cars?
After more than a century of ruling the roads, oil is starting to lose its dominance over the auto industry. More and more automakers are introducing electric models, and according to one report, sales of electric cars will surpass those of regular cars within twenty-five years. With Detroit embracing plug-in cars, electric utilities sense an opportunity to grow their business as the age of oil starts to sunset. A conversation exploring the future of the cars we love, the impact of robotic and
Feb 23, 2018 • 53:15
Weathering the Storm: Mayors of Houston, Miami and Columbia
2017 brought a raft of extreme weather disasters costing the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars in damages, including hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. And those are just the ones with names – other areas of the country were hit by floods, fires and drought. How do we fight back? The mayors of three cities on the frontline of climate change – Houston, Miami, and Columbia, South Carolina - discuss what their cities are doing to recover, rebuild and prepare for the next mega storm. Steve Benj
Feb 16, 2018 • 52:54
Climate on Your Plate
What should climate-conscious people do to eat most sustainably? How people approach their diet is deeply personal and can be extremely controversial. Roughly 1 in 9 people in the world are undernourished. Addressing hunger while making the food chain more sustainable is critical for addressing climate change. John Purcell, VP and Global R&D Lead, Monsanto Company Austin Wilson, Environmental Health Program Manager, As You Sow Scott Kennedy, Filmmaker, Food Evolution Nicolette Hahn Niman, Auth
Feb 9, 2018 • 52:59
EPA Then and Now
It was in 1970, under President Nixon, that the Environmental Protection Agency was founded. While the Agency enjoyed tremendous bipartisan support for decades, the last 9 years have seen a decline in support from congressional Republicans. Recently, former EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy, explained that she is not worried about protections being rolled back—she thinks they will withstand the assault—but rather about the budget cuts Lynda Deschambault, former EPA Staff Scientist Benjamin Fran
Feb 2, 2018 • 52:59
On the Ice with Michael Mann
The so-called hockey stick papers, published in 1999, ignited an assault on the science of climate change that still rages to this day. But lead author Michael Mann hasn’t backed off on his mission to educate the public on the science of global warming. Mann was awarded the seventh annual Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication, by Climate One. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences Dr. Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmosp
Jan 26, 2018 • 52:04
Inheriting Climate Change
Consumption-crazed baby boomers are leaving millenials with a mountain of debt and a destabilized climate. In his book A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America, Gen-Xer Bruce Gibney argues that the aging baby boomers who still rule the roost politically are holding up progress -- and it’s time they got out of the way. Carleen Cullen, Founder and Executive Director, Cool the Earth James Coleman, Student Bruce Gibney, Author, A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boo
Jan 20, 2018 • 53:00
Jane Goodall and Yvon Chouinard
World-renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall talks about her life’s work, the link between deforestation and climate change and why she sees reasons for hope. Yvon Chouinard, the reluctant entrepreneur who founded Patagonia, Inc., explains how charting his own path through the wilderness led him to create a multi-million dollar sporting goods company committed to environmentally responsible design and production. Jane Goodall, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute; U.N. Messenger of
Jan 12, 2018 • 52:08
Net Zero Living
Conservation begins at home – literally. Designing and operating a home that generates as much power as it uses is rapidly becoming a reality. Meanwhile, cities around the country have made zero waste a goal for their landfills. Can it be done? What steps can we take to reduce the trash on our collective backs? And what is it really like to live trash-free? Diana Dehm, Founder, Trash on Your Back Kevin Drew, Zero Waste Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment Lauren Hennessy, S
Jan 5, 2018 • 52:59
Ai Weiwei: Human Flow
In his new movie, “Human Flow,” artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei documents the plight of refugees struggling in a hot and crowded world. Greg also talks to an artist who uses music to convey emotional urgency around climate disruption. Bill Collins, Scientific Advisor, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Stephan Crawford, Founder, The Climate Music Project Ai Weiwei, Artist and Activist This program was recorded at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, CA. Learn more about your
Dec 29, 2017 • 52:36
Chaos and Progress: A Year of Climate Conversations
It’s safe to say that 2017 was not been the best of times when it came to climate. Record-breaking hurricanes, year-round wildfires, and a renewed commitment to fossil fuels all contributed to a chaotic first year under the Trump administration. Guests (in order of appearance): Bob Inglis, Former Republican U.S. Representative, South Carolina Jeremy Carl, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University Debbie Dooley, Co-Founder, Tea Party Movement May Boeve, Executive Director, 350.or
Dec 22, 2017 • 52:59
Changing Minds: Climate Politics and Science
Donald Trump once advocated for climate action. Now, he’s moving Barack Obama’s efforts in the opposite direction. Obama’s former science advisor, John Holdren, talks about the damage being done by today’s White House. For twenty years, Jerry Taylor ran the energy and climate programs for conservative organizations funded by the Koch brothers, before coming around on climate change. He recounts his journey, going from a climate denier to a climate mainstreamer. On this episode of Climate One
Dec 16, 2017 • 53:01
Concussions, Cigarettes and Climate
What do football, tobacco and oil have in common? A common narrative of deceit. When tobacco companies faced public scrutiny about the link between cancer and smoking the industry launched a campaign questioning the scientific evidence. Oil companies and the National Football League have used the same playbook to mislead the public. Listen to the stories of how industries endeavor to confuse. Adrienne Alford, Western States Director, Union of Concerned Scientists Steve Fainaru, Senior Writer,
Dec 8, 2017 • 52:59
High Tide on Main Street
The coast line has been basically in the same place for all of human civilization and now that’s changing in very unpredictable and unsettling ways. Oceans will rise faster than the past but no one can say how fast that will happen or what’s the best strategy for protecting trillions of dollars in waterfront real estate. Kiran Jane, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Neighborly John Englander, Author, High Tide on Main Street Will Travis, Sea Level Rise Planning Consultant This progr
Dec 1, 2017 • 52:59
Bill Nye: Science Guy
Sifting through the Trump administration’s misleading statements on climate change can be a daunting task. That’s where scientist Bill Nye comes in. The Science Guy is on a quest to set the record straight when it comes to anti-scientific thinking and climate denial. Bill Nye, Television Host, Science Educator Jason Sussberg, Filmmaker, Bill Nye: Science Guy This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Marines' Memorial Theater in San Francisco, CA on November 6, 2017. Learn m
Nov 24, 2017 • 52:14
Jeff Goodell: The Water Will Come
Rising waters represent the most visible and tangible impact of climate disruption. Protecting people and property from all that water, while simultaneously ensuring billions have enough to drink, will have unfathomable costs and alter the lives of most people living on earth. Jeff Goodell, Author, Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone Marco Kraples, Former VP, Tesla; Producer, Before the Flood Katharine Mach, Senior Research Scientist, Stanford University This program was recorded in front of
Nov 17, 2017 • 52:27
Oppressive Heat: Climate Change and Civil Rights
Communities of color often live closest to factories and refineries that spew toxic pollution. That’s one reason why polls show more African Americans and Latinos say climate is a serious concern than whites. Ingrid Brostrom, Assistant Director, Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley, Pastor Emeritus, Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA
Nov 10, 2017 • 52:59
A Conversation with Amy Goodman and Kenneth Kimmell
When trying to fight a campaign of disinformation, who better to be on your side than a muckraking journalist like Amy Goodman and a lawyer running the Union for Concerned Scientists, Kenneth Kimmell. Between these two, they have seen it all. They know the lengths the oil industry will go to in order to keep drilling, and they are working to share that information with as many people as possible. Amy Goodman, Host, Executive Producer, Democracy Now! Kenneth Kimmell, President, Union of Concerne
Nov 3, 2017 • 52:20
Deep Dive Into the Arctic
Climate One goes to the front line of climate change - the high Arctic - to hear from the people there how their economies, communities and culture are changing due to global warming. Nancy Karetak-Lindell, President, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister for Climate Change Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist, NASA’s Mars Institute Brendan Kelly, Former White House Scientific Advisor Kuupik Kleist, Former Premier of Greenland Danko Taboroši, Director Coral and Ice
Oct 27, 2017 • 52:48
Chasing the Harvest in the Heat
Rising temperatures are making hard outdoor jobs even harder. It is the kind of heat that will ground airplanes and melt rail lines, and health experts say agricultural workers are especially vulnerable, as they are already one of the most economically disadvantaged groups. This is a conversation on how rising temperatures are changing the way our food is grown and the choices we have at the grocery store. Blanca Banuelos, Co-Director, Migrant Unit, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. Gab
Oct 20, 2017 • 52:59
Elizabeth Kolbert and David Roberts: Covering Catastrophe
Communicating about climate change and convincing the public that something needs to be done about it is a complicated proposition, one that reporters Elizabeth Kolbert and David Roberts face daily in their jobs of covering the looming catastrophe. Elizabeth Kolbert Journalist, The New Yorker David Roberts Staff Writer, Vox This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, CA on September 22, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho
Oct 13, 2017 • 52:59
California's Climate Crusade
Some environmentalists said the law extending California’s cap and trade system to 2030 is a sellout to the oil industry and it shortchanges disadvantaged communities that breathe the dirtiest air. How do California’s climate moves play into national politics and policy? Will climate and energy play a meaningful role in the upcoming midterm elections? Will companies make energy policy more of a priority? We look back at how Gov. Schwarzenegger set the tone and how his past leadership continues t
Oct 6, 2017 • 52:27
Happening with James Redford
Fossil fuels are in favor again in Washington. New opportunities are opening to mine coal and drill for oil despite the fact that the costs for fossil fuels continue to rise in real terms--and in terms of our health and environment. The markets ultimately drive investments, and while regulatory rollbacks and continued subsidies for fossil fuel may slow it down, our guests are certain the energy revolution is coming. Documentarian James Redford declared that, “You don’t have to worry about the fu
Sep 29, 2017 • 52:59
Greening Professional Sports
People who are involved in the sports world have seen the benefits of greening their professions. Many athletes and executives gathered at the Green Sports Alliance Summit in Sacramento, CA where they shared ideas for reducing food waste, running stadiums on clean energy and encouraging fans to reduce their carbon impact. Justin Zeulner, Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance Julia Landauer, Championship NASCAR Driver Dusty Baker, Manager, Washington Nationals Jennifer Regan, Chief S
Sep 22, 2017 • 53:00
Harvey and Irma: A Hurricane’s Human Fingerprints
From Katrina and Sandy to Harvey, Irma and José - how is climate change fueling these increasingly destructive hurricanes? Greg Dalton and his guests delve into the politics, costs and human causes of the megastorms pummeling our planet. Brian Schatz, US Senator, (D-HI) Ben Santer, Climate Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory John Englander, Author, High Tide on Main Street: Rising Sea Level and the Coming Coastal Crisis (Science Bookshelf, 2012) Angela Fritz, Manager, Weath
Sep 15, 2017 • 53:00
Yvon Chouinard
The explorer, climber, surfer and founder of sporting goods company Patagonia, Inc., has spent a lifetime welcoming adventure – and risk - of all kinds. Yvon Chouinard, Founder and Owner, Patagonia This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 27, 2016 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 8, 2017 • 52:59
Aligning Profits with the Planet
It is possible to protect profits and the planet. Despite claims that a win for the environment is a loss for the economy, corporations are finding innovative ways to have it both ways. They are quickly realizing that protecting watersheds and ecosystems can also protect their business. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club on July 27, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 7, 2017 • 52:59
Jane Mayer: Behind Dark Money
Who is bankrolling our political system? Jane Mayer takes us behind the scenes to expose the powerful group of individuals who are shaping our country. Jane Mayer, Staff Writer, The New Yorker and Author, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right (Doubleday, 2016) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Louis B. Mayer Theatre at Santa Clara University on April 4, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho
Aug 25, 2017 • 52:59
Tesla: Impossible Until It's Not
Tesla is the most valuable car company in the US, recently surpassing even the auto giant, General Motors. But this high valuation is not due to the number of cars they make and it is certainly not due to profits which are incidentally non-existent. So what is it all about? Ashlee Vance has written the preeminent biography on the genius driving Tesla, SpaceX and Hyperloop, Elon Musk, with insights gained from his unprecedented access to the eccentric entrepreneur. Peter Henderson talks about T
Aug 18, 2017 • 52:59
Jane Goodall in Conversation with Jeff Horowitz and Greg Dalton
Noted conservationist Jane Goodall talks about her life’s work, the link between deforestation and climate change and why she sees reasons for hope. Jane Goodall, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute; United Nations Messenger of Peace Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 3, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 11, 2017 • 52:59
Al Gore and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
Former Vice President Al Gore joins Climate One to talk about his tireless fight, training an army of climate champions and influencing international climate policy. Joined by co-directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, this conversation covers the making of their new movie AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER and the solutions that it offers. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Marines' Memorial Club on July 24, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f
Aug 4, 2017 • 52:48
Is Climate Denial Destroying Our Planet?
Climate denial has become both a psychological and a political problem. Can better communication help us expand common ground and move on to solutions? Renee Lertzman, Climate Engagement Strategist, Author and Speaker Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State University Cristine Russell, Freelance Science Journalist Tom Toles, Editorial Cartoonist, The Washington Post This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on Decem
Jul 30, 2017 • 52:31
Chain Reaction: Why Two Wheels are Better than Four
Getting out of a car and onto a bike is one of the best things you can do for the climate and your personal health. Bike lanes are growing in American cities from New York City to Houston, the country’s oil and gasoline capitol. Guests: Amy Harcourt, Co-Founder/Principal, Bikes Make Life Better, Inc. Caeli Quinn, Co-founder and Executive Director, Climate Ride Brian Wiedenmeier, Executive Director, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition This program was recorded live at The Commonwealth Club in San
Jul 21, 2017 • 52:59
Trumping the Climate: Coming in Hot
The Trump administration’s determination to revive coal mining and domestic oil drilling is causing concern that international efforts to combat climate change will crumble. How much change will the Trump administration really bring to the climate change fight? Join a conversation about energy, the mainstream news media, and markets. Guests: Gil Duran, Former Spokesman for Gov. Jerry Brown and Sen. Dianne Feinstein Amy Myers Jaffe, Executive Director, Energy and Sustainability, UC Davis Graduat
Jul 14, 2017 • 52:59
Rounding up the Facts on GMOs
Are GMOs the answer to our planet’s food shortage? Or are they jeopardizing our crops by creating a destructive cycle of Roundup resistance? Like many issues these days, it depends on who you listen to. Supporters of genetically modified organisms say that altering the DNA of corn and other crops is just another tool in the farmers’ toolbox. While, opponents maintain that modified crops are dangerous to our health. Guests: Scott Kennedy, Filmmaker, ""Food Evolution"" John Purcell, VP and Globa
Jul 7, 2017 • 52:27
Youth in the Streets and in the Courts (Update)
As Buffalo Springfield sang in 1967, “There’s something happening here…” But today’s youth revolution is happening far beyond the Sunset Strip. The Trump administration’s dismissal of climate change as a legitimate concern is energizing a new generation of teenage activists. Emboldened and supported by groups like Earth Guardians, Heirs to Our Oceans and the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE), young people are taking their knowledge of climate science into the streets and into the courts, pres
Jul 5, 2017 • 52:59
Water Whiplash
Californians are accustomed to living through wet times and dry times, but lately things are getting more extreme and much more difficult to predict. After five years of severe drought, Californians are now talking about what it means to have too much water at once. The end of the drought is a blessing, but the state may need to find $50 billion to repair dams, roads and other infrastructure threatened by floods. The damaged spillway at Oroville dam highlighted what happens when the state doesn’
Jun 30, 2017 • 52:37
Banking on Change at Standing Rock
They were an unlikely group of activists; Native American youths concerned about teen suicide sparked the movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL)—a movement which ultimately spread across the country. Veterans and others joined in, traveling to the construction site and showing solidarity with activists. Protesters objected to the $3.8 billion pipeline route, which they say threatens freshwater supplies and disrespects ancestral lands. Guests: Pennie Opal Plant, Co-founder, Idle No M
Jun 16, 2017 • 52:59
Inheriting Climate Change
Do the baby boomers owe millennials a clean planet? Or is it every generation for itself? Consumption-crazed baby boomers are leaving their younger counterparts with a mountain of debt and a destabilized climate. Yet they still rule the roost politically. In his new book “A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America,” Gen-Xer Bruce Gibney argues that the aging baby boomers who make up most of congress are holding up progress -- and it’s time they got out of the way. How do w
Jun 9, 2017 • 52:39
How Cities can Solve the Climate Challenge
Cities around the country are reshaping their economies for a greener future. Mayors and chambers of commerce are promoting smart growth and moving toward cleaner energy, cleaner cars, and cleaner buildings, with or without support from Washington. On today’s show we discuss how local businesses and political leaders in red states and blue states are growing their economies, cutting carbon pollution, and preparing for the challenges of climate disruption in their own communities. Guests: Diane
Jun 2, 2017 • 52:59
Texas Surprise
The Lone Star State leads the country in wind power, thanks to legislation signed by Governor Bush; clean energy has breathed fresh air into Texas’ economy. Kip Averitt, Former Chair, Texas Clean Energy Coalition Stephanie Smith. COO, Greencastle LLC Pat Wood III, Principal, Wood3 Resources This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 25, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 26, 2017 • 59:55
#Resist with Annie Leonard and Shanon Coulter
What can you do if you care about putting your money to work toward a cleaner economy? Join us for a conversation on pressuring companies and personal brands. Host: Greg Dalton Guests: Shannon Coulter, Co-founder, #GrabYourWallet Annie Leonard Executive Director, Greenpeace USA This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 19, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 19, 2017 • 59:59
Amory Lovins: Peak Car Ownership
Will the arrival of robotic cars lead to the blissful end of traffic? Or will they instead put drivers out of work and clog our streets more than ever before? Amory Lovins, Cofounder and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute Emily Castor, Director of Transportation Policy, Lyft Gerry Tierney, Associate Principal, Perkins + Will This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 12, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f
May 12, 2017 • 59:59
The New Political Climate
Can the far right and far left come together on clean energy? Join us for a meeting of the minds between staunch members of both the Tea Party and 350.org. Debbie Dooley, President, Conservatives for Energy Freedom, Co-founder, Tea Party Movement May Boeve, Executive Director, 350.org Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senator (D) Rhode Island This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 29, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.
May 5, 2017 • 59:57
C1 Revue: Does Greening The Economy Leave Some People Behind?
Cities are leading the way in the greening of America’s economy. From urban parks and farms to microgrids and living buildings, dynamic urban planning can adapt to changing coastlines and severe weather delivered by a volatile climate. But there’s a risk that green-living innovations become solely the domain of a privileged urban elite. On today’s show we hear how issues from transit to housing to jobs are all affected by our changing climate, and how states like California are working to ensure
May 1, 2017 • 53:10
Jane Mayer: Behind Dark Money
Who is bankrolling our political system? Jane Mayer takes us behind the scenes to expose the powerful group of individuals who are shaping our country. Jane Mayer, Staff Writer, The New Yorker and Author, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right (Doubleday, 2016) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 4, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 28, 2017 • 1:00:06
Jane Goodall in Conversation with Jeff Horowitz and Greg Dalton
Noted conservationist Jane Goodall talks about her life’s work, the link between deforestation and climate change and why she sees reasons for hope. Jane Goodall, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute; United Nations Messenger of Peace Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 3, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 21, 2017 • 1:00:06
Sea Heroes: Extreme Edition
Our planet’s oceans drive our weather and generate much of our oxygen -- and they’re being severely impacted by climate change. What can be done about it? Liz Taylor, President, DOER Marine Peter Willcox, Captain, Rainbow Warrior, author, Greenpeace Captain: My Adventures in Protecting the Future of Our Planet (Thomas Dunne Books, 2016) Stiv Wilson, Director of Campaigns, Story of Stuff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 14, 2017 • 1:00:05
Cigarettes & Tailpipes: Tales of Two Industries
Cigarette makers downplayed the dangers of smoking for decades with distracting science. How close is the link between tobacco denial and climate denial? Lowell Bergman, Investigative Journalist Stanton Glantz, Director, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UCSF Kenneth Kimmell, President, Union of Concerned Scientists William K. Reilly, Senior Advisor, TPG This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 18, 2016. Learn mor
Apr 7, 2017 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Can Our Connected Lives Be Green and Safe?
The "Internet of things" promises a world with smart connected devices such as refrigerators that automatically order food and robots that anticipate our desires. On today’s show we hear how that vision is coupled with a push to run those machines, and our online lives, on cleaner power. California plans to get half of its energy from renewable sources but some advocates say the state should make a national statement by aiming for 100% clean electricity. Not everyone agrees on how the existing e
Apr 4, 2017 • 53:15
Youth in the Streets and in the Courts
Today’s youth activists are speaking up and speaking out, pressing for more government action on climate change now to protect their future and ours. James Coleman, High School Senior; Fellow, Alliance for Climate Education Lou Helmuth, Deputy Director, Our Children's Trust Corina MacWilliams, Co-director, Earth Guardians 350 Club, South Eugene High School This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 9, 2016. Learn more about your ad
Mar 31, 2017 • 1:00:06
Climate Equity
Communities of color are most affected by pollution, yet they’ve been overlooked by the green movement. How can we ensure environmental justice for all? Manuel Pastor, Director, University of Southern California Program for Environmental and Regional Equity Vien Truong, National Director, Green for All Miya Yoshitani, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Environmental Network This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 9, 2016. Learn mor
Mar 24, 2017 • 1:00:06
Why Facts Don’t Trump the President
An information war is raging in our country, in mainstream news and on social media. What is factual and what is an “alternative fact?” Do facts even matter? George Lakoff, Professor of Linguistics, UC Berkeley Robert Rosenthal, Executive Director, The Center for Investigative Reporting This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 23, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 16, 2017 • 1:00:04
Remaking the Planet
Geoengineering may sound like science fiction, but there are many who believe we can -- and should -- be taking drastic measures to cool our planet down. Oliver Morton, Briefings Editor, The Economist; Author, The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World (Princeton University Press, 2015) Kim Stanley Robinson, Author, 2312 (Orbit, 2012) Ken Caldeira, Climate Scientist, Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University This program was recorded
Mar 10, 2017 • 1:00:05
Killing the Colorado
Every year, 41 million Americans take more water out of the Colorado than nature puts into it. How can we continue to share an ever-shrinking resource? Kevin E. Kelley, General Manager, Imperial Irrigation District Abrahm Lustgarten, Reporter, ProPublica Fran Spivy-Weber, Vice Chair, CA State Water Resources Control Board This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 15, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi
Mar 9, 2017 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Republican Renegades on Climate
The Trump administration has moved quickly to reverse some of the previous administration’s energy and climate policies. But not all Republicans are on the same page when it comes to climate. Those on the so-called eco-right say action is needed to promote clean energy and prevent climate disruption. On today’s program we hear how Republican renegades find climate solutions in conservative principles, and what we can do when climate denial isn’t just present in the halls of government, but actua
Mar 1, 2017 • 53:11
Can Clean Tech Clean Up Our Future?
The clean tech sector is on the rise - what areas are most promising for growth, jobs and “gee-whiz!” innovation? What will the new administration bring? Danny Kennedy, Managing Director, California Clean Energy Fund Holmes Hummel, Founder, Clean Energy Works Andrew Chung, Founder & Managing Partner, 1955 Capital This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 6, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 16, 2017 • 1:00:05
Doubt, Deny or Defend: Republicans on Climate Change
Much has been made of the partisan divide on climate change. But there are Republicans out there who believe it’s real – and they have solutions in mind. Jeremy Carl, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University John Hofmeister, Former President, Shell Oil Company Bob Inglis, Former Republican U.S. Representative, South Carolina This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 24, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Feb 10, 2017 • 1:00:06
Green Latinos (02/07/14) (Rebroadcast)
What are the issues that link the Latino community to the environmental movement? For many, it comes down to la familia. Latinos, who make up nearly 40 percent of California’s population, still tend to live in the state’s most polluted areas, in close proximity to freeways and ports. That translates to increased rates of asthma among Latino children. Other community issues include lack of green space, reduced access to bus service and the internet, and economic barriers to things like electric c
Feb 2, 2017 • 1:00:42
C1 Revue: The Future of Oil and Nuclear Power
In 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger launched California's attack on climate change by signing a pioneering law to reduce carbon pollution across the state’s economy. That law, known as AB 32, has put California at the forefront of the global move to protect the climate that supports our economy and lifestyles. More recently, California’s energy utility announced plans to close the state's last remaining nuclear power plant. But will such a move reduce or increase carbon pollution?
Feb 1, 2017 • 53:11
Ecological Intelligence
What’s really preventing us from enacting environmental change? Blame our brains, says Daniel Goleman, author of Ecological Intelligence. As he explains it, “The problem comes down to a design flaw in the human brain.” Evolution fine-tuned our brains to protect us from immediate survival threats – lions, tigers and bears. But long-term dangers, such as those that threaten our planet today, don’t register. “The problem is that we don’t perceive, nor are we alarmed by, these changes,” says Goleman
Jan 27, 2017 • 1:00:05
Nature's Price Tag (07/25/13) (Rebroadcast)
An emerging area of economics aims to put a price on nature as a way of justifying preserving it in societies dominated by the wisdom of markets. A mountain stream, for example, provides many economic benefits beyond people who own property near it or drink water from it. The same is said of bees that pollinate our food, wetlands that cleans water, and trees that drink up carbon dioxide. If nature were a corporation it would be a large cap stock. Putting a precise tag on something long seen as f
Jan 20, 2017 • 1:00:02
Is Climate Denial Destroying Our Planet?
Climate denial has become both a psychological and a political problem. Can better communication help us expand common ground and move on to solutions? Renee Lertzman, Climate Engagement Strategist, Author and Speaker Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State University Cristine Russell, Freelance Science Journalist Tom Toles, Editorial Cartoonist, The Washington Post This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on Decem
Jan 13, 2017 • 1:00:05
The Sixth Annual Stephen Schneider Award: Naomi Oreskes and Steven Chu
Science historian Naomi Oreskes has had her share of hate mail from climate deniers. But, she says, “We can't give up on the challenge of explaining science.” Naomi Oreskes, Professor of History of Science and Director of Graduate Studies, Harvard University, author of “Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming.” (Bloomsbury Press, 2011) Steven Chu, Former U.S. Secretary of Energy; Professor of Physics and Molecular & Cell
Jan 6, 2017 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Political and Climate Disruption
2016 began in the afterglow of the Paris climate accord, and ended with the triumph of a presidential candidate who has labeled climate change a hoax. So what will 2017 and the Trump administration mean for the future of clean energy? On today’s show we look ahead at how environmentally-conscious lawmakers and businesses might move forward now that Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, and how big blue California might continue to lead the fight against climate chang
Jan 1, 2017 • 53:12
Fighting Fossil Fuels All the Way to Prison
Radical protesters Tim DeChristopher and Georgia Hirsty put the “active” in “activism.” But is civil disobedience the best way to effect real change? Tim DeChristopher, Founder, Climate Disobedience Center Georgia Hirsty, National Warehouse Program Manager, Greenpeace Brendon Steele, Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Future 500 This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 19, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a
Dec 30, 2016 • 59:59
2016: From Paris to Trump
2016 began in the after-glow of the Paris climate summit and ended with the election of Donald Trump. A look back at the year’s energy triumphs and setbacks. 2. Speaker List David R. Baker, Energy Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Katie Fehrenbacher, Former Senior Writer, Fortune Cassandra Sweet, Reporter, Wall Street Journal This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on December 7, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad
Dec 23, 2016 • 1:00:05
What Now for California?
As Donald Trump moves into the West Wing and the GOP takes control of congress, what will become of California’s environmental trailblazing? Christine Pelosi, Superdelegate for Democratic Party; Political Strategist Duf Sundheim, 2016 Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate Tony Strickland, Former California State Senator; California Chairman, The Committee for American Sovereignty Tony Thurmond, California State Assemblymember (D-15) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the
Dec 16, 2016 • 1:00:05
Nicholas Stern and Steve Westly
While federal experts warn that it will cost $44 trillion to rid the U.S. economy of carbon, Citibank counters that failing to act on climate disruption could result in over $44 trillion in public and private losses over the next 25 years. The true cost of either keeping or ditching fossil fuels was up for discussion at a recent Climate One event. Nicholas Stern, Chair, Center for Climate Change Economics and Policy, London School of Economics Steve Westly, Founder and Managing Partner, The West
Dec 9, 2016 • 1:00:05
Will Trump Force One Run Clean?
A recent agreement is designed to curb emissions from international plane flights. But what if the new administration doesn’t clear it for takeoff? Erin Cooke, Sustainability Director, San Francisco International Airport James Macias, President and CEO, Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. Sean Newsum, Director of Environmental Strategy, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Annie Petsonk, International Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Clu
Dec 2, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Climate Change on Your Kitchen Table
Climate change is as much about what we eat as what we drive or where we live. Rising heat is hitting chocolate, wine, beer, bread and other foods we love, while our appetites for meat, fish, and dairy are responsible for a host of unsustainable farming practices. So what’s a climate-conscious eater to do? On today’s program we'll look at how climate change affects us at the kitchen table. We’ll ask whether all those craft beers, fair-trade coffees, and single-batch chocolates are part of the so
Dec 1, 2016 • 53:11
Yvon Chouinard: Founding Patagonia and Living Simply
The explorer, climber, surfer and founder of sporting goods company Patagonia, Inc., has spent a lifetime welcoming adventure – and risk - of all kinds. Yvon Chouinard, Founder and Owner, Patagonia This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 27, 2016 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 25, 2016 • 1:00:06
Redefining National Parks and Family Farms in a Changing Climate
America’s National Parks are struggling to find a balance between the needs of a growing population and the desire to preserve our natural heritage. John Hart, Author, An Island in Time: 50 Years of Point Reyes National Seashore (Pickleweed Press, 2012) Jordan Fisher Smith, Author, Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, a Trial, and the Fight over Controlling Nature (Crown, 2016) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on July
Nov 18, 2016 • 1:00:06
Bread, Wine and Chocolate in a Warming World
Connecting the dots between the foods we love and our environment may be one way to engage people in the climate change fight – one cup of coffee at a time. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences Simran Sethi, Author, Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love Helene York, Global Director, Responsible Business, Compass Group@Google This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 18, 2016. Learn mo
Nov 11, 2016 • 1:00:05
McKibben & Tamminen: Disruptive Climate and Politics
Climate change seems to have taken a backseat in this year’s presidential campaign. What’s ahead for the climate movement in the next administration? Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org Terry Tamminen, CEO, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 21, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 4, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Surviving a Megadrought
After last winter’s rains, Californians breathed a collective sigh of relief. But short-term weather is not the same as long-term climate. And state water watchers understand that this rainfall did not break the worst drought in over a thousand years. With the effects of climate change being felt around the country – droughts in some areas and flooding in others – the nation is looking to California as a model for how to handle a new normal. Today we’ll dig into the water woes of this bellwether
Nov 1, 2016 • 53:12
Villaraigosa, de León, and Mason: Power Politics
California has been proudly fighting the war on climate change for over a decade. But can it can grow its economy and tackle climate change at the same time? Kevin de León, President pro Tempore, California State Senate Melanie Mason, Reporter, Los Angeles Times Antonio Villaraigosa, Former Mayor of Los Angeles This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 5, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 28, 2016 • 1:00:06
Future Cities
As the world’s population increasingly moves into cities, what is the future of urban life? How can we build in the ability to weather a changing climate? Jonathan F.P. Rose, Co-Founder, Garrison Institute Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Peter Calthorpe Associates This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 21, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 21, 2016 • 1:00:06
Taking the Temperature of California’s Climate Law
It’s been ten years since California enacted a landmark law that put it at the forefront of the global war on climate change. Has AB 32 been a boon or a bust? Fran Pavley, Senator, California State Senate Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association Dan Sperling, Member, California Air Resources Board This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 20, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/
Oct 14, 2016 • 1:00:05
Rising Seas: Is San Francisco Ready?
San Francisco developers are planning billions in new construction with a Bayfront view. Yet seas are predicted to rise nearly a foot by 2050. Are we ready? J.K. Dineen, Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Michael Stoll, Executive Director, San Francisco Public Press Lauren Sommer, Science and Environment Reporter, KQED Charles Long, Principal, Charles A. Long Properties, LLC Margie O’Driscoll, Competition Advisor, Resilient by Design Will Travis, Sea Level Rise Planning Consultant This program
Oct 7, 2016 • 1:00:05
Can the Pacific Coast Lead the Transition to a Clean Economy?
The Pacific states and British Columbia have all pledged to reduce carbon emissions. Can they help accelerate the global transition to a green economy? Kate Brown, Governor, Oregon Jay Inslee, Governor, Washington Mary Polak, Minister of Environment, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 1, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 30, 2016 • 1:00:02
Tom Steyer & Andy Karsner: Making Good on the Promise of Paris
The Paris climate agreement was signed by 196 countries and endorsed by corporate America. But will political rancor sink the ship of progress? Andy Karsner, Managing Partner, Emerson Collective Tom Steyer, Business Leader, Philanthropist and Clean Energy Advocate This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 2, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 23, 2016 • 1:00:05
Can California Get to 100% Clean Power?
California is on track to reach 50% renewable energy by the year 2030. But can we do better? What would it take to get us to 100% clean power by 2050? Mark Ferron, Board of Governors, California Independent System Operator Mark Jacobson, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University Steve Malnight, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, PG&E This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on August 23, 2016 Learn mor
Sep 16, 2016 • 1:00:05
Earning Green
We will discuss the hot prospects for building a climate-conscious career. New jobs and avenues for advancement are being created as companies strive to grow cleaner and governments figure out what a disrupted climate means for water, food, transit and housing systems. The young Americans entering the workforce today will create the cool new products, technologies and cities that will grow our economy and stabilize the climate. What are the best career paths for people who want to take advantage
Sep 9, 2016 • 1:00:06
Learning Green
We discuss how doctors, teachers and parents are framing climate change as a children’s issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement saying children’s health will be disproportionately affected by climate. The California Parent-Teacher Association is raising its voice about carbon risk and the Boy Scouts are teaching kids about sustainability. Giana Amador, Research Analyst, Center for Carbon Removal Minda Berbeco, Programs and Policy Director, National Center for Science Educati
Sep 2, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Human Health and Social Equity in a Hot World
Fossil fuels have lifted nations into the modern era, bringing wealth and well being to many. But as we turn away from these carbon intensive energy sources, will the promise of jobs and prosperity from a clean energy society, be fulfilled? Or will the gulf between the haves and have-nots simply widen? And how will we protect everyone from the health impacts of a hot world? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 1, 2016 • 53:11
Will Closing Diablo Canyon Increase Carbon Pollution?
PG&E recently announced plans to close the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant by 2025 and replace it with renewable energy. What does this mean for Californians? David R. Baker, Energy Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle John Geesman, Attorney, Dickson Geesman LLP Dian Grueneich, Former Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission Michael Shellenberger, President, Environmental Progress This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on August 9, 20
Aug 26, 2016 • 1:00:06
Can the Internet of Things be Green and Safe?
Today’s smart homes can be managed from your phone; banking can be done with the swipe of an app. But how vulnerable are we to hackers and cyberterrorism? General Keith Alexander (Ret.),Former Director, National Security Agency; Founder and CEO, IronNet Cybersecurity Alfred Berkeley, Former Director, World Economic Forum USA David Mount, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on July 20, 2016 Lea
Aug 19, 2016 • 1:00:06
Redefining National Parks and Family Farms in a Changing Climate
America’s National Parks are struggling to find a balance between the needs of a growing population and the desire to preserve our natural heritage. John Hart, Author, An Island in Time: 50 Years of Point Reyes National Seashore (Pickleweed Press, 2012) Jordan Fisher Smith, Author, Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, a Trial, and the Fight over Controlling Nature (Crown, 2016) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on July
Aug 12, 2016 • 1:00:06
Is California Entering a Megadrought?
As the dry spell continues, studies show that California could be facing a megadrought lasting decades. How do we adjust to the “new normal” in our climate? Noah Diffenbaugh, Associate Professor, School of Earth Sciences, Stanford University Peter Gleick, President and Co-founder, Pacific Institute Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 5, 2016 • 1:00:06
The Health Hazards of One Degree
Global warming is hitting closer to home than we think, from a neighborhood child gasping with asthma to a parent collapsing from heatstroke. These realities led U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to assert in April that climate change presents the most complex threat to public health in U.S. history. Rachel Morello-Frosch, Professor, University of California, Berkeley Linda Rudolph, Director, Center for Climate Change and Health, Public Health Institute Robert Gould, Director of Health Professio
Jul 29, 2016 • 1:00:05
Getting Baked: Can Legalizing Pot Help Fight Climate Change?
In November California voters have the chance to legalize marijuana. Could bringing one of our biggest industries out of the shadows help our environment? Scott Greaten, Executive Director, Friends of the Eel River Roger Morgan, Executive Director, Coalition for Drug Free California Michael Sutton, Former President, California Fish & Game Commission This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 14, 2016 Learn more about your ad choices. Vi
Jul 22, 2016 • 1:00:05
Sea Heroes: Extreme Edition
Our planet’s oceans drive our weather and generate much of our oxygen -- and they’re being severely impacted by climate change. What can be done about it? Liz Taylor, President, DOER Marine Peter Willcox, Captain, Rainbow Warrior, author, Greenpeace Captain: My Adventures in Protecting the Future of Our Planet (Thomas Dunne Books, 2016) Stiv Wilson, Director of Campaigns, Story of Stuff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 14, 2016 • 1:00:05
After El Niño Now What?
Many Californians are wondering if El Niño has saved the Golden State from its historic drought. The snowpack in Sierra Nevada is more robust, reservoirs in Northern California are more full, and Folsom Lake even rose 10 feet in the month of March. However, the state is nowhere near pre-drought conditions. Three experts joined Greg Dalton at the Commonwealth Club to discuss the future of water in the Golden State. Ashley Boren, Executive Director, Sustainable Conservation Max Gomberg, Climate Ch
Jul 8, 2016 • 1:00:06
Old Nukes, New Nukes
A two-part conversation about the present and future of atomic power in a hot and crowded world. David R. Baker, Energy Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Caroline Cochran, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Oklo Lucas Davis, Associate Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Jessica Lovering, Director of Energy, The Breakthrough Institute Jose Reyes, Chief Technology Officer, NuScale Power Ray Rothrock, Partner Emeritus, Venrock This program was recorded in front of a live audience a
Jul 1, 2016 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Climate Control
We’ll explore the role of imagination in finding solutions to environmental threats – from fantasy films to engineering the sky to control the Earth’s climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 1, 2016 • 53:11
Can the Pacific Coast Lead the Transition to a Clean Economy?
The Pacific states and British Columbia have all pledged to reduce carbon emissions. Can they help accelerate the global transition to a green economy? Kate Brown, Governor, Oregon Jay Inslee, Governor, Washington Mary Polak, Minister of Environment, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 1, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 24, 2016 • 1:00:02
Tom Steyer & Andy Karsner: Making Good on the Promise of Paris
The Paris climate agreement was signed by 196 countries and endorsed by corporate America. But will political rancor sink the ship of progress? Andy Karsner, Managing Partner, Emerson Collective Tom Steyer, Business Leader, Philanthropist and Clean Energy Advocate This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 2, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 17, 2016 • 1:00:05
Nicholas Stern and Steve Westly
While federal experts warn that it will cost $44 trillion to rid the U.S. economy of carbon, Citibank counters that failing to act on climate disruption could result in over $44 trillion in public and private losses over the next 25 years. The true cost of either keeping or ditching fossil fuels was up for discussion at a recent Climate One event. Nicholas Stern, Chair, Center for Climate Change Economics and Policy, London School of Economics Steve Westly, Founder and Managing Partner, The West
Jun 10, 2016 • 1:00:05
Remaking the Planet
Geoengineering may sound like science fiction, but there are many who believe we can -- and should -- be taking drastic measures to cool our planet down. Oliver Morton, Briefings Editor, The Economist; Author, The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World (Princeton University Press, 2015) Kim Stanley Robinson, Author, 2312 (Orbit, 2012) Ken Caldeira, Climate Scientist, Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University This program was recorded
Jun 3, 2016 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Doubt, Deception, Defiance
Today, we’re going to extreme ends of climate change debate... and action. While most of us are still comfortable sitting in the center – perhaps accepting the science, but not doing much about it – there are some organizations and individuals who are willing to jump off a bridge to convince us of the peril we face. And there are others who are using misinformation and deception to try to sow doubt in our minds about whether there is any problem at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me
Jun 1, 2016 • 53:12
U.S. Energy Secretary and Business Leaders
Nearly 200 countries have pledged to go on a carbon diet. But does what happens in Paris, stay in Paris? How does the US plan to keep its climate promises? Ernest Moniz, U.S. Secretary of Energy Hal Harvey, CEO, Energy Innovation Danny Kennedy, Managing Director, California Clean Energy Fund Lyndon Rive, Co-founder and CEO, SolarCity This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 26, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.
May 27, 2016 • 1:00:05
Earning Green
We will discuss the hot prospects for building a climate-conscious career. New jobs and avenues for advancement are being created as companies strive to grow cleaner and governments figure out what a disrupted climate means for water, food, transit and housing systems. The young Americans entering the workforce today will create the cool new products, technologies and cities that will grow our economy and stabilize the climate. What are the best career paths for people who want to take advantage
May 20, 2016 • 1:00:06
Learning Green
We discuss how doctors, teachers and parents are framing climate change as a children’s issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement saying children’s health will be disproportionately affected by climate. The California Parent-Teacher Association is raising its voice about carbon risk and the Boy Scouts are teaching kids about sustainability. Giana Amador, Research Analyst, Center for Carbon Removal Minda Berbeco, Programs and Policy Director, National Center for Science Educati
May 13, 2016 • 1:00:06
Liccardo, Schaaf and Ting vs. Global Warming
The global effects of climate disruption will have local impacts on the Bay Area. The political leaders of this region are already planning for a future with a new normal. Sam Liccardo, Mayor, San Jose Libby Schaaf, Mayor, Oakland Phil Ting, California State Assemblymember (D-19) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 20, 2016 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 6, 2016 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Living on Sunshine
You know that cartoon where the guy has a light bulb over his head and then “bing” it goes on? Well, America is having a collective “light bulb” moment these days. And it’s powered by solar energy. Solar panels are 50% cheaper than just 5 years ago. And energy from the wind is looking just as bright. Today, we’re taking a look at the explosion of clean energy alternatives, how we’re pumping it into new cars and our plans for carrying it over a new electric grid. Learn more about your ad choices.
May 1, 2016 • 53:11
Cowspiracy
In the quest for a carbon-neutral lifestyle, it can be difficult to sort out which activities have the greatest negative impact on our climate, from driving a car to eating animal products. The documentary Cowspiracy, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, contends that animal agriculture is the number one source of climate killing pollution, and environmental non-profits are colluding to keep this information from the American public. Kip Andersen, Founder, AUM Films and Media Nicolette Hahn Niman, Aut
Apr 29, 2016 • 1:00:06
The Health Hazards of One Degree
Global warming is hitting closer to home than we think, from a neighborhood child gasping with asthma to a parent collapsing from heatstroke. These realities led U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to assert in April that climate change presents the most complex threat to public health in U.S. history. Rachel Morello-Frosch, Professor, University of California, Berkeley Linda Rudolph, Director, Center for Climate Change and Health, Public Health Institute Robert Gould, Director of Health Professio
Apr 22, 2016 • 1:00:05
Fighting Fossil Fuels All the Way to Prison
Radical protesters Tim DeChristopher and Georgia Hirsty put the “active” in “activism.” But is civil disobedience the best way to effect real change? Tim DeChristopher, Founder, Climate Disobedience Center Georgia Hirsty, National Warehouse Program Manager, Greenpeace Brendon Steele, Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Future 500 This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 19, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a
Apr 8, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Climate Science: Hope & Worry
The historic climate summit in Paris is behind us. And nations around the world are turning their attention to the lofty promises made. Yet scientists and politicians agree that these goals for dialing back global warming are only the tip of the iceberg. With 2015 breaking the record for the hottest year ever, and 2014 holding the number two spot, plans for coping with an increasingly hot and dry world need to be part of the strategy as well. And facing this future can be scary, so we’ll also ex
Apr 1, 2016 • 53:11
Today's EV Market
Today’s electric cars are more fun to drive than ever. And for many, they’re more affordable too. Will California reach its goal of a million EVs by 2020? Sherry Boschert, Co-founder, Plug In America; Author, Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America (New Society, 2006) Eileen Tutt, Executive Director, California Electric Transportation Coalition Charlie Vogelheim, Principal, Vogelheim Ventures This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of Californi
Mar 25, 2016 • 1:00:04
Beans and Brew
Coffee, beer and chocolate – oh my! How is global warming affecting our beloved guilty pleasures? Can growers and producers adapt to a changing climate? Ken Grossman, Co-Founder & CEO, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Paul Katzeff, Founder & CEO, Thanksgiving Coffee Company Brad Kintzer, Chief Chocolate Maker, TCHO Chocolate This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 20, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 18, 2016 • 59:51
Cigarettes and Tailpipes
Cigarette makers downplayed the dangers of smoking for decades with distracting science. How close is the link between tobacco denial and climate denial? Lowell Bergman, Investigative Journalist Stanton Glantz, Director, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UCSF Kenneth Kimmell, President, Union of Concerned Scientists William K. Reilly, Senior Advisor, TPG This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 18, 2016. Learn more
Mar 11, 2016 • 1:00:05
Climate Equity
Communities of color are most affected by pollution, yet they’ve been overlooked by the green movement. How can we ensure environmental justice for all? Manuel Pastor, Director, University of Southern California Program for Environmental and Regional Equity Vien Truong, National Director, Green for All Miya Yoshitani, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Environmental Network This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 9, 2016. Learn more
Mar 4, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Food and Climate Change
Our host Greg Dalton went to the climate summit in Paris to learn what food and energy solutions were being proposed – outside of the closed door negotiations. Coal made from grass. Burgers made from fruit. He came back with food for thought. When the Paris summit was over and the dust settled, Greg sat down with U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, to get his perspective on the summit’s success – and the prospects for countries actually making good on their promises. Innovating our way to a
Mar 1, 2016 • 0:59
Bread, Wine and Chocolate in a Warming World
Connecting the dots between the foods we love and our environment may be one way to engage people in the climate change fight – one cup of coffee at a time. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences Simran Sethi, Author, Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love Helene York, Global Director, Responsible Business, Compass Group@Google This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 18, 2016. Learn mo
Feb 24, 2016 • 1:00:05
Handling Your Feelings About Climate Change
If climate change makes you feel anxious, depressed or powerless, psychologists say you’re not alone. Can talking it out help drive change? Joshua Freedman, CEO, Six Seconds; Author, Inside Change: Transforming Your Organization with Emotional Intelligence (Six Seconds, 2010) Renee Lertzman, Climate Engagement Strategist Joan Blades, Co-founder, LivingRoomConversations.org This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 27, 2016. Learn more
Feb 18, 2016 • 1:00:04
U.S. Energy Secretary and Business Leaders
Nearly 200 countries have pledged to go on a carbon diet. But does what happens in Paris, stay in Paris? How does the US plan to keep its climate promises? Ernest Moniz, U.S. Secretary of Energy Hal Harvey, CEO, Energy Innovation Danny Kennedy, Managing Director, California Clean Energy Fund Lyndon Rive, Co-founder and CEO, SolarCity This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 26, 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.
Feb 12, 2016 • 1:00:05
Fighting Fossil Fuels All the Way to Prison
Radical protestersTim DeChristopher and Georgia Hirsty put the “active” in “activism.” But is civil disobedience the best way to effect real change? Tim DeChristopher, Founder, Climate Disobedience Center Georgia Hirsty, National Warehouse Program Manager, Greenpeace Brendon Steele, Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Future 500 This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 19, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad
Feb 5, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Cars of the Future
We’ll never win the climate change challenge if we don’t change the way we make and drive cars. In the U.S. personal vehicles account for nearly one fifth of all our greenhouse gas emissions. And if you add in trucks, trains, planes and ships, it’s more than a quarter of our contribution to climate pollution. So how do we cut down on carbon coming out of the tailpipe? Or… maybe it’s time to give up on gasoline altogether. Is the carbon-free, electric vehicle ready for primetime? Learn more about
Jan 29, 2016 • 53:14
How We Roll
Ride-sharing, biking, bussing – when it comes to getting around, there’s a growing menu of ala carte wheels to choose from. Can we curb our cars for good? Tom Nolan, Chairman of the Board, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeff Hobson, Acting Executive Director, TransForm Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Staff Reporter, San Francisco Examiner Padden Murphy, Head of Public Policy & Business Development, Getaround Chakib Ayadi, Executive Board Member, San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance Ozzie
Jan 29, 2016 • 1:00:07
Greening Asia
As the Asian economy booms, its people have paid the price in polluted air and water. Can business and government solve Asia’s environmental problems? Mark Clifford, Author, The Greening of Asia: The Business Case for Solving Asia’s Environmental Emergency (Columbia University Press, 2015) Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director, Center on U.S.-China Relations, Asia Society in New York Stella Li, Senior Vice President, BYD Company Ltd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 22, 2016 • 1:00:05
Julián Castro
The new American Dream is an energy-efficient home in a healthy, green community, and HUD Secretary Julián Castro wants to make it affordable for everyone. Julián Castro, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 15, 2016 • 1:00:04
Dr. Chris Field – The Stephen Schneider Award
The latest recipient of the Stephen Schneider Award calls COP21 “a turning point,” but warns that there’s still much to be done to combat global warming. Chris Field, Director, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science Ken Alex, Director, Governor Brown’s Office of Planning and Research Jane Lubchenco, University Distinguished Professor and Advisor in Marine Studies, Oregon State University and U.S. Science Envoy for the Ocean This program was recorded in front of a live aud
Jan 8, 2016 • 1:00:06
Down and Dirty
The meat industry has been much maligned for its part in climate change. But can raising cattle in pastures help turn global warming into global greening? Diana Donlon, Director, Cool Foods Campaign, Center for Food Safety Nicolette Hahn Niman, Author, Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production (Chelsea Green, 2014) Whendee Silver, Professor of Ecology, University of California, Berkeley This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on
Jan 1, 2016 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Racing to Zero
The path towards a clean energy future entails reducing our carbon footprint. But can we actually shrink that footprint down to nothing? That’s the idea behind “net zero” – using no more energy than the clean, green energy we can create. Landfills are another target of the zero movement; put nothing at all in the trash bin. Solutions range from recycling competitions to carrying your trash on your back – just to feel how garbage is weighing us down. Around the country, states, communities and in
Dec 31, 2015 • 53:12
Net Zero Homes and Waste
Conservation begins at home. Is a Net Zero Energy home in your future? And what steps can we take to reduce the trash on our backs – and in our backyards? Ann Edminster, Author, Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet (Green Building Press, 2009) Daniel Simons, Principal, David Baker Architects Sven Thesen, Owner, Net Zero Home Diana Dehm, Founder, Trash on Your Back Kevin Drew, Zero Waste Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment Lauren Hennessy, Sustainability Outreach Manag
Dec 21, 2015 • 0:59
T. Boone Pickens
Will the U.S. oil boom cripple OPEC? Could oil reach $100 a barrel again? What’s ahead for renewables? A conversation with the Oracle of Oil, Boone Pickens. T. Boone Pickens, Chairman and CEO, BP Capital Management This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 24, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 18, 2015 • 1:00:04
Climate One in Paris
Climate One went on the road to check out the action in and around the UN Climate Summit in Paris. While negotiators from 180 countries drilled down on the details of the treaty, a number of side events buzzed with activity. Entrepreneurs and innovators brought their ideas for green technology to the Sustainable Innovations Forum. At the Global Landscapes Forum, agriculture and food security was the focus, with farmers taking a soil-to-table approach. And in the nearby Green Zone, artists and ac
Dec 11, 2015 • 58:59
The Road to Paris: Christiana Figueres and William Reilly
Past conferences have failed to reach consensus on addressing climate change. Can the Paris summit produce a lasting, effective and equitable solution? Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change William K. Reilly, Senior Advisor, TPG Capital This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 16, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 4, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: The Changing Oceans
Human activity has touched every corner of the Earth. The Arctic, the Amazon, the bottom of the deep, blue sea. Places you and I will most likely never visit – and can hardly even imagine. Yet oil drilling and industrial fishing are changing even these places. And changes there are impacting us at home as well. It’s a small world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 1, 2015 • 53:13
Atmosphere of Hope
Climate change awareness and action are growing. Solutions are being implemented, with more in the wings. Are we experiencing an “atmosphere of hope?” Tim Flannery, Scientist, Explorer, Author, Atmosphere of Hope (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2015) Ben Santer, Climate Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Rebecca Shaw, Associate Vice President and Lead Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Exploratorium with the Commonwealth Clu
Nov 27, 2015 • 1:00:04
Power Drive
California has an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions. Can EVs and driverless cars save the day? Or will they just add to our already clogged roads? Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications Manager, General Motors Alexandre Bayen, Liao-Cho Professor of Engineering and Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley Hector De La Torre, Member, California Air Resources Board Diarmuid O’Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla This program was recorded in fro
Nov 20, 2015 • 1:00:06
Charging Ahead: PG&E Tony Earley
PG&E hopes to become 50% renewable by 2030 by transitioning to renewable power sources and investing in a 21st century grid. Can they reach their goal? Anthony Earley, Jr., Chairman, CEO and President, PG&E Corporation This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Exploratorium with the Commonwealth Club of California on October 15, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 13, 2015 • 1:00:06
Drilling in the Amazon and Arctic
Big Oil spends billions to squeeze fossil fuel from every nook and cranny of the globe. But is drilling in the Arctic and Amazon as profitable as they’d hoped? Lou Allstadt, Former Executive Vice President, Mobil Oil Danielle Fugere, President, As You Sow René Ortiz, Former Ecuador Oil Minister; Former OPEC Secretary General Leila Salazar-Lopez, Executive Director, Amazon Watch This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Exploratorium with the Commonwealth Club of California o
Nov 6, 2015 • 0:59
Resilient Cities
El Niño is waiting in the wings, and heat waves, sea level rise and drought are in the forecast as well. How prepared are we to weather the next big disaster? Nile Malloy, former Director, Communities for a Better Environment Patrick Otellini, Chief Resilience Officer, San Francisco Laura Tam, Sustainable Development Policy Director, SPUR This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Exploratorium with the Commonwealth Club of California on October 5, 2015. Learn more about your a
Oct 30, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Global Carbon
Pope Francis – in his new encyclical, and in his recent talks at both the U.N. and U.S. Congress – says that it is our moral obligation to the poor to address climate change. This time, the world may be listening. In preparation for the upcoming climate talks in Paris this December, China, along with most major nations around the globe, has announced a plan to cut down on fossil fuel pollution. Some say it’s too little, too late. Others are hopeful that we can begin to move the ball forward. Chi
Oct 26, 2015 • 53:13
Voices of the Wild
Thanks to climate change, the wild corners of the planet are shrinking or disappearing altogether. How can we preserve the natural world and its creatures? Bernie Krause, Soundscape Artist; Author, Voices of the Wild: Animal Songs, Human Din, and the Call to Save Natural Soundscapes (Yale University Press, 2015) Jason Mark, Editor, Earth Island Journal; Author, Satellites in the High Country: Searching for the Wild in the Age of Man (Island Press, 2015) Tanya Peterson, Director, San Francisco Zo
Oct 23, 2015 • 1:00:05
Competition for Power
Consumers in Marin and Sonoma already have freedom of choice when it comes to renewable power. Now San Francisco voters are about to have their say. Dawn Weisz, CEO, Marin Clean Energy Geof Syphers, CEO, Sonoma Clean Power Matthew Freedman, Staff Attorney, The Utility Reform Network Phil Ting, California State Assemblymember (D-19) London Breed, President, Board of Supervisors, San Francisco Barbara Hale, Assistant General Manager, San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s Power Enterprise Hunte
Oct 16, 2015 • 59:50
Arctic Melting & Rising
Few of us will ever venture to the faraway Arctic. But our entire planet is affected by environmental and economic changes happening in the frozen north. William Collins,Director, Climate and Ecosystem Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Alex Levinson, Executive Director, Pacific Environment Sergey Petrov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in San Francisco Hilde Janne Skorpen, Consul General for Norway in San Francisco This program was recorded in front of a live audie
Oct 9, 2015 • 1:00:05
Sylvia Earle (Rebroadcast)
As the health of our oceans go, so goes the health of our planet. But climate change, overfishing and pollution have taken their toll – what can we do to help? Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on May 27, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 2, 2015 • 1:00:04
Hacking the Climate
Spray painting the sky to deflect sunlight and cool the earth sounds like science fiction. But could geoengineering buy us time against global warming? Ken Caldeira, Atmospheric Scientist, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University Albert Lin, Professor, UC Davis School of Law Jane Long, Co-chair, Task Force on Geoengineering, Bipartisan Policy Center Armand Neukermans, Physicist and Inventor This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California
Sep 25, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Climate Fantasy & Denial
Today we look at fact and fiction in our approach to the climate challenge. A handful of scientists want to tinker with the sky in a process called geo-engineering. Others call this arrogance. Most Americans simply aren’t talking about climate change at all. Why not? Meanwhile, Hollywood has taken notice. It’s rolling out movies depicting a climate catastrophe. Science fiction thrillers describe people resorting to eating bugs after the climate apocalypse. Is truth stranger than fiction? Learn m
Sep 24, 2015 • 53:06
Pope Francis: Climate Changer?
Pope Francis’ bold statement on global warming has prompted a discussion of stewardship across faiths. Can his upcoming visit change the climate in Congress? Rev. Canon Sally Bingham, Founder and President, Regeneration Project Father Paul Fitzgerald, President, University of San Francisco Sam Liccardo, Mayor, San Jose, California This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 10, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f
Sep 18, 2015 • 1:00:12
EPA Chief Gina McCarthy (Rebroadcast)
From fisheries to food safety, California drought to Toledo tapwater, the EPA is waging the battle against climate change both domestically and globally. Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on May 13, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 11, 2015 • 59:57
Hank Paulson: Dealing with China (Rebroadcast)
China is both our economic competitor and an ally in the climate change fight. But can it reduce its carbon footprint while lifting its people out of poverty? Henry Paulson, Former United States Secretary of the Treasury and author of “Dealing with China: An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower” (Twelve, 2015) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 28, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 4, 2015 • 1:00:06
Weather Whiplash (Rebroadcast)
From hurricanes and superstorms to drought, fire and floods -- what’s causing our country’s extreme weather events, and how can they be prevented? Louise Bedsworth, Deputy Director, California Governor's Office of Planning and Research Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hunter Cutting, Director of Strategic Communications, Climate Nexus This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 3, 2015. Lear
Aug 27, 2015 • 1:00:08
C1 Revue: Alfalfa & Lawns
Our next program is all about water. We love gold. We fight over oil. But we can not live without water. And as snowpacks melt and aquifers drop, water is slipping through our fingers. How can we make the best use of this most precious resource in our cities and down on the farm? We can’t find solutions if we can’t face the issues. And talking about climate change can be a conversation killer. But it’s easy to talk about the weather. And the increasingly wild weather can give us an opening to ta
Aug 24, 2015 • 53:13
Climate Cognition (Rebroadcast)
Sure, there are climate deniers – but even those who accept global warming as reality often fail to act on it. What will inspire both awareness and change? George Lakoff, Professor of Linguistics, UC Berkeley; Author, Don’t Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate (Chelsea Green, 2004) Kari Norgaard, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Oregon; Author, Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions and Everyday Life (MIT Press, 2011) Per Espen Stoknes, Economist; Psycho
Aug 21, 2015 • 1:00:05
Reinventing Water
As the drought drags on, water is becoming an ever more precious resource. It’s time to rethink the ways that we use, reuse, share, sell and save every drop. Anna Michalak, Faculty Member, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science Martha Davis, Executive Manager for Policy Development, Inland Empire Utilities Agency Abrahm Lustgarten, Reporter, ProPublica Tamin Pechet, CEO, Banyan Water and Chairman, Imagine H2O David Sedlak, Professor of Mineral Engineering and Co-director
Aug 14, 2015 • 1:00:06
Greening Asia
As the Asian economy booms, its people have paid the price in polluted air and water. Can business and government solve Asia’s environmental problems? Mark Clifford, Author, The Greening of Asia: The Business Case for Solving Asia’s Environmental Emergency (Columbia University Press, 2015) Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director, Center on U.S.-China Relations, Asia Society in New York Stella Li, Senior Vice President, BYD Company Ltd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 7, 2015 • 1:00:05
Cli-Fi 2015 (Rebroadcast)
Climate change is more than a plot device – it’s our reality, and the signs are all around us. Can Cli-Fi help rally the troops in our battle to save the planet? Jason Mark, Editor, Earth Island Journal Kim Stanley Robinson, Author, 2312 (Thorndike Press, 2015) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 2, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Clean and Cool
Fossil fuels are at the core of the climate challenge. Even Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has said the fossil fuel merry-go-round will wind down one day. But are companies actually going to leave their oil, coal and gas assets in the ground? That won’t make stock holders very happy. As we look for ways to reduce our carbon footprint familiar culprits come to mind: the car’s tailpipe, the air conditioner, even our hamburger. But our laptops? Really? How much of a carbon impact are we making from po
Jul 28, 2015 • 54:08
Almonds and Lawns
Who’s really wasting our water? As the state heats up, so is the finger-pointing. Can Californians come together to find solutions to the drought? Ellen Hanak, Senior Fellow and Center Director, Public Policy Institute of California Felicia Marcus, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board Paul Wenger, President, California Farm Bureau Federation Marguerite Young, Director, Ward 3, East Bay Municipal Utility District Board This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealt
Jul 24, 2015 • 1:00:05
How We Roll
Ride-sharing, biking, bussing – when it comes to getting around, there’s a growing menu of ala carte wheels to choose from. Can we curb our cars for good? Tom Nolan, Chairman of the Board, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeff Hobson, Acting Executive Director, TransForm Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Staff Reporter, San Francisco Examiner Padden Murphy, Head of Public Policy & Business Development, Getaround Chakib Ayadi, Executive Board Member, San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance Ozzie
Jul 17, 2015 • 1:00:07
Clean Cloud (Rebroadcast)
Many Silicon Valley companies have committed to going 100% renewable. What are Facebook, Ebay and Yahoo! doing to build a cleaner, greener digital world? Gary Cook, Senior Policy Analyst, Greenpeace International Lori Duvall, Global Director, Green, eBay Christina Page, Global Director, Energy and Sustainability Strategy, Yahoo! Bill Weihl, Sustainability Guru, Facebook This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 3, 2015. Learn more about
Jul 10, 2015 • 1:00:03
The Road to Paris: Christiana Figueres and William Reilly
Past conferences have failed to reach consensus on addressing climate change. Can the Paris summit produce a lasting, effective and equitable solution? Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change William K. Reilly, Senior Advisor, TPG Capital This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on June 16, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 3, 2015 • 1:00:05
The Carbon Bubble (Rebroadcast)
As supply grows and demand decreases, oil prices are dropping by the barrel. Are we truly in a “carbon bubble”? What can we do to protect our investments? Kurt Billick, Chief Investment Officer, Bocage Capital Anthony Hobley, CEO, Carbon Tracker Initiative Anne Simpson, Director of Global Governance, CalPERS This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 12, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 26, 2015 • 1:00:04
C1 Revue: Hank Paulson and Gina McCarthy
Climate change is impacting much more than the environment. It’s also slowly changing the political landscape – in Washington and beyond. What’s the best way to move our economy towards a renewable future? More environmental regulation or less? More financial oversight or freer markets? And with mega economies like China and India creating ever-increasing carbon pollution, how do we bring our international friends – and foes – along with us? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a
Jun 24, 2015 • 54:10
Sylvia Earle
As the health of our oceans go, so goes the health of our planet. But climate change, overfishing and pollution have taken their toll – what can we do to help? Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on May 27, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 19, 2015 • 1:00:04
Climate Cognition
Sure, there are climate deniers – but even those who accept global warming as reality often fail to act on it. What will inspire both awareness and change? George Lakoff, Professor of Linguistics, UC Berkeley; Author, Don’t Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate (Chelsea Green, 2004) Kari Norgaard, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Oregon; Author, Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions and Everyday Life (MIT Press, 2011) Per Espen Stoknes, Economist; Psycho
Jun 12, 2015 • 1:00:05
EPA Chief Gina McCarthy
From fisheries to food safety, California drought to Toledo tapwater, the EPA is waging the battle against climate change both domestically and globally. Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on May 13, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 5, 2015 • 59:57
Hacking the Climate
Spray painting the sky to deflect sunlight and cool the earth sounds like science fiction. But could geoengineering buy us time against global warming? Ken Caldeira, Atmospheric Scientist, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University Albert Lin, Professor, UC Davis School of Law Jane Long, Co-chair, Task Force on Geoengineering, Bipartisan Policy Center Armand Neukermans, Physicist and Inventor This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California
May 28, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Power Plays
Despite soggy prices the outlook for American oil and gas is still promising. Cycles of boom and bust have always been part of the energy industry, which delivers big profits. At the same time, clean energy is creating jobs and clean communities. Rooftop solar for home owners is increasing rapidly and electric cars are gaining cache. In this episode of Climate One’s National Magazine we are looking at the power brokers who are moving the ball forward on renewable energy and those still making a
May 27, 2015 • 54:09
Hank Paulson: Dealing with China
China is both our economic competitor and an ally in the climate change fight. But can it reduce its carbon footprint while lifting its people out of poverty? Henry Paulson, Former United States Secretary of the Treasury and author of “Dealing with China: An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower” (Twelve, 2015) This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 28, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 22, 2015 • 1:00:06
Coal Wars
Coal provides cheap energy and economic prosperity – along with greenhouse gases and lung disease. Can we wean ourselves, and our planet, off coal for good? Richard Martin, Author, Coal Wars: The Future of Energy and the Fate of the Planet (Palgrave Macmillan Trade, 2015) Bruce Nilles, Senior Director, Beyond Coal Campaign, Sierra Club Frank Wolak, Director, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, Stanford University Brian Yu, Senior Analyst, Citi Research This program was recorded in fro
May 15, 2015 • 1:00:06
Net Zero Homes and Waste
Conservation begins at home. Is a Net Zero Energy home in your future? And what steps can we take to reduce the trash on our backs – and in our backyards? Ann Edminster, Author, Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet (Green Building Press, 2009) Daniel Simons, Principal, David Baker Architects Sven Thesen, Owner, Net Zero Home Diana Dehm, Founder, Trash on Your Back Kevin Drew, Zero Waste Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment Lauren Hennessy, Sustainability Outreach Manag
May 8, 2015 • 0:59
Beans and Brew
Coffee, beer and chocolate – oh my! How is global warming affecting our beloved guilty pleasures? Can growers and producers adapt to a changing climate? Ken Grossman, Co-Founder & CEO, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Paul Katzeff, Founder & CEO, Thanksgiving Coffee Company Brad Kintzer, Chief Chocolate Maker, TCHO Chocolate This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 20, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 1, 2015 • 59:51
C1 Revue: Fuel Forward
Low gas prices are pumping up sales of SUVs and trucks. And since transportation accounts for almost a third of America’s greenhouse gasses, that’s bad news for the climate. But America is awash in big ideas for how to create a healthy economy and healthy communities. One idea is to put a price on carbon. Everyone from oil companies to environmentalists are talking about what might happen if consumers paid the real price for coal and gasoline. Some think it just might boost the economy while als
Apr 27, 2015 • 54:09
New Food Revolution
The amount of food needed to feed the earth’s growing population is expected to double by mid-century. How will we manage the world’s food supply? Karen Ross, California Secretary of Food and Agriculture; former Deputy US Secretary of Agriculture Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences Helene York, Director, Google Global Accounts at Bon Appétit Management Company This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 2
Apr 24, 2015 • 1:00:05
T. Boone Pickens
Will the U.S. oil boom cripple OPEC? Could oil reach $100 a barrel again? What’s ahead for renewables? A conversation with the Oracle of Oil, Boone Pickens. T. Boone Pickens, Chairman and CEO, BP Capital Management This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 24, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 17, 2015 • 1:00:04
Climate Denial
Do you believe in climate denial? According to climate scientists, it’s all around us. How can scientists learn to communicate to a skeptical public? Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard; Co-Author, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco to Global Warming (Bloomsbury Press, 2011) Joe Romm, Founding Editor, Climate Progress; Author, Language Intelligence: Lessons on Persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
Apr 10, 2015 • 1:00:05
The Carbon Bubble
As supply grows and demand decreases, oil prices are dropping by the barrel. Are we truly in a “carbon bubble”? What can we do to protect our investments? Kurt Billick, Chief Investment Officer, Bocage Capital Anthony Hobley, CEO, Carbon Tracker Initiative Anne Simpson, Director of Global Governance, CalPERS This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 12, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 3, 2015 • 1:00:04
C1 Revue: Future Food
Unpredictable weather has always been the farmer’s Achilles heel. And the weather is getting wilder, stressing water supplies and changing where crops can grow. How do we address food security for a growing global population? One approach is getting back to basics. Protecting the soil, growing food for people – not for cows – and cutting down food waste. Simple solutions can create a big pay-back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 30, 2015 • 53:58
Clean Cloud
Many Silicon Valley companies have committed to going 100% renewable. What are Facebook, Ebay and Yahoo! doing to build a cleaner, greener digital world? Gary Cook, Senior Policy Analyst, Greenpeace International Lori Duvall, Global Director, Green, eBay Christina Page, Global Director, Energy and Sustainability Strategy, Yahoo! Bill Weihl, Sustainability Guru, Facebook This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 3, 2015. Learn more about
Mar 27, 2015 • 1:00:03
C1 Revue: Water World
Climate disruption is changing weather around the world. Parts of America are seeing fierce droughts and then punishing storms and flooding. Scientists say the wets will get wetter and the dry periods will get drier. Water systems are stressed and farmers, city dwellers and fish are all affected. In response, new farming methods are being tried out. Creative conservation practices and new technologies are helping stretch each gallon. But the question remains: How much water will we have in the f
Mar 23, 2015 • 54:05
Weather Whiplash
From hurricanes and superstorms to drought, fire and floods -- what’s causing our country’s extreme weather events, and how can they be prevented? Louise Bedsworth, Deputy Director, California Governor's Office of Planning and Research Kathryn Sullivan, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hunter Cutting, Director of Strategic Communications, Climate Nexus This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 3, 2015. Lear
Mar 20, 2015 • 1:00:08
Cheap Gasoline
Gas prices are plunging, and Americans can get back on the road again. What are the economic, geopolitical and environmental consequences of cheap oil? Jason Bordoff, Founding Director, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University; Former Special Advisor to President Obama, National Security Council Staff Kate Gordon, Senior VP and Director, Energy & Climate Program, Next Generation Bill Reilly, Former Board Member, ConocoPhillips; Senior Advisor, TPG Capital This program was recorded in
Mar 13, 2015 • 1:00:02
C1 Revue: Resource Revolution
The global energy economy is undergoing tectonic shifts. America is poised to be an oil exporter - something unthinkable a decade ago - and severe weather and climate disruption are driving a push toward clean fuels. On the next Climate One, Host Greg Dalton talks with business leaders, scientists and authors about the path toward a prosperous and sustainable economy. He will also talk about what is driving the droughts, floods and other freaky weather around the country. Learn more about your a
Mar 9, 2015 • 54:05
Chasing Water (Rebroadcast)
Climate change exacerbates effects of both drought and flood conditions worldwide. Too much, then too little – how do we make sense of “water whiplash”? Brian Richter, Chief Water Scientist, The Nature Conservancy; Author, Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability (Island Press, 2014) Peter Gleick, President, Co-Founder, The Pacific Institute; Author, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water (Island Press, 2011) Brooke Barton, Director, Water Pr
Mar 6, 2015 • 59:56
C1 Revue: Power and Population
The Red/Blue divide in American politics is really a rainbow of perspectives. And they are colored by who you are, where you live and what you believe. How does this color our discussion on the economy and the environment? Today, our guests will look at how issues of big government, population growth and the growing Hispanic vote influence our views on climate change. While Texas Governor Rick Perry maintains that regulation by big government is hindering, not helping energy innovation, leaders
Mar 3, 2015 • 54:06
Cli-Fi 2015
Climate change is more than a plot device – it’s our reality, and the signs are all around us. Can Cli-Fi help rally the troops in our battle to save the planet? Jason Mark, Editor, Earth Island Journal Kim Stanley Robinson, Author, 2312 (Thorndike Press, 2015) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 27, 2015 • 1:00:05
C1 Revue: Generating Innovation
Today’s Climate One program looks at innovative policies and products that could power a new era of clean and affordable energy. Is it possible to capture the CO2 pouring out of coal smokestacks? Can we make plastic bottles that break down in the ocean and become fish food? What if drivers paid the true cost of burning fossil fuels? These are some of the solutions that could create a new path to both a sound economy and a healthy environment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/
Feb 25, 2015 • 55:04
Julián Castro
The new American Dream is an energy-efficient home in a healthy, green community, and HUD Secretary Julián Castro wants to make it affordable for everyone. Julián Castro, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 19, 2015 • 1:00:04
Down and Dirty
The meat industry has been much maligned for its part in climate change. But can raising cattle in pastures help turn global warming into global greening? Diana Donlon, Director, Cool Foods Campaign, Center for Food Safety Nicolette Hahn Niman, Author, Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production (Chelsea Green, 2014) Whendee Silver, Professor of Ecology, University of California, Berkeley This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on
Feb 13, 2015 • 1:00:06
C1 Revue: Settled Science
We tackle the facts and fantasies of clean energy. Using satellites in space to peer into the ocean deep; untangling the knot of oil, coal, nuclear and green power; and learning how storytelling can be a scientist’s best friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 13, 2015 • 54:09
Lisa Jackson and Rajendra Pachauri
Apple tries to make conservation cool with energy-efficient products and green manufacturing practices. Can they lead the way to cleaner capitalism? Lisa Jackson, Vice President, Environmental Initiatives, Apple; Former Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency Rajendra Pachauri, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 14, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon
Feb 6, 2015 • 59:58
Oil Ahead
With gas prices plummeting and support growing for a reduction on fossil fuels, what does the future hold for the oil industry? Must they adapt or perish? Lou Allstadt, Member, Citizens Climate Lobby; Former Executive Vice President, Mobil Oil Angus Gillespie, Vice President for CO2, Shell Oil Company Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 12, 2015. Learn more about your ad choice
Jan 30, 2015 • 59:50
GMOs: Necessary in a Hot and Crowded World? (Rebroadcast)
Biotechnology promises weed-resistant crops, bigger yields, more food for a growing population. But are genetically modified fruits and vegetables safe? Are they healthy? “Man has been improving crops from the beginning of time, whether it’s the tomato or the corn or all of our fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Robert Fraley of Monsanto. “There’s a whole set of tools that we’re going to need to be able to meet the challenge of food production for the future.” “This is about chemical companies s
Jan 23, 2015 • 59:59
C1 Revue: Fueling Wealth
The way we think influences what we think about wild weather. The human brain shapes how we see the risks of fossil fueled storms and the opportunities of clean energy. Our next program looks at the stories we tell ourselves – and each other. And how these stories can protect the climate and the economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 20, 2015 • 54:09
Dr. Jane Lubchenco
Jane Lubchenco oversaw NOAA during the worst 4-year weather period in U.S. history. What can we do to predict – or mitigate – future weather disasters? Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D. Ecology, Harvard; Former Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Former President of American Academy of Arts and Sciences Alex Bakir, Director of Business Development, Planet Labs This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on December 16, 2014. Learn
Jan 16, 2015 • 1:00:05
Climate Denial
Do you believe in climate denial? According to climate scientists, it’s all around us. How can scientists learn to communicate to a skeptical public? Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard; Co-Author, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco to Global Warming (Bloomsbury Press, 2011) Joe Romm, Founding Editor, Climate Progress; Author, Language Intelligence: Lessons on Persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
Jan 9, 2015 • 1:00:05
Powering Innovation (09/28/14) (Rebroadcast)
Companies big and small are conjuring up new technologies, production methods and delivery systems to capitalize on the trend towards a green economy. Greg Dalton, Founder and Host, Climate One David Crane, CEO, NRG Energy, Inc. Katie Fehrenbacher, Reporter, GigaOm.com Adam Lowry, Co-Founder and Chief Greenskeeper, Method Products PBC Arun Majumdar, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University; former Vice President for Energy, Google This program was recorded in front of a live audi
Dec 19, 2014 • 1:00:05
Beans and Brew (11/20/14)
Coffee, beer and chocolate – oh my! How is global warming affecting our beloved guilty pleasures? Can growers and producers adapt to a changing climate? Ken Grossman, Co-Founder & CEO, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Paul Katzeff, Founder & CEO, Thanksgiving Coffee Company Brad Kintzer, Chief Chocolate Maker, TCHO Chocolate This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 20, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 12, 2014 • 59:51
C1 Revue: Climate on our Minds
The way we think influences what we think about wild weather. The human brain shapes how we see the risks of fossil fueled storms and the opportunities of clean energy. Our next program looks at the stories we tell ourselves – and each other. And how these stories can protect the climate and the economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 12, 2014 • 54:08
Climate on the Brain (09/12/14) (Rebroadcast)
Despite abundant evidence that climate change threatens our planet, public concern is on the decline. How do we foster awareness of the imminent danger? Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley George Marshall, Author, Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change (Bloomsbury USA, 2014) Greg Dalton, Host and Founder, Climate One – Moderator This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 12, 2014
Dec 5, 2014 • 1:00:07
New Food Revolution (11/24/14)
The amount of food needed to feed the earth’s growing population is expected to double by mid-century. How will we manage the world’s food supply? Karen Ross, California Secretary of Food and Agriculture; former Deputy US Secretary of Agriculture Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences Helene York, Director, Google Global Accounts at Bon Appétit Management Company This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 2
Nov 28, 2014 • 1:00:05
Keystone and Beyond (10/30/14)
By land, by sea or via the Keystone Pipeline, Canadian oil is coming to satisfy our energy thirst. But is our need for fossil fuel a foregone conclusion? David Baker, Energy Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle John Cushman, Author, Keystone and Beyond: Tar Sands and the National Interest in the Era of Climate Change (Inside Climate News, 2014); former New York Times reporter Dan Matross, Trade Commissioner on Science and Sustainable Technologies at the Consulate General of Canada This program was
Nov 21, 2014 • 1:00:05
Chasing Water (10/28/14)
Climate change exacerbates effects of both drought and flood conditions worldwide. Too much, then too little – how do we make sense of “water whiplash”? Brian Richter, Chief Water Scientist, The Nature Conservancy; Author, Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability (Island Press, 2014) Peter Gleick, President, Co-Founder, The Pacific Institute; Author, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water (Island Press, 2011) Brooke Barton, Director, Water Pr
Nov 14, 2014 • 59:56
U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz (10/23/14)
How can America balance its energy boom with the need to reduce carbon pollution? A discussion with U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 23, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 7, 2014 • 1:00:06
Water Politics (09/12/14)
It’s a big year for water politics in California. Will voters approve a $7.12 billion bond for water projects to help get us through a record drought? John Coleman, president, Association of California Water Agencies; board member, East Bay Municipal Utility District Danny Merkley, director of water resources, California Farm Bureau Federation Anthony Rendon, California Assemblyman (D-63); Chairman, State Water Parks and Wildlife Committee Lauren Sommer, reporter, KQED Science This program was r
Oct 31, 2014 • 1:00:05
Oil on Rails (10/03/14)
Crude oil is riding the rails to East Bay refineries at an increasing rate. How can local communities safeguard themselves against potential disaster? Speakers John Avalos, Member, Bay Area Air Quality Management District and San Francisco Board of Supervisors Jess Dervin-Ackerman, Conservation Program Coordinator, Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter Molly Samuel, Reporter, KQED Science Tupper Hull, Vice President, Strategic Communications Western States Petroleum Association Greg Dalton, Host
Oct 24, 2014 • 1:00:05
Climate on the Brain (09/12/14)
Despite abundant evidence that climate change threatens our planet, public concern is on the decline. How do we foster awareness of the imminent danger? Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley George Marshall, Author, Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change (Bloomsbury USA, 2014) Greg Dalton, Host and Founder, Climate One – Moderator This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 12, 2014
Oct 17, 2014 • 1:00:07
Creating Climate Wealth (09/16/14)
Transitioning from fossil to solar power means jobs, profits and an energy renaissance. How can businesses and investors profit from the solar economy? Brad Mattson, CEO, Siva Power; Author, The Solar Phoenix: How America Can Rise from the Ashes of Solyndra to World Leadership in Solar 2.0 Jigar Shah, Founder, SunEdison; Author, Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy Greg Dalton, Host and Founder, Climate One – Moderator This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the
Oct 10, 2014 • 59:47
Deepak Chopra and Rinaldo Brutoco: Changing Energy, Changing Consciousness (09/15/14)
Will a change in consciousness help us end our dependence on fossil fuels? Yes, according to well-known author and speaker Deepak Chopra and investor and entrepreneur Rinaldo Brutico, the guests of this week’s episode of Climate One. The two have joined forces to create Just Capital, an organization dedicated to helping executives of financial institutions and members of the public sector make sustainability a number one priority. “Our collective consciousness is what creates a change in behavio
Oct 3, 2014 • 1:00:00
Powering Innovation (09/28/14)
Companies big and small are conjuring up new technologies, production methods and delivery systems to capitalize on the trend towards a green economy. Greg Dalton, Founder and Host, Climate One David Crane, CEO, NRG Energy, Inc. Katie Fehrenbacher, Reporter, GigaOm.com Adam Lowry, Co-Founder and Chief Greenskeeper, Method Products PBC Arun Majumdar, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University; former Vice President for Energy, Google This program was recorded in front of a live audi
Sep 26, 2014 • 1:00:05
Water Underfoot (08/13/14)
During dry times, water is a precious liquid asset – and our savings are depleting. Will historic drought drive us to improve our conservation habits? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on August 13, 2014 Debbie Davis, Community & Rural Affairs Advisor, Office of Planning and Research, State of California Felicia Marcus, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board Barton Thompson, Jr., Professor of Natural Resources Law, Stanford Law
Aug 29, 2014 • 1:01:06
Green Latinos (02/07/14) (Rebroadcast)
What are the issues that link the Latino community to the environmental movement? For many, it comes down to la familia. Latinos, who make up nearly 40 percent of California’s population, still tend to live in the state’s most polluted areas, in close proximity to freeways and ports. That translates to increased rates of asthma among Latino children. Other community issues include lack of green space, reduced access to bus service and the internet, and economic barriers to things like electric c
Aug 8, 2014 • 1:00:06
Texas Governor Rick Perry: Energy Independence in America (06/11/14)
Governor Rick Perry believes a Texas-style spirit of innovation and competition could solve America’s economic woes and lead to energy independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 1, 2014 • 1:00:07
Aquatech (03/11/14) (Rebroadcast)
From Egyptian irrigation systems to Roman aqueducts to the dikes and canals of The Netherlands, the world’s civilizations have long found innovative ways to harness and conserve their water supply. But with California entering the third year of an historic drought, what 21st century technologies are on the horizon to help us deal with an ever-shrinking pool of water? Peter Yolles is the CEO of Watersmart Software, which takes a grass-roots approach to the issue by educating residential and comme
Jul 25, 2014 • 1:00:06
Climate Cartoons (07/08/14)
What’s so funny about climate change? Stand-up economist Yoram Bauman uses humor to explain carbon tax, cap and trade and the ‘Five Chinas’ theory. Yoram Bauman, PhD., Co-author, The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change (with Grady Klein) (Island Press, 2014) Jonah Sachs, CEO, Free Range Studios This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on July 8, 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 18, 2014 • 1:00:07
Ecological Intelligence (04/18/14) (Rebroadcast)
What’s really preventing us from enacting environmental change? Blame our brains, says Daniel Goleman, author of Ecological Intelligence. As he explains it, “The problem comes down to a design flaw in the human brain.” Evolution fine-tuned our brains to protect us from immediate survival threats – lions, tigers and bears. But long-term dangers, such as those that threaten our planet today, don’t register. “The problem is that we don’t perceive, nor are we alarmed by, these changes,” says Goleman
Jul 11, 2014 • 1:00:08
GMOs: Necessary in a Hot and Crowded World? (06/11/14)
Biotechnology promises weed-resistant crops, bigger yields, more food for a growing population. But are genetically modified fruits and vegetables safe? Are they healthy? “Man has been improving crops from the beginning of time, whether it’s the tomato or the corn or all of our fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Robert Fraley of Monsanto. “There’s a whole set of tools that we’re going to need to be able to meet the challenge of food production for the future.” “This is about chemical companies s
Jul 4, 2014 • 59:59
Resource Revolution (06/09/14)
Today’s two billion middle class consumers will more than double globally over the next two decades. But while cities in China, India and other developing countries will be teeming with citizens in need of housing, cars and electronic gadgets, natural resources are dwindling. The silver lining? Consumer demand has sparked a third industrial revolution - one that is driving massive innovation, from Teslas to smart meters to less wasteful building methods. How are companies adapting to meet the de
Jun 27, 2014 • 1:00:05
Stormy Science, Rocky Investments (06/03/14)
Climate change is risky business – but how risky is it for business? With temperatures predicted to rise anywhere from one to four degrees this century, droughts, floods and extreme weather present risks that will impact American families, businesses and habitats. Rebecca Shaw of the Environmental Defense Fund sees a global attitude shift towards adaptation. One example is the wine industry. “As climate shifts, there will be some places where wine grapes are grown today that won’t be suitable in
Jun 20, 2014 • 1:00:05
Meatonomics (02/24/14) (Rebroadcast)
Tim Koopman is a fourth-generation rancher; his family has been raising cattle on their ranch in Alameda County since 1918 and he now heads the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). David Robinson Simon is the author of a book that lambasts industrialized meat production. What did these two advocates from “opposite sides of the steer” have to say to each other when they sat down to debate the ethical, nutritional and environmental costs of animal agriculture? Host Greg Dalton started things
Jun 13, 2014 • 1:00:07
Nature's Price Tag (07/25/13) (Rebroadcast)
An emerging area of economics aims to put a price on nature as a way of justifying preserving it in societies dominated by the wisdom of markets. A mountain stream, for example, provides many economic benefits beyond people who own property near it or drink water from it. The same is said of bees that pollinate our food, wetlands that cleans water, and trees that drink up carbon dioxide. If nature were a corporation it would be a large cap stock. Putting a precise tag on something long seen as f
Jun 6, 2014 • 59:59
Beyond Plastic (01/30/14) (Rebroadcast)
Who should take responsibility for reducing the amount of plastic debris that litters our cities, waterways and oceans? While many consumers have given up their plastic grocery bags, most still rely on the convenience of plastic water bottles, liquid soap and fast food in styrofoam containers. “Many of our companies are looking at bio-based materials and other kinds of plastics,” says Keith Christman of the American Chemistry Council. “High density polyethylene, made from sugarcane, is one of th
May 30, 2014 • 59:59
Rising Seas, Rising Costs (02/11/14) (Rebroadcast)
Swelling sea levels used to be a concern associated with future generations and faraway lands. Then Superstorm Sandy poured the Atlantic Ocean into the New York subway. Here on the west coast, we’re no less vulnerable to the rising tide, and it’s not only our coastal communities that will be affected. From shoreline to bay to Delta and beyond, California’s economy is bound together by highways, railways and airports. Cities and states are beginning to realize they need to start planning now for
May 23, 2014 • 1:00:06
Ecological Intelligence (04/18/14)
What’s really preventing us from enacting environmental change? Blame our brains, says Daniel Goleman, author of Ecological Intelligence. As he explains it, “The problem comes down to a design flaw in the human brain.” Evolution fine-tuned our brains to protect us from immediate survival threats – lions, tigers and bears. But long-term dangers, such as those that threaten our planet today, don’t register. “The problem is that we don’t perceive, nor are we alarmed by, these changes,” says Goleman
May 16, 2014 • 1:00:08
Climate in the Classroom (03/25/14)
Today’s teenagers, also known as Millenials or Generation Y, now have a new moniker: Greenagers. That’s because they are coming of age in an era plagued by the effects of climate change. Severe floods, storms and fires on the rise and are forecast to increase further as carbon pollution increases. What are high school students learning about the causes and consequences of climate volatility? And what steps can they take now to secure a more optimistic future for the earth’s ecology? In this epis
May 16, 2014 • 1:00:06
Nuclear Power (04/03/14)
Three years after Fukushima is nuclear power dead in the water? Or is it poised for revival due to the world’s desperate need for carbon-free energy? Every day the Fukushima reactors dump 70,000 gallons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, and there is no end in sight. In the United States, the industry faces more systemic challenges - abundant and cheap natural gases are making new nukes uneconomic, despite the efforts of the Obama administration to jumpstart a nuclear renaissance. Per
Apr 25, 2014 • 1:00:04
Fracking Boom (04/01/14)
America is in the midst of a fracking boom. Most new oil and gas wells in this country are drilled using hydraulic fracturing, the injection of a cocktail of water and chemicals at high pressure to release bubbles of oil or gas trapped in shale rock. Thanks to fracking, America is awash in cheap natural gas and is poised to become the world’s largest petroleum producer next year. That would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. “People thought that the United States was tapped out.” says R
Apr 6, 2014 • 1:00:03
Beyond Plastic (01/30/14)
Who should take responsibility for reducing the amount of plastic debris that litters our cities, waterways and oceans? While many consumers have given up their plastic grocery bags, most still rely on the convenience of plastic water bottles, liquid soap and fast food in styrofoam containers. “Many of our companies are looking at bio-based materials and other kinds of plastics,” says Keith Christman of the American Chemistry Council. “High density polyethylene, made from sugarcane, is one of th
Mar 20, 2014 • 59:59
Aquatech (03/11/14)
From Egyptian irrigation systems to Roman aqueducts to the dikes and canals of The Netherlands, the world’s civilizations have long found innovative ways to harness and conserve their water supply. But with California entering the third year of an historic drought, what 21st century technologies are on the horizon to help us deal with an ever-shrinking pool of water? Peter Yolles is the CEO of Watersmart Software, which takes a grass-roots approach to the issue by educating residential and comme
Mar 20, 2014 • 1:00:06
The Goldman Prize at 25 (03/06/14)
Since 1989, The Goldman Environmental Prize has honored more than 150 grassroots heroes who are fighting on the front lines to deliver clean water, clean air and preserve the world’s ecosystems. Brothers John and Douglas Goldman are carrying on the work of their parents, environmental activists Richard and Rhoda Goldman, who founded the prize. “My mom was a recycler before the term was ever coined,” remembers John. “She was far ahead of her time.” The most important impact of the award, says Dou
Mar 11, 2014 • 1:00:07
Meatonomics (02/24/14)
Tim Koopman is a fourth-generation rancher; his family has been raising cattle on their ranch in Alameda County since 1918 and he now heads the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). David Robinson Simon is the author of a book that lambasts industrialized meat production. What did these two advocates from “opposite sides of the steer” have to say to each other when they sat down to debate the ethical, nutritional and environmental costs of animal agriculture? Host Greg Dalton started things
Mar 5, 2014 • 1:00:07
Condoms and Climate (02/25/14)
Breathing, eating and consuming, an individual human being produces tons of carbon every year – population may be the key to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Populations are expected to skyrocket in developing areas like sub-saharan Africa, generating even more carbon pollution. Reducing population growth could also help fight climate change, but in the wake of India’s forced sterilizations in the 1970s and China's mandatory one-child policy, nationwide family planning has a stigma. Malcolm Pot
Feb 28, 2014 • 1:00:06
Going to Paris: Todd Stern (02/19/14)
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland last year achieved modest progress toward an international agreement on reducing carbon pollution. In 2015, the heads of nearly 200 nations will again meet, this time in Paris, and the hope is that they can seal a deal that would take effect in 2020. But rich and developing countries are still far apart on who should bear responsibility for increasing human impacts of severe weather. Even some of the most vigorous proponents of movin
Feb 21, 2014 • 59:55
Rising Seas, Rising Costs (02/11/14)
Swelling sea levels used to be a concern associated with future generations and faraway lands. Then Superstorm Sandy poured the Atlantic Ocean into the New York subway. Here on the west coast, we’re no less vulnerable to the rising tide, and it’s not only our coastal communities that will be affected. From shoreline to bay to Delta and beyond, California’s economy is bound together by highways, railways and airports. Cities and states are beginning to realize they need to start planning now for
Feb 21, 2014 • 1:00:06
Going to Paris: Ambassador Todd Stern (02/19/14)
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland last year achieved modest progress toward an international agreement on reducing carbon pollution. In 2015, the heads of nearly 200 nations will again meet, this time in Paris, and the hope is that they can seal a deal that would take effect in 2020. But rich and developing countries are still far apart on who should bear responsibility for increasing human impacts of severe weather. Even some of the most vigorous proponents of movin
Feb 21, 2014 • 59:55
Beyond Plastics (1/30/14)
Who should take responsibility for reducing the amount of plastic debris that litters our cities, waterways and oceans? While many consumers have given up their plastic grocery bags, most still rely on the convenience of plastic water bottles, liquid soap and fast food in styrofoam containers. “Many of our companies are looking at bio-based materials and other kinds of plastics,” says Keith Christman of the American Chemistry Council. “High density polyethylene, made from sugarcane, is one of th
Feb 8, 2014 • 59:59
Fluid State (01/10/14)
“For us, a drought means human misery, economic devastation to some natural assets and certainly an unproductive living standard for the majority of our people,” said California state senator Jean Fuller ®, who represents the Central Valley. With the state’s rainfall hitting record lows in 2013, California’s drought is a pressing issue in this election year. The shortage will be felt most by farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, and while many fields have been converted to water-conserving drip irr
Jan 16, 2014 • 1:05:42
Fluid State (1/10/14)
“For us, a drought means human misery, economic devastation to some natural assets and certainly an unproductive living standard for the majority of our people,” said California state senator Jean Fuller (R), who represents the Central Valley. With the state’s rainfall hitting record lows in 2013, California’s drought is a pressing issue in this election year. The shortage will be felt most by farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, and while many fields have been converted to water-conserving drip i
Jan 16, 2014 • 1:05:42
U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus (1/6/14)
"A clean-energy economy, I think, is the future,” according to 75th U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, who leads America’s Navy and Marine Corps. One of the world’s largest fuel consumers, the Navy has committed to obtaining 50 percent of its total energy consumption from alternative sources by 2020. Mabus said he's “absolutely convinced” that goal will be met. “Now is exactly the time that we have to do this,” Mabus said. “A tightening budget situation makes it even more urgent, even more cr
Jan 9, 2014 • 1:06:52
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell (11/7/13)
“We could start by being rational about how we spend the money that we have,” said U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell about taking care of national parks. She discussed programs for engaging youth and veterans on public lands, and how to balance our energy needs and carbon reduction goals. According to Jewell, climate change is everywhere and it’s very real. “This is a job where you actually have an opportunity to do something about it,” Jewell said. “And it’s important for all of us to do
Dec 18, 2013 • 1:00:58
Skeptics & Smog (12/10/13)
"We could end up being part of the problem, even when we're right," said Jim Hoggan, co-Founder of the DeSmog Blog and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation. "Self-righteousness is like a virus, and a lot of the time, it's so subtle you don't know you have it." Hoggan discussed the challenges of communicating climate science and bridging the chasm between skeptics and supporters. "I think we're at a real risk of furthering the information gap," said Bud Ward, editor of the Yale Forum on Climate C
Dec 18, 2013 • 1:07:02
Forest Wars (12/04/13)
“I wish more companies would come out of the closet, so to speak, and talk about what they’re doing,” said Sissel Waage, director of biodiversity and ecosystem services at Business for Social Responsibility. Climate change is happening and carbon-emitting businesses need to hold themselves accountable, she said. Some companies are getting on board by investing in forests and their communities. "It's the least expensive way for us to reduce emissions today," said Mike Korchinsky, project develope
Dec 17, 2013 • 1:05:04
Carbon Curves (12/11/13)
"Climate change is not some academic thing, it's pervasive – you see the signs of change everywhere,” said Ben Santer, a climate scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “It’s profoundly sad that future generations may not experience the coral reefs or these fragile, high alpine environments in the same way that we did, and we’ve experienced these changes over a human lifetime.” Santer joined Jane Lubchenco, former administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra
Dec 14, 2013 • 1:07:49
Lord Nicholas Stern: The 2013 Stephen Schneider Award (12/11/13)
"I don't think there's any right to emit, I think there's a right to development," said former World Bank chief economist Lord Nicholas Stern, a professor at the London School of Economics. “To emit is to damage – I don’t see that there's a right to damage.” Stern spoke about the economics of climate change, alternative energies, the carbon bubble and the growing global population before accepting the 2013 Stephen Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Few people have imp
Dec 14, 2013 • 1:14:40
Ag and Trade (11/18/13)
"This country has forgotten rural America for far too long," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Although the U.S. has had the best farm economy in the last 5 years, rural America hasn’t done as well, he said. This conversation with Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman involved the Farm Bill, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, GMO labeling and other economic tensions. “Our exports are driving about a third of our growth in this country right now,” Froman said, emphasizing
Dec 7, 2013 • 1:07:06
Power Year in Review (12/2/13)
“Fear of fracking is rampant,” said KQED science editor Craig Miller when asked about California’s energy headlines of 2013. But more electric vehicles are on the road and the cap-and-trade market is about to enter its second year – the rest of the country is watching California’s approach to a clean energy future. “Part of this is a response to lack of federal leadership,” said Andrew McAllister, a member of the California Energy Commission. “We’re having to go down this route because there’s n
Dec 4, 2013 • 1:09:09
Parched California (11/14/13)
"The Bay Delta debate sucks all the oxygen out of the water discussion," according to Lester Snow, executive director of the California Water Foundation. While the Bay Delta needs to be addressed, it doesn’t fix California’s long-term problems, Snow said. With population increasing in a parched state, California needs to focus on efficiency, groundwater policy and wastewater recycling. Some areas will eventually turn to desalination plants, but "there is a real risk to doing it too soon," accord
Nov 21, 2013 • 1:05:02
Graham Nash (11/7/13)
In 1968, Graham Nash left his native England and flew to Los Angeles to visit his enchanting, brilliant girlfriend, Joni Mitchell. With one jet-lagged impromptu jam session in her house in Laurel Canyon, the magic of Crosby, Stills and Nash was born. After that, his life would change forever. From the sounds and feelings to the girls and parties, Nash conveyed the unforgettable adventures of his life through his autobiography, Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life. But it's not just a relic of histor
Nov 8, 2013 • 1:16:03
Fracked State (11/05/13)
“We have been fracking in California for 60 years and we have done it safely,” according to Paul Deiro, an energy lobbyist with KP Public Affairs. “We believe in transparency, disclosure, notification.” The state is on the verge of a huge energy boom, poised to hydraulic fracture, or frack, across much of the coast and Central Valley. Signature of a new fracking regulation bill, SB4, has upset advocates and opponents alike. “Investing in getting more fossil fuels out of the ground is just bass-a
Nov 7, 2013 • 1:06:43
Deep Blue (10/28/13)
“Every second breath comes from the ocean,” said Mary Hagedorn, a research scientist with the Smithsonian Institution and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Many people don’t realize how much we depend on the ocean for food, health and jobs. With climate change and pollution altering seas and coastlines, the speakers agreed we need to do a better job of monitoring these systems. Scientists and businesses have to work together, according to Michael Jones, president of The Maritime Alliance i
Nov 1, 2013 • 1:04:35
Mountain Meltdown (10/22/13)
“We want skiers to literally help save the world,” said Porter Fox, editor at Powder Magazine. Climate change has already impacted the length and intensity of winters and reduced snowfall means many of the nation’s ski centers will eventually be forced to close, especially those at lower temperatures. Jeremy Jones, professional snowboarder and founder of Protect Our Winters, reminisced about a spot he revisited in Chamonix: “I used to be able to snowboard here.” This two-panel conversation first
Oct 29, 2013 • 1:12:56
Paul Hawken & Andy Revkin: Carbon Gift (10/18/13)
“Humans are problem-solving animals – you would never know it reading the press,” said environmentalist Paul Hawken. He and NY Times writer Andy Revkin discussed how attitudes have changed in the 25 years since NASA scientist James Hansen testified before Congress about human-caused climate change. “Right now, the attitude is that climate change is happening to us...instead of the idea that actually climate change is instead happening for us,” Hawken said. Some problems stem from lack of educati
Oct 23, 2013 • 1:02:49
OPEC Oil Embargo +40 (10/18/13)
“You would much rather breathe the air in any American city than breathe it in Beijing – thank you, EPA,” said former Secretary of State George Shultz, who served as Secretary of Treasury under President Nixon during the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo. Although gas shortages shocked Americans 40 years ago, the drive to become more energy independent has since lost momentum. “Crises are not enough,” said former CIA Director Jim Woolsey. “Whether they’re potential crises or existing crises, people will ign
Oct 22, 2013 • 1:03:54
Bay Delta: A Grand Bargain? (10/15/13)
“The Delta is not just a canteen to supply water…it’s a place that a lot of people live and work and call home,” said Kip Lipper, Chief Councilor for Energy and the Environment at the Office of the Senate Pro Tempore. California’s water future will lead to higher prices and higher uncertainty, and “the climate change piece is a huge part of that,” according to Former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Interior David Hayes. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta requires restoration, but can it meet the conflict
Oct 15, 2013 • 1:06:47
Grazing, Grass and Gas (10/3/13)
“We have the potential to use grazing lands and use cattle and livestock to help slow climate change,” according to UC Berkeley professor Whendee Silver. Grasslands are under-represented in land conservation, yet they cover about 40 percent of the Earth’s surface and have a big impact by storing greenhouse gases so they don’t enter the atmosphere. While discussing conservation projects, the speakers turned to the larger problems of overpopulation and consumption. “Our generation and the ones sho
Oct 10, 2013 • 1:04:12
Metro Revolution (9/19/13)
"I will attest to the fact that the federal government actually has left the building," said Kofi Bonner, president of Lennar’s Bay Area Urban Division. Rather than depending on funding from Washington, successful cities and metropolitan areas are taking development into their own hands. As rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, sustainable planning is an “economic imperative,” said Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution, author of The Metropolitan Revolution. San Francisco is a great
Sep 24, 2013 • 1:07:22
Corn, Cars and Cows (8/21/13)
While ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, some researchers argue its production makes it less than environmentally friendly. University of California, Davis professor of agricultural economics Colin Carter says ethanol is not a low-carbon fuel in part “because of greenhouse gases put out by other countries that have torn down forests to produce corn.” Pacific Ethanol CEO Neil Koehler claims corn-based fuels are cleaner than petroleum and reduce greenhouse gases. Critics say corn that could be u
Aug 26, 2013 • 1:06:40
Overheated (6/27/13)
“Climate change will be the biggest health issue of my grandchild’s lifetime and my great-grandchildren’s lifetime…we will be looking at somewhere in the range of half a billion lives being affected profoundly by the impacts of climate change,” according to Dr. Richard Joseph Jackson, professor at the UCLA School of Public Health. As increasing temperatures amplify natural disasters and impact water supplies, people in the U.S. and around the world will face greater health health risks. Meanwhil
Aug 7, 2013 • 1:06:14
Nature's Price Tag (7/25/13)
An emerging area of economics aims to put a price on nature as a way of justifying preserving it in societies dominated by the wisdom of markets. A mountain stream, for example, provides many economic benefits beyond people who own property near it or drink water from it. The same is said of bees that pollinate our food, wetlands that cleans water, and trees that drink up carbon dioxide. If nature were a corporation it would be a large cap stock. Putting a precise tag on something long seen as f
Jul 29, 2013 • 1:06:26
Fracking News (7/19/13)
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is “the most profound [energy] revolution that we’ve had in decades,” said San Francisco Chronicle reporter David Baker. Thanks to fracking, natural gas is cheap and abundant. However, water contamination may prove to be a huge problem as monitoring efforts are “woefully inadequate,” therefore we don’t really know what’s happening, said ProPublica reporter Abrahm Lustgarten. “If you taint somebody’s drinking water, you have destroyed their property value... Tha
Jul 26, 2013 • 1:07:39
Environmental Debt (7/8/13)
There is a pattern between the way we do business and the changes in our climate. “The companies that are the biggest polluters make the biggest profits,” according to Amy Larkin, author of Environmental Debt: The Hidden Costs of a Changing Global Economy. Companies like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are changing the rules to run a more socially conscious business. According to John Hofmeister, former President of Shell Oil USA, “social cost could be the game changer that warrants the way we look at
Jul 9, 2013 • 1:07:21
Governors Ritter and Whitman: Risk and Resilience (6/19/13)
Hurricane Sandy and the devastating Colorado fires of 2012 underscore the idea that climate disruption is amplifying natural disasters, if not causing them. Forest fires in Colorado have been “economically devastating for communities,” says former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. In the East, Superstorm Sandy and other extreme weather events have caused massive destruction and large bills for coastal communities. “Different states and different countries are going to adapt in different ways,” s
Jun 27, 2013 • 1:07:48
Power Choice (6/17/13)
Rising interest in clean power is presenting electric monopolies with competition for the first time. Community choice aggregation (CCA) gives towns and cities the opportunity to get in on the energy market and decide where their energy will come from. More than a thousand communities across the country are taking electric power into their own hands. Supporters say that is a great way for communities to get greener electricity. San Francisco’s proposed community power option has a goal of 100% r
Jun 24, 2013 • 1:05:12
Sea Surge (6/18/13)
Humans have been using their ingenuity to deal with sea level rise, floods, and fluctuating coasts for the past 15,000 years, and recent extreme events have emphasized the need to adapt. “There are no easy solutions to adaptation,” says Brian Fagan, author of “The Attacking Ocean”, but we can learn from historic sea walls in the Netherlands, cyclones in the Indian Ocean, and other major oceanic events over the last 10,000 years. “The global ocean has actually done us this incredible favor by buf
Jun 24, 2013 • 1:06:19
Pandora's Promise (6/15/13)
In the wake of the Fukushima disaster, the U.S. is struggling to define its nuclear energy future. The film “Pandora’s Promise” asks whether we should use nuclear energy to deal with global warming. Michael Shellenberger, President of the Breakthrough Institute and featured in the film, says you can’t be an “anti-nuclear activist and an anti-fracking activist.” Nuclear is an invaluable power source that is both scalable and produces no greenhouse gasses, says Shellenberger. However, says Severin
Jun 21, 2013 • 26:00
Rebels With a Cause (6/9/13)
The documentary “Rebels with a Cause” follows “ordinary citizens who did extraordinary things” in the second half of the 20th century to preserve the natural landscape of Point Reyes, California from urbanization. Point Reyes National Seashore in the San Francisco Bay Area was the first national park of major size that was created from private land, says the round table. Over the course of the 1960s and 70s activists brokered an agreement between ranchers and environmentalists that created a mod
Jun 21, 2013 • 28:17
Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen (6/4/13)
Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen In the next decade, five billion more people should be able to access most of the world’s information through a mobile device. “The internet is going to wire up the entire world,” says Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google. “The change to people who have no information, no political freedom, no healthcare…is going to be extraordinary.” With this increase of technology comes privacy concerns, greater risks from cyber espionage, and important conversation
Jun 6, 2013 • 1:07:23
Walmart. Emit Less. Live Better (5/6/13)
Walmart. Emit Less. Live Better Walmart and other large companies are pushing their suppliers to reduce packaging, waste and energy use to save companies money and reduce carbon pollution. The goals of zero waste and 100 percent renewable energy are big and audacious. According to Aron Cramer, CEO of Business for Social Responsibility such goals are also necessary. “We won’t be able to maintain economic growth if the environment starts to get in the way,” he says. Along with important steps towa
Jun 5, 2013 • 1:07:46
Climate Correspondents (5/3/13)
Environmental journalists representing Brazil, China, Nigeria and the Philippines tackle the climate news of a developing world. Climate issues have not always been news in these countries. In China it has taken a growing middle class and protests to bring attention to Beijing’s pollution issues, Lican Liu, water director at Greenovation Hub in China, tells the audience. Food and agriculture have also been impacted by climate change, says Michael Simire, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Independent i
May 9, 2013 • 1:04:37
Warrior Writers (5/3/13)
The urgency of the climate crisis has compelled writers such as Bill McKibben and Antonia Juhasz to cross the line into advocacy. “Often facts can be disempowering” if it feels like there is nothing you can do, says Juhasz. “Understanding the direct human impact right now, the real facts, and the sense that you can do something about it” is what you need to get people to change she says. But convincing people is no longer the main battle, according to McKibben who says that “75% of Americans kno
May 9, 2013 • 1:06:48
Water, Food & Energy with Marvin Odum (4/29/13)
Climate change is “real” and requires action, says Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil Company. But that doesn’t change his belief that “there is a pretty clear understanding that fossil fuels will be required for quite some time.” Biofuels are an option, says Odum, but corn ethanol is too carbon intensive and sugar cane biofuel from Brazil has more potential to become a viable fuel in America’s transportation fleet. Alternative energy sources aside, Odum says the most impactful thing that can b
May 2, 2013 • 1:20:38
Pipeline Paradigm (4/26/13)
Are the Canadian tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline huge economic drivers or climate killers? Pipeline supporters such as Canadian diplomat Cassie Doyel say it’s better for America to get its energy from Canada than unfriendly nations. But Sam Avery, Author of The Pipeline and the Paradigm, warns that there’s enough carbon in the tar sands “to send Earth’s climate into an irreversible tailspin.” Dan Miller, Managing Director of the Roda Group, looks at the long term saying “as a price on carbon
May 1, 2013 • 1:07:06
Global Meltdown: Christiana Figueres (4/17/13)
These are tough days for international efforts to put a meaningful price on carbon pollution. It's a tough sell, and many clean-energy advocates say a global deal once dreamed about at Copenhagen will never happen. We have to think about “what have we learned and what is different” since Copenhagen says Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “I have news for everybody,” she says, “no, there is never going to be one agreement that so
Apr 22, 2013 • 1:03:51
Petropoly (4/5/13)
The country's energy paradigm is caught between the slogans of “drill-baby-drill” and “oil is evil.” The real problem arguably is that the global oil market is controlled by the OPEC cartel that artificially fixes prices. That could explain why oil prices continue to rise even though the United States, the world’s largest petroleum consumer, is producing more and consuming less. “We can’t be fixated on bringing down the price of oil because that is not going to happen,” said Kate Gordon, Directo
Apr 12, 2013 • 1:06:04
Senator Dianne Feinstein: Guns, Drones and Energy (4/3/13)
The United States should restrain the use of guns on the street and drones in the air according to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. “I think we do need a national solution” says Senator Feinstein on gun regulation. The victims of Sandy Hook continue to drive her and she said, “every time I see those faces I say shame on us that we let this happen in this great country.” Drone use is “an enormous privacy question,” states Senator Feinstein. She discusses the need for nationwide drone operating crit
Apr 8, 2013 • 1:09:15
Fracking California (4/2/13)
Tempting oil reserves trapped in California Monterey shale are raising the possibility of a fracking boom in California. “People began to come to me...asking about what a mineral estate was and how come the oil company that owned the mineral estate could eject them from the surface of the land,” said Steve Craig, a farmer in Monterey County and former director of the Ventana Conservation and Land Trust. Bill Allayaud of the Environmental Working Group explained that California “had regulations a
Apr 8, 2013 • 1:08:40
Fracked Nation (4/2/13)
With a thriving natural gas market in the U.S., oil and energy companies are in a race for fracking rights across the country. The fracking bonanza has led to concern about the oversight of hydraulic fracturing practices. “We need to regulate,” said TJ Glauthier, former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Energy and a former board member of Union Drilling, “I think that natural gas has a very important role to play in a conversion to a cleaner economy and a cleaner future.” One notable result of the “shale
Apr 8, 2013 • 1:07:40
Tomorrowland (3/22/13)
“It’s essential for China to be on a low emissions growth pattern,” said Jian Lin, Chairman of The China Sustainable Energy Program. China’s cities are growing at a breakneck pace and city planners are struggling to keep up, “we are racing against time,” said Lin, “people just don’t wait until you figure out how to solve a sustainable design.” Ellen Lou, Director of Urban Design and Planning at SOM, says that the money the Chinese government spent on building out transit infrastructure “is one o
Mar 26, 2013 • 1:08:07
Clean Communities (3/22/13)
Coastal cities “are facing an existential threat that we are not prepared to deal with,” said Gabriel Metcalf, the Executive Director of San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR). The California Bay Area is wrestling with a challenge as it tries to develop sustainably to accommodate a growing population in a warming world. One way to deal with population rise and reduce emissions is to create “zones of high density” says Alex Mehran Jr., Senior VP and General Manager at Sunset
Mar 26, 2013 • 1:05:50
Game Change (3/19/13)
“We are already paying significant economic costs” of climate disruption and they are “only going to increase,” says democratic strategist Chris Lehane. Republican strategist Steve Schmidt agrees that climate change is an economic concern but says it has to be addressed in a low cost fashion. “You need to grow the economy in order to protect the environment,” says Schmidt, “the fossil fuel economy and the energy companies have lifted more people out of poverty more than any other industry in the
Mar 21, 2013 • 1:09:06
Bracing for Impact: Bay Area Vulnerabilities and Preparedness (3/18/13)
"If we do not take the rational approach to this problem [of climate disruption] we are all facing really catastrophic impacts," said Ezra Rapport, Executive Director of the Association of Bay Area Governments. As the world warms Bay Area agencies are racing the clock to develop adaptation strategies to identify and manage risks. But with complicated and widely variable climate models it can be hard to agree on the numbers. Melanie Nutter, Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environm
Mar 20, 2013 • 1:05:14
Bracing for Impact: America’s Risks and Resilience (3/18/13)
“The Bay Area will be here 200 years from now. It will look different. There will be some things that have changed…but you’re going to be here. Miami won’t be here 200 years from now,” said John Englander, author of High Tide on Main Street. Englander discusses how sea levels are rising putting coastal communities at risk for flooding, larger storm surges, and erosion. Drought, superstores and other extreme weather events hit the U.S. hard in 2012. “We are seeing more extreme weather, and we lik
Mar 20, 2013 • 1:05:57
American Turnaround (3/12/13)
No private investor in the world would put money into General Motors when it was going bankrupt, says former GM CEO Ed Whitacre. “The government did exactly the right thing” bailing out the company. The politically charged electric Chevy Volt made headlines during Whitacre’s tenure at GM, but in spite of the political hits the car took, Whitacre believed and still believes that “there’s a real future for electric vehicles.” To Whitacre, the Chevy Volt is an example of “a responsible corporation
Mar 13, 2013 • 1:05:43
Borrowed Wheels (3/5/13)
As of 2013 car sharing has over a million participants in North America, says Susan Shaheen, Co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley. Are car sharing and ride sharing finally going mainstream? Panelists cite benefits such as reduced congestion and emissions. Certain car sharing startups like Lyft even give members the chance to earn some income on a car that might otherwise be sitting idle, says Kristin Sverchek, Head of Public Policy at Lyft and Zimride.
Mar 7, 2013 • 1:04:57
Sharing Economy (3/5/13)
“The distribution centers of the future are our closets and garages,” says Andy Ruben, co-founder of sharing start-up Yerdle. Entrepreneurs like Ruben are tapping into social media circles as a way to connect members to a wealth of sharing options. “Data, in many ways, is the gateway drug to the sharing economy,” says Lisa Gansky, Author of “The Mesh”. Other entrepreneurs like Billy Parish, Co-Founder and President of Solar Mosaic, are “unlocking the ability of individuals to participate in the
Mar 7, 2013 • 1:07:30
February: Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle
Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle features tips on living a low carbon lifestyle and what motivates individuals to make energy smart choices. Our guests include a reverend, a Stanford psychology professor, an environmentalist, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and drivers who love their electric cars. On the next Climate One. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California
Mar 1, 2013 • 0:52
Individual Matters (2/12/13)
What matters more when addressing climate change: individual action, corporate action, or policy change? In all cases, the key to change is disrupting default behaviors. Target, Walmart, and American Airlines are all very good at using "nudges" to disrupt our behavior and get us to buy more stuff, says Gernot Wagner (Author, 'But Will the Planet Notice?'; Economist, EDF). "The trick,” he says, “is to use behavioral nudges on a policy level to move everyone in the right direction [for sustainable
Feb 13, 2013 • 1:05:42
Solar Flares (2/5/13)
Through all the growing pains and political attacks, the U.S. solar industry is still moving ahead. But it still only accounts for 1 percent of all U.S. electricity. With the market driving down cost going solar “makes perfect economic sense,” says Marco Krapels. Founders of three large solar firms and a banker talk about tapping the sun to create jobs, investment opportunities, and the shadow of China. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California
Feb 7, 2013 • 1:07:26
Driving Growth (2/4/13)
An energy “renaissance” is happening in the U.S. and Rhonda Zygocki, Executive VP of Policy and Planning at Chevron, says it is “driven by innovation” and the natural gas and oil reserves trapped in slate. This renaissance is not without its issues and Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund, warns that “while the economic benefits [of fracking] are obvious, the environmental implications of not doing this right in some cases are equally obvious.” Krupp warns that the fragmented
Feb 6, 2013 • 1:05:40
Generation Green (1/29/13)
Social entrepreneurs and youth advocates are reaching out to schools across the country to engage the next generation in the climate dialogue. It’s not just about facts and numbers, but “comes down to telling the story right,” says Mike Haas, Founder of the Alliance for Climate Education. Engaged kids mean engaged families and entrepreneurs like Carleen Cullen, Founder & Executive Director of Cool the Earth, are building on this “symbiotic” relationship to educate communities. Skeptics might dis
Jan 30, 2013 • 1:07:07
Clean Clothes (1/25/13)
From organic cotton to recycled zippers many clothing brands are trying to establish their bona fides with consumers who care about the health of their bodies and the planet. To reduce impact, leaders of the $200 billion U.S. clothing industry are calling for collaboration between companies and a two-way dialogue with consumers. “No one company, no matter how big it is, can change the world itself on an issue this complex,” says Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. In efforts to reduce the foot
Jan 25, 2013 • 1:04:51
Power Mix (1/15/12)
Power Mix Cheap natural gas is changing the energy mix in America. Energy companies are increasingly making the switch from coal to cheaper, cleaner natural gas to fuel their power plants. These companies “are paying far more attention to the price of natural gas than environmental regulations,” says Trevor Houser, partner at the Rhodium Group. Shrinking domestic markets have America’s coal industry looking overseas to surging economies in China and India. Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club Beyond
Jan 17, 2013 • 1:05:01
Lost In The Wash (1/11/13)
Lost In The Wash With everything from hand soap to glass cleaner labeled as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” consumers are suffering from green fatigue. We are just starting “to align our spending with our values,” says Dara O’Rourke, co-founder of Good Guide. Transparency is the name of the game and social media “hashtags” mean brands “don’t get to control the message anymore,” says O’Rourke, “I don’t think they get to tell us what to believe or not to believe.” The roundtable, including William
Jan 12, 2013 • 1:07:59
Congregation Power (12/12/12)
Congregation Power Rabbi Yonatan Neril, Founder and Executive Director, Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, Jerusalem Reverend Sally Bingham, Founder, Interfaith Power and Light Reverend Ng, First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco “As a priest, if I’m going to start talking about what humans are doing to the planet...I need scientific backing. I need to be in close communication with the scientific community or I have no business making those remarks,” said Rev. Canon Sally Bingha
Dec 13, 2012 • 1:08:25
James Hansen: Stephen Schneider Climate Science Communication Award (12/4/12)
James Hansen: Stephen Schneider Climate Science Communication Award Blurb: Dr. James Hansen, NASA climatologist, on communicating climate change to the next generation, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action. "I'm very disappointed [California] chose a half-baked system like cap-and-trade, with offsets," said NASA climatologist James Hansen. He prefers a carbon fee and dividend and, in the absence of a strong carbon price, says the risks of reaching climatic tipping points
Dec 7, 2012 • 1:16:59
Political Science (12/4/12)
Political Science Blurb: Michael Mann, Katharine Hayhoe, and Bill Anderegg tackle the political nature of climate science and their experiences as ‘climate warriors.’ Michael Mann warns that "we can't allow science to be killed. We can't allow the scientific agenda to be set by those that have vested interests to not have the truth be unveiled." Over the past decade climate science has become increasingly politicized. Today many candidates claim the science is unsettled and scientists are the ta
Dec 7, 2012 • 1:06:30
Carbon Math (11/9/12)
Carbon Math Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org, Author, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet John Hofmeister, CEO, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Company Activist Bill McKibben and former president of Shell Oil Company John Hofmeister come together at Climate One to discuss the current state of the rhetoric around energy and the technology behind it. While both McKibben and Hofmeister agree that the world needs better energy alternatives, they disagree on the tim
Nov 9, 2012 • 1:11:24
GMO: Label or Not? (10/25/12)
GMO: Label or Not? Jesus Arredondo, Principal and Founder, Advantage Government Consulting LLC Kent Bradford, Ph.D., Director of the Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California, Davis Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group Jessica Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator Proposition 37 on the upcoming California ballot is a high-stakes food fight with national implications. The measure would bring California, and by extension the United Sta
Oct 26, 2012 • 1:11:24
Tear Down that Dam? (10/15/12)
Tear Down that Dam? Susan Leal, Former General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Mike Marshall, Executive Director, Restore Hetch Hetchy Spreck Rosekrans, Director of Policy, Restore Hetch Hetchy Jim Wunderman, CEO, Bay Area Council Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator A measure on the San Francisco ballot asks voters to consider a two-phase plan that could lead to draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Leaders on both sides of the debate will tackle this thorny issue an
Oct 16, 2012 • 1:13:04
Energy and the Election (10/9/12)
Energy and the Election Donnie Fowler, Founder and CEO, Dogpatch Strategies Bob Inglis, Former Republican U.S. Representative, South Carolina Bill Reilly, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tom Steyer, Managing Partner, Farallon Capital Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator High gasoline prices, hydraulic fracturing and the Keystone XL Pipeline have kept energy in the headlines. How will that play this election cycle? What national policies should be pursued to a
Oct 12, 2012 • 1:10:49
Clean Money (9/28/12)
Clean Money Dennis McGinn, President, American Council on Renewable Energy Clint Wilder, Author, Clean Tech Nation John Bohn, CEO, Renewable Energy Trust The funding outlook is cloudy for parts of the clean energy sector. Production tax credits for wind energy may expire at the end of the year, and some members of Congress are taking aim at military spending on innovative biofuels as Pentagon budget cuts loom. Since the Solyndra disaster, there's been vigorous debate about what level of risk gov
Oct 3, 2012 • 1:05:22
Green New Deal (9/17/12)
Green New Deal Michael Grunwald, Senior National Correspondent, Time; Author, The New New Deal Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner, DBL Investors Is the Obama stimulus package working to create promised jobs? What is politics and what is truth? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 17, 2012 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 18, 2012 • 1:05:25
Building Green Cities (9/7/12)
Building Green Cities David Gensler, Executive Director, Gensler Craig Hartman, Design Partner, SOM Michael Deane, Chief Sustainability Officer, Turner Construction Phil Williams, Vice President, Webcor Builders How are some of the largest building design and construction firms meeting client goals for more efficient resource utilization and cleaner built environments? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 20
Sep 17, 2012 • 1:10:21
Building Innovation (9/7/12)
Building Innovation Gary Dillabough, Managing Partner, Westly Group Ann Hand, CEO, Project Frog Kevin Surace, Founder, Serious Energy Cleantech entrepreneurs are changing the way buildings are designed and manufactured, saving time, costs, and energy -- but they face many challenges. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 2012 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 17, 2012 • 1:04:05
EV Riders (8/20/12)
EV Riders John Kalb, Founder, EV Charging Pros; Owner of a BMW ActiveE Andrea Kissack, Senior Editor for Quest, KQED Felix Kramer, Founder, CalCars; Owner of a Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF What makes electric cars so appealing to drive? Is range anxiety really a serious concern? Climate One asks three Bay Area electric vehicle owners what it’s like to be ahead of the curve of the transportation frontier. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California o
Aug 22, 2012 • 1:04:13
Story Wars (7/10/12)
Story Wars Carrie Armel, Researcher, Stanford; Co-Chair, Behavior, Energy and Climate Change Conference Jon Else, Cinematographer, Last Call at the Oasis; Professor of Journalism, UC Berkeley Jonah Sachs, Co-founder, Free Range Studios; Author, Story Wars Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator What's more powerful in shaping human perceptions--facts or stories? Where does the truth lie, and how will we know it? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Clu
Jul 19, 2012 • 1:09:03
Richard Muller: Skeptical Climate Science (6/21/12)
Richard Muller, Professor of Physics, UC Berkeley In conversation with Greg Dalton, Found of Climate One, moderator Physicist Richard Muller challenges scientific data used in deductions about global warming, and comes to his own conclusions on a variety of energy issues. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on June 21, 2012 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 26, 2012 • 1:06:15
Nuclear Revival? (6/11/12)
Nuclear Revival? Jim Boyd, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission Marv Fertel, CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute Joe Rubin, Reporter, Capital Public Radio/Center for Investigative Journalism Greg Dalton, Climate One founder, moderator "For the first time in 30 years, two new nuclear plants are in the works in the US. But in light of the Fukushima plant disaster in Japan, along with shifting energy markets, is there a future for nuclear power?" This program was recorded in front of a live
Jun 18, 2012 • 1:08:47
Innovation Power (6/4/12)
Innovation Power Dan Adler, President, California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) Jeff Byron, Vice Chair, Clean Tech Open; former Commissioner, California Energy Commission Matt Scullin, Founder & CEO, Alphabet Energy, Inc. Cathy Zoi, Partner, Silver Lake Kraftwerk; former CEO, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection "What's on the horizon for clean tech? What are the barriers to innovation and what role should the government play? Climate One speaks to Dan Adler (President, California Clean Energy
Jun 12, 2012 • 1:04:52
Green Myths Busted (5/21/12)
Green Myths Busted Diana Donlon, Cool Foods Campaign Director, The Center For Food Safety David Friedman, Deputy Director, Union of Concerned Scientists Betsy Rosenberg, Radio Host, On The Green Front Concerned citizens who seek to reduce their individual impact on climate change are often misguided in their choices. Transportation? Household energy use? Food? Where can the individual make the greatest impact? Our panel of experts pokes holes in current myths and reveals how we can truly create
May 22, 2012 • 1:07:11
Steve Coll: ExxonMobil and American Power (5/8/12)
Steve Coll: ExxonMobil and American Power Steve Coll, Author, Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power; former Managing Editor, The Washington Post In Conversation with Greg Dalton, Climate One, The Commonwealth Club ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond said in 2000 that there was "no convincing scientific evidence" that carbon dioxide would disrupt the Earth's climate. Nine years later, CEO Rex Tillerson changed course and announced support for a carbon tax if it was revenue neutral and did not incr
May 9, 2012 • 1:08:39
Crash Course (4/24/12)
Crash Course Chris Martenson, Ph.D., Futurist; Author, The Crash Course Tom Van Dyck, Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management In the midst of all the doom and gloom about the economy, where's the hope for building resilience back into family and community finances? Which personal choices will make a difference in regaining prosperity? Join two experts speaking about where we've been and where we're headed. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San
Apr 25, 2012 • 1:05:59
Power Poll (4/19/12)
Power Poll Donnie Fowler, Clean Tech Strategist Loren Kaye, President, California Foundation for Commerce and Education Dave Metz, Pollster, FM3 "When Americans step into the voting booth, what influences their decisions on energy issues? Join us as we explore public attitudes underlying America’s energy future.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on April 19, 2012. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc
Apr 25, 2012 • 1:05:07
Covering Electric Cars (4/23/12)
Covering Electric Cars Chelsea Sexton, EV expert featured in Who Killed the Electric Car? Katie Fehrenbacher, Senior Writer, GigaOM Ucilia Wang, Contributor, Forbes What's driving electric car sales? Who's buying, and which manufacturers understand how to market to these buyers? Does VC capital and government funding help or hinder progress? Listen in as three experts debate the issues. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 23, 2
Apr 25, 2012 • 1:04:59
Water World (3/29/12)
Water World Laurent Auguste, CEO, Veolia Water Americas Jonas Minton, Water Policy Advisor, Planning and Conservation League Jason Morrison, Program Director, Pacific Institute Wild weather and growing population are increasing stress on global fresh water supplies. Scientists project more extremes of both too much and not enough water in some places and times. In the United States, aging infrastructure is in need of upgrade, but cash-strapped governments have little appetite for big-ticket item
Mar 30, 2012 • 1:11:37
Speaking Youth to Power (3/26/12)
Speaking Youth to Power Abigail Borah, student, SustainUS.org Tania Pulido, Green For All Fellow; Brower Youth Award winner Adarsha Shivakumar, Stanford student, litigation plaintiff From courtrooms to diplomatic enclaves, youth advocates are clamoring to make their voices heard. Climate Progress dubbed 21-year-old college student Abigail Borah the “Durban Climate Hero” by for her appeal for faster action at a recent UN climate conference. Other advocates are filing suits claiming the U.S. and s
Mar 29, 2012 • 1:06:41
Going Local (3/23/12)
Going Local Dan Rosen, Founder and CEO, Solar Mosaic Michael Shuman, Author, Local Dollars Local Sense Andrew Swallow, Founder, Mixt Greens; Author, Mixt Salads: A Chef's Bold Creations After decades of globalization there’s a new current pulling the other direction. Local food caught on and now people are thinking about buying other products from another county instead of another continent. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Franc
Mar 26, 2012 • 1:06:32
Covering Carbon (3/02/12)
Covering Carbon Felicity Barringer, Reporter, The New York Times Marc Lifsher, Reporter, Los Angeles Times California’s scheme to reduce carbon pollution is forging ahead even though Washington DC and other states have hit the brakes on similar efforts. How is the state’s main climate law (AB 32) holding up in a national political environment hostile to any environmental regulations? How well is the mainstream news media covering the complex and murky world of carbon trading? Is the media gi
Mar 8, 2012 • 0:01
GM CEO Dan Akerson (3/7/12)
GM CEO Dan Akerson Dan Akerson, Chairman and CEO, General Motors THaving posted the most profitable year in it history, General Motors seeks to drive technology toward a cleaner future. GM CEO, Dan Akerson says the “new GM” wants to be part of environmental solutions not the problem. He also talks about the Chevy Volt, climate-driven business risk, and funding of the controversial Heartland Institute. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in
Mar 8, 2012 • 1:05:41
From Durban to Rio (2/29/12)
From Durban to Rio Tom Heller, Executive Director, Climate Policy Initiative; Professor, Stanford Law School Marc Stuart, Co-Founder, EcoSecurities Mark Schapiro, Senior Correspondent, Center for Investigative Reporting None of the experts gathered for this Climate One conversation expect much to come from the United Nations climate change negotiations.That’s not to say they think action has stalled. Rather, the panel, which included an international environmental lawyer, a clean energy investor
Mar 2, 2012 • 1:05:23
Cruising 55 (2/13/12)
Cruising 55 Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications, General Motors Roland Hwang, Director of Transportation Programs, NRDC Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board Chris Paulson, VP of Strategy, Coda Automotive Have regulators, environmentalists, and automakers reached détente on the need to boost the fuel efficiency of America’s vehicle fleet? If one judges by the bonhomie displayed on stage by California’s top climate official, a transportation advocate, and two auto-indu
Feb 24, 2012 • 1:05:11
Power Plays: Media Roundtable (2/3/12)
Power Plays: Media Roundtable David Baker, Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Dana Hull, Reporter, San Jose Mercury News Cassandra Sweet, Reporter, Dow Jones Clean energy has boomed in recent years, but to guarantee its continued growth investors need stable, long-term policy support, according to three of the Bay Area’s leading energy journalists.The panel also warns consumers to brace themselves for higher energy prices, predicting that California drivers could be paying $5 per gallon for gas a
Feb 8, 2012 • 1:09:48
Sun Spots (1/30/12)
Sun Spots David Hayes, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior John Laird, Secretary, California Resources Agency David Festa, West Coast Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund Michael Hatfield, Director of Development, First Solar Can large solar farms and the California desert co-exist? Yes, says this expert panel, which includes state and federal policymakers, California Resources Agency Secretary John Laird and Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes; an environmental advocate, David
Feb 2, 2012 • 1:07:07
Wild Weather (12/13/11)
2011 has been marked by extreme weather. In the U.S. alone, a record dozen disasters caused more than $1 billion in damage. This, and the release last month of a special UN report on extreme weather, was the backdrop for this Climate One panel featuring three leading climate scientists. Chris Field, Professor of Environmental Earth Sciences, Stanford University, is Co-Chair of the IPCC working group that produced the extreme weather report. He says the report reached three main conclusions: that
Dec 16, 2011 • 1:05:40
Dr. Richard Alley, Winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication (12/6/11)
The Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication Dr. Richard Alley, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State The event is a moving tribute to the late Stanford University climatologist Stephen Schneider, as Richard Alley is honored as the inaugural winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Alley, the Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, is also host of the PBS documentary "Earth: The Operators M
Dec 7, 2011 • 1:03:52
Dan Miller: Boom or Bust? (11/18/11)
Boom or Bust? Dan Miller, Managing Director, The Roda Group Climate change “is going to dominate our world in the next century. It’s a very big risk, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity, if we make the right choices,” says Dan Miller. Miller, Managing Director at the venture capital firm The Roda Group, notes here that climate change is also treated much differently than other global threats. We spend billions on counterterrorism, to combat AIDS and other infectious diseases, to prevent a nuc
Nov 22, 2011 • 1:07:53
Sun Up (11/17/11)
Sun Up Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria Tom Dinwoodie, CTO, SunPower In the wake of the collapse of solar panel maker Solyndra, the solar industry has received front-page treatment for the first time. Unfortunately, most of the coverage has been negative and ill-informed. In danger of being lost, industry veterans Dan Shugar and Tom Dinwoodie tell this Climate One audience is the good news – that solar is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria, offers a sens
Nov 18, 2011 • 1:06:47
The Great Disruption (11/7/11)
The Great Disruption Paul Gilding, Professor, Cambridge University Program for Sustainability Leadership Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute Growth as we’ve known it is over, say Paul Gilding and Richard Heinberg. “The idea that we can keep on growing the economy up against the physical limits of the Earth” – water, oil, and land – “is not physically possible,” says Gilding, author, The Great Disruption. “We’re in a trap really. If we grow the economy, then we’ll hit those lim
Nov 8, 2011 • 1:05:32
Energy Innovation: Overhaul or Tweak? (11/3/11)
Energy Innovation: Overhaul or Tweak? Severin Borenstein, Co-director, Energy Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Richard Lester, Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center Dan Reicher, Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford America’s innovation engine is the envy of the world, yet it struggles to deploy new technology at the scale commensurate with its economic might. This panel of experts from three of the nation’s leading universities say
Nov 3, 2011 • 1:06:31
William Clay Ford, Jr. (10/27/11)
Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Co. It might sound strange coming from the scion of a family whose name is synonymous with cars, but Bill Ford is worried about a world with too many automobiles. “Even if we clean up our cars, 4 billion clean cars is still 4 billion cars,” he tells this Climate One audience. “Most everybody has been focused on CO2 and fossil fuels and the effect that has on us politically and environmentally. That’s absolutely an appropriate focus,” says William Clay Ford, Jr., Ex
Oct 28, 2011 • 1:05:12
US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) (10/26/11)
US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) America should wean itself from foreign oil and invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Join us for a broad conversation about what Congress could do to promote electric cars, create jobs and spur development of biofuels from forests and agricultural lands. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 26, 2011 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 27, 2011 • 1:09:09
Beyond Petroleum: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico (10/21/11)
Beyond Petroleum: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico Bill Reilly, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission Bob Graham, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission More than a year after oil stopped gushing into the Gulf, the co-chairs of the commission tasked with investigating the Deepwater Horizon oil spill appear together in this Climate One panel to assess the nation’s response to the disaster. Bill Reilly and Bob Graham commend the Obama administration for overhauling regulation of the offshore oil
Oct 25, 2011 • 1:03:38
Beyond Petroleum: Navy Seals Leading the Charge (10/21/11)
Beyond Petroleum: Navy Seals Leading the Charge Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy & Installations Jeremy Carl, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University The U.S. military has ambitious plans to reduce its dangerous dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Can the buying power of the Pentagon drive innovation in new energy technologies and create markets? This conversation explores how the U.S. Navy and other military branches can align their intellec
Oct 25, 2011 • 1:05:51
Saltworks and Beyond (10/18/11)
Saltworks and Beyond Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Peter Calthorpe Associates David Lewis, Executive Director, Save the Bay Jack Matthews, Mayor, San Mateo The debate over Saltworks, a proposal to build 12,000 homes on former salt ponds in Redwood City, is a harbinger of coming development fights in the age of climate change. In this October 18 Climate One debate, architect Peter Calthorpe argues that the need for housing in the San Francisco Bay Area is so great that infill development
Oct 19, 2011 • 1:05:19
Daniel Yergin: On Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World (10/13/11)
On Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World Daniel Yergin, Executive Vice President and Chairman, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates; CNBC Global Energy Expert; Author, The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World Bullish on technology’s ability to tap previously unreachable oil and gas, energy analyst Daniel Yergin tells this Climate One audience to expect the age of fossil fuels to continue well into this century. Yergin is author of The Quest: Energy, S
Oct 18, 2011 • 1:09:01
Red Alert: China Time, China Scale (10/12/11)
Red Alert: China Time, China Scale Peter Greenwood, Executive Director of Strategy, China Light and Power Group Stephen Leeb, Co-author, Red Alert Alex Wang, Visiting Professor, UC Berkeley School of Law Julian Wong, Attorney, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Former Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy The four China watchers assembled for this Climate One panel debate the motives for, and the implications of, China’s domestic climate action, particularly its abundant clean energy investments. St
Oct 18, 2011 • 1:11:00
Drop In, Scale Up? (10/6/11)
Drop In, Scale Up? Ed Dineen, CEO, LS9 Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme Next-generation biofuels are on the verge of a breakthrough but aren’t ready to displace conventional fuels, three Bay Area biofuel company CEOs say in this Climate One talk. The CEOs insist that their fuels must compete on price with conventional gasoline or diesel, with or without government support, or a price on carbon, which means they have to scale up, fast. For biofuels to scale, all agree, they
Oct 7, 2011 • 1:04:38
Truckin' (10/5/11)
Truckin' John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART Mike Tunnell, Director, Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO, Quantum Technologies In August, the Obama administration announced the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses. The three experts convened at this Climate One panel say that the trucking industry is ready to meet the new rules, which require semi-trucks to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2018. “What’s
Oct 7, 2011 • 1:03:04
Jeremy Rifkin, President, Foundation on Economic Trends (10/3/11)
Jeremy Rifkin President, Foundation on Economic Trends; Author, The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy and Changing the World The world is doomed to repeat four-year cycles of booms followed by crashes if we don’t get off oil, Jeremy Rifkin warns in this Climate One talk. The solution, what he calls the Third Industrial Revolution, is the “Energy Internet,” a nervous system linking millions of small renewable energy producers. For Rifkin, author of the new The
Oct 4, 2011 • 1:11:24
Big Green (9/28/11)
Big Green Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club Felicia Marcus, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council Karen Topakian, Board Chair, Greenpeace USA It would not seem a fruitful time to be on the frontlines in the fight to protect the environment in the United States, with the EPA under daily attack and climate legislation stalled. But the three environmental leaders participating in this Climate One panel note that many fronts exist outside of Washington, with at least one f
Sep 29, 2011 • 1:07:30
Carbon & Courts II: Cap and Trade: Fixable or Fatally Flawed? (9/14/11)
Carbon & Courts II: Cap and Trade: Fixable or Fatally Flawed? Edie Chang, Office of Climate Change, California Air Resources Board Brent Newell, General Counsel, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Natural Resources Defense Council It might be the only reference to Star Wars you’ll ever hear at Climate One. Reaching for an analogy to drive home th
Sep 20, 2011 • 1:07:23
Carbon & Courts I: Atmospheric Trust (9/14/11)
Carbon & Courts I: Atmospheric Trust Phil Gregory, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy Pete McCloskey, Former Congressman David Takacs, Associate Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law With climate legislation dead in Congress, and the international climate talks years from resolution, some proponents of climate action are turning to the courts in the hope that judges will compel governments to act. This Climate One panel brings together three attorneys who are pursuing climate action through a novel
Sep 20, 2011 • 1:05:31
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior (9/19/11)
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior California reservoirs are at healthy levels this year, but the state’s water system remains in crisis. Projected changes in the Sierra snowpack and precipitation patterns, along with a growing population, present challenges for hydrating the state’s citizens and economy. How will the federal government help the state secure future water supplies by aiding ambitious projects such as the restoration of the California Bay Delta and the San Joaquin River? How w
Sep 19, 2011 • 1:05:39
Ecosystem Services (9/12/11)
“Humanity needs nature to thrive.” For Peter Seligmann, who delivers that line, and Jib Ellison, who shares the stage with him at this Climate One panel, the abundant services provided by nature too often go unrecognized. So what are those services?, asks Climate One’s Greg Dalton. In basic terms, replies Seligmann, CEO, Conservation International, ecosystem services are what we get from the natural world. He assigns those services to one of four categories: provisions – food, freshwater, and me
Sep 15, 2011 • 1:07:16
Blessed 350: Paul Hawken & Bill McKibben (9/8/11)
In this Climate One conversation, two of the most influential environmentalists of the past 30 years share the same stage for just the second time in their long careers in public life. Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and author of Eaarth, and Paul Hawken, entrepreneur and author of Blessed Unrest, talk about the ailing economy, the economy we must build to succeed it, and the forces that stand in the way. Climate One’s Greg Dalton opens by asking Hawken and McKibben how the United States en
Sep 15, 2011 • 1:12:10
Canada’s Oil Sands: Energy Security, or Energy Disaster? (8/30/11)
Canada’s Oil Sands: Energy Security, or Energy Disaster? Cassie Doyle, Consul General, Canada; Former Canadian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Jason Mark, Earth Island Institute Carl Pope, Chairman, The Sierra Club Alex Pourbaix, President of Energy and Oil Pipelines, TransCanada The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would carry heavy crude oil from Alberta to America’s Gulf Coast refineries. In this Climate One debate, a panel of experts argues for and against the controversial pipeline. For
Sep 1, 2011 • 1:06:13
Power Down (7/22/11)
Power Down The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, President, The Regeneration Project Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer, eMeter Gregory Walton, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stanford University Energy underpins our civilization. It’s hardly surprising that convincing people to use less of something so tied to their comfort and survival is challenging. Smart policy has given California a head start, but it’s not enough. We need to dig deeper to reap energy savings, say these three experts conve
Jul 25, 2011 • 57:44
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council (6/16/11)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council The fact that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is so readily embraced by progressives can conceal that his message is an inherently conservative one. Listen to Kennedy talk for an hour and you’ll hear the words “free market” invoked more often than in any Milton Friedman tome. “Show me a polluter, and I’ll show you a subsidy,” Kennedy is fond of saying, as he does here. The market is flawed, he says, by polluters who “make themselves
Jun 20, 2011 • 1:08:34
Crops, Cattle and Carbon (6/14/11)
Crops, Cattle and Carbon Cynthia Cory, Director of Environmental Affairs, California Farm Bureau Federation Paul Martin, Director of Environmental Services, Western United Dairymen Jeanne Merrill, California Climate Action Network Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture Making California’s farms more energy efficient, and ensuring that farmers can adapt to a warmer planet, will be a decades-long challenge, agrees this panel of experts gathered by Climate One. That a
Jun 15, 2011 • 1:05:58
Salmon Odyssey (6/3/11)
Salmon Odyssey Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Vision Task Force James Norton, Filmmaker, Salmon: Running the Gauntlet Jonathan Rosenfield, Ph.D., Conservation Biologist, The Bay Institute In the post-World War II boom, previous generations prioritized cheap electricity and economic development over salmon. On the West Coast, huge dams blocked rivers and sprawl fragmented habitat. If wild salmon are to survive, in California and elsewhere, we must acknowledge that well-intentioned human ingenuity ha
Jun 6, 2011 • 1:05:33
Sustainable Urbanism (5/25/11)
Sustainable Urbanism Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm Mike Ghielmetti, President, Signature Development Group Ezra Rapport, Executive Director, Association of Bay Area Governments Infill development is hard. Even in California, one of the few states to have given local officials guidance on how to plan for growth, building smart, sustainable projects close to transit is a challenge, says this panel of experts.“People say, ‘We can’t do enough infill.’ There are too many obstacles to do
May 31, 2011 • 1:03:45
Peter Calthorpe, Founder, Calthorpe Associates; Author, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change (5/25/11)
Peter Calthorpe, Founder, Calthorpe Associates; Author, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change It’s a love story gone horribly wrong. Big cars, ever-bigger homes, distant suburbs – all of it kept afloat by cheap oil. If this American arrangement ever made sense, it certainly doesn’t now, Peter Calthorpe says. Tragically, we’re perpetuating this failed system in much of the country, ignoring a cheaper, greener alternative: urbanism. “It’s better than free,” says Calthorpe, founder of Calthorpe Ass
May 31, 2011 • 1:03:12
Edward Humes: Wal-Mart; Force of Nature or Greenwashing? (5/16/11)
Wal-Mart: Force of Nature or Greenwashing? Edward Humes, Author, Force of Nature Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator Wal-Mart is not a sustainable company, says author Edward Humes. But the mega-retailer is making money by investing in sustainability. The story of how Wal-Mart made the pivot toward green is well told by Humes, author of Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution. The unlikely hero is Jib
May 18, 2011 • 1:05:45
Charge It (5/12/11)
Charge It? Rob Bearman, Director, Global Alliances, Utilities and Energy, Better Place Mike DiNucci, VP of Strategic Accounts, Coulomb Technologies Jay Friedland, Legislative Director, Plug In America Jonathan Read, CEO, ECOtality Consumers are ready for electric vehicles. Entrepreneurs and policymakers just need to hustle to work out the kinks in the nationwide networks that will charge the cars, says this panel of experts assembled at Climate One. Automakers see a chance to free their customer
May 16, 2011 • 1:09:55
Pole Position (5/12/11)
Pole Position Forrest Beanum, Vice President of Government Relations, Coda Automotive Oliver Kuttner, CEO, Edison2 Bill Reinert, National Manager, Toyota Michael Robinson, VP for Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, General Motors Dan Sperling, Member, California Air Resources Board; Professor, UC Davis Fifteen years have passed since a major automaker has attempted to market an electric vehicle. Within five years, rare will be the auto showroom that lacks one. But before EVs dominate the mark
May 16, 2011 • 1:09:47
Dr. Tim Flannery: A Natural History of the Planet (5/4/11)
Tim Flannery Professor of Science, Maquarie University; Chair, Copenhagen Climate Council; Author, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator Tim Flannery doesn’t do pessimism. Flannery explains the source of his optimism, a major theme of his new book, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet, in this Climate One conversation at the Hoover Theatre, in San Jose. It stems from what h
May 9, 2011 • 1:02:32
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Member, United States Senate (D-CA) (4/27/11)
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Member, United States Senate (D-CA) in conversation with Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club In this Climate One conversation at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, in San Francisco, Senator Dianne Feinstein touches on some longtime pursuits – national security experience and protecting the California desert from development. She also pledges to investigate the safety of the US nuclear fleet, protect children from toxins, and continue to shield California’s
Apr 29, 2011 • 1:05:13
Measure What? (4/15/11)
Measure What? Michel Gelobter, Chief Green Officer, Hara Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Advisory Services, BSR Glen Low, Principal, Blu Skye Forward-thinking companies are coming to realize that sustainability isn’t just good for their bottom lines; it makes it easier to win over customers and compete in the market, say three corporate greening experts. As new tools such as carbon accounting software become more sophisticated and widely adopted, the panelists say, benefits will accrue not on
Apr 18, 2011 • 1:05:48
Cell Power: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse (4/15/11)
Cell Power: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint Nextel Sprint wants to be recognized as the green leader in the wireless industry, says CEO Dan Hesse in this return visit to Climate One. Hesse warns against the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile and announces the release of the fourth phone in Sprint’s green series, the Samsung Replenish. “As we meet here today,” Hesse says, “the innovative power of the wireless industry is under serious threat” by the proposed AT&T acquisition of T-Mo
Apr 18, 2011 • 1:03:01
Nuclear Power: Setting Sun? (4/8/11)
Nuclear Power: Setting Sun? Jacques Besnainou, CEO AREVA Inc. Lucas Davis, Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Jeff Byron, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission This panel agrees that nuclear power, despite offering the promise of carbon-free electricity and safer next-generation reactors, is challenged by steep upfront costs and where to store spent fuel. Jeff Byron, formerly a member of the California Energy Commission, says the Fukushima tragedy offers the nuclear indu
Apr 11, 2011 • 1:05:58
Energy Policy: What’s Next? (4/5/11)
Energy Policy: What’s Next? T.J. Glauthier, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy James Sweeney, Director, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, Stanford Tony Knowles, Chair, National Energy Policy Institute; Former Governor, Alaska The United States does not have a national energy policy. In this panel convened by Climate One three experts long involved in the US energy debate conspire to shape their own. The plan: steadily increasing the cost of gasoline at the pump, replace diesel w
Apr 7, 2011 • 1:05:05
Jim Rogers: Duke of Energy (4/5/11)
Duke of Energy Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO, Duke Energy Outside of the Oval Office, one of the most influential voices in the energy debate is Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO of Duke Energy. Here Rogers talks about the future of energy policy in the United States in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Rogers says Duke Energy will continue to pursue new nuclear power, despite movements by some governments to rethink their nuclear strategy. “With respect to Japan,” he says, “we will pa
Apr 7, 2011 • 1:07:23
Ted Danson: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them (3/22/11)
Ted Danson: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them Ted Danson, Actor; Environmentalist; Author, Oceana In the mid-1980s, actor Ted Danson was walking along a Santa Monica beach when he noticed a sign: “Water polluted, no swimming.” "Trying to explain that to my kid was hard," he says. Already wealthy and famous from playing Sam Malone on “Cheers,” Danson decided then to use his celebrity to raise awareness about the plight of the world’s oceans. “It sunk in that there is a lot tha
Mar 23, 2011 • 1:03:59
Cloud Power: Microsoft + Google (3/11/11)
Cloud Power: Microsoft + Google (3/11/11) Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft William Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google Greg Dalton, Climate One Founder, Moderator Arch rivals Microsoft and Google find common cause at Climate One promoting the energy efficiency of the cloud. Efficiency alone won’t solve the climate crisis, Rob Bernard of Microsoft and Google’s William Weihl say, but smart IT can reduce emissions, help green the grid, and save money companies and consumers money
Mar 15, 2011 • 1:02:18
Generation Hot (3/9/11)
Generation Hot Mark Hertsgaard, Author, Generation Hot Scott Harmon, Sustainability Advisor to Boy Scouts of America Alec Loorz, Founder, Kids-vs-Global-Warming.com Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator The climate change debate in America appears hopelessly stuck. If the US is to have any chance to break the stalemate, young people must get involved and force their voice to be heard, says this panel of activists convened by Climate One. For Alec Loorz, the 16-year-old founder of www.Ki
Mar 10, 2011 • 1:04:25
American Wasteland (3/7/11)
American Wasteland Jonathan Bloom, Author, American Wasteland Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change A.G. Kawamura, Former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator The ubiquity of food in the United States blinds the mind to a tragic fact: much of it is wasted. Exact numbers are elusive, but estimates suggest that at least a quarter and as much as half of the food produced in this country is never consumed. A panel of food expert
Mar 10, 2011 • 1:03:30
EVs + Smart Grid. Horsepower: Accelerating EVs into the Fast Lane
Horsepower: Accelerating EVs into the Fast Lane Anthony Eggert, Commissioner, California Energy Commission, Transportation Lead Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director, California EV Strategic Plan Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla Motors Marc Geller, Co-founder, Plug-In America Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator Born before the Model T, revived and then extinguished a decade ago by GM, the electric vehicle is poised to dominate the global car industry, s
Jan 18, 2011 • 1:03:56
EVs + Smart Grid. People Power: Rethinking Electricity
People Power: Rethinking Electricity Dian Grueneich, Former Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation and Energy Storage, Electric Power Research Institute Ted Howes, Partner, IDEO Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator The utility-consumer relationship is primed for a fundamental overhaul. Armed with information, formerly passive consumers will take charge of their energy future, say a panel of experts convened by Climate One.
Jan 18, 2011 • 1:03:53
Why Family Dinners Matter: How Every Concern Crosses Your Dinner Plate
Why Family Dinners Matter: How Every Concern Crosses Your Dinner Plate Laurie David, Producer, An Inconvenient Truth; Author, The Family Dinner Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One We are at risk of losing a cherished and nourishing tradition, the family dinner, says author and activist Laurie David. Producer of An Inconvenient Truth and author of the just-released The Family Dinner, David says a host of pressures and dangers threaten the family dinner. The culprits are familiar: long commutes; T
Nov 15, 2010 • 1:02:21
Science As A Contact Sport
Science As A Contact Sport Ben Santer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford Uninversity Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator Confronted with overwhelming evidence of a warming planet, scientists have a duty to leave the laboratory and engage the public, say two leading climatologists. This Climate One program, titled “Science as a Contact Sport,” is a tribute to the late Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schn
Nov 4, 2010 • 1:01:32
Proposition 23: Job Killer or Creator?
Proposition 23: Yes or No? Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs Nancy Floyd, Manging Director, Nth Power Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers Tom Tanton, President, T2 & Associates Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator The night before an election that would decide the fate of California’s landmark climate change law, a panel of energy experts convened by Climate One debates whether AB 32 would catalyze or cripple the state’s economy. The measure before voters, Propositi
Nov 2, 2010 • 1:02:36
Calories and Carbon
Calories and Carbon Ken Cook, Founder and President, Environmental Working Group Whendee Silver, Professor of Ecology, UC Berkeley; Marin Carbon Project Helene York, Director, Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator Grappling with the carbon impact of our food system is not easy. Faced with such uncertainty, Ken Cook’s simple advice is apt: “Eat lower down the food chain – better for you, better for the planet.” Cook, founder and president of the
Oct 27, 2010 • 1:07:34
The Climate Fix?
The Climate Fix? Roger Pielke, Professor, University of Colorado What’s the most efficient way to minimize the impacts of climate change? Public policy? Massive funding of new technology? Buying off emerging countries that will soon emit most of the world’s carbon pollution? Pielke, who is affiliated with The Breakthrough Institute, is critical of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He’ll explain why and offer his take on the state of climate science. This program was recorded in fron
Oct 21, 2010 • 1:01:45
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator In just her third appearance before a US audience as secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton touts the potential of American innovation to further public diplomacy and to help tackle a host of global challenges. Before a sold-out Commonwealth Club crowd of 1,500, Clinton comments on global flashpoints – Afghanistan, Iran, and Mexico – while addressing climate change and clean energy. Clinton repeatedly st
Oct 16, 2010 • 1:12:10
In the Balance: Energy, Economy and Environment
In the Balance: Energy, Economy and Environment Part of The Chevron California Innovation Series Raj Atluru, Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council Cathy Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association Virgil Welch, Special Assistant to the Chairman, California Air Resources Board Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator The low-carbon ec
Oct 14, 2010 • 1:04:24
Solar Surge?
Solar Surge? John Woolard, CEO, BrightSource Energy Karen Douglas, Chairman, California Energy Commission Lisa Hoyos, California Director, Apollo Alliance Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator A “perfect storm” of policy and incentives has made 2010 a banner year for solar in California, but for the boom to continue in the state and the rest of the United States, major obstacles need to be cleared, according to a panel of experts convened by Climate One. Karen Douglas, Chair of the California Ene
Oct 11, 2010 • 1:05:47
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Green Light or Red Light Ahead?
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Green Light or Red Light Ahead? With an election approaching that will decide his successor and the fate of his landmark legislative achievement, California’s climate law known as AB 32, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a full-throated defense of his legacy. Schwarzenegger’s aim, he says, is to shed a spotlight on “forces willing to sacrifice this country’s environmental future for private gain” by pushing Proposition 23. “Oil companies like Valero and Tesoro a
Sep 30, 2010 • 1:09:42
Salt, Oil and Carbon
Salt, Oil and Carbon Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nancy Sutley, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality, the White House Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One A new national oceans policy will require a patchwork of federal agencies to collaborate on managing the country’s oceans and lakes for the first time, according to Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House
Sep 14, 2010 • 1:10:08
Cradle to California
Cradle to California William McDonough, Architect and Author, Cradle to Cradle Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One American architect McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart started the Cradle to Cradle revolution in manufacturing and design. Now they want to drive that integrated thinking deeper into the heart of capitalism. How? By creating a startup in Silicon Valley. The Green Products Innovation Institute, which McDonough and Governor Schwarzenegger christened last spring, aims to tr
Sep 8, 2010 • 1:07:16
Spin It Green: The Story of Marissa Muller
The evolving status of women in the world today will be explored at The Commonwealth Club throughout the month of August in the series The Ascent of Woman. Through speakers, panels, films and art, we will examine this transformational period in women's history, this dramatic shift from the expectation of our mothers' choices, to how we work and live today in ways that reach out through our families and communities to reverberate throughout the nation. The Ascent of Woman series will illumina
Sep 2, 2010 • 1:00:48
Power Shift: The U.S. Navy and Global Energy Reform
Power Shift: The U.S. Navy and Global Energy Reform Ray Mabus, Secretary of the U.S. Navy Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One Within 10 years, the United States Navy will get one-half of all its energy needs, both afloat and ashore, from non-fossil fuel sources,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus says. He believes that the US military can jump-start the clean energy revolution. “If we can begin to get this energy from different places and from different sources, then I think you can flip the line
Aug 18, 2010 • 1:01:30
Rep. Ed Markey: Cap and Fade?
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) Undaunted by the death of climate legislation in the Senate this summer, U.S. Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) vows to reintroduce comprehensive legislation next year and guarantees its passage within a few years. “We have a responsibility to the rest of the world,” Markey says, “most of the CO2 which is up there is red white and blue.” Markey, chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, concedes that events in the spring, includi
Aug 16, 2010 • 1:07:32
After BP: Climate Progress?
After BP: Climate Progress? Joe Romm, Editor, Climate Progress Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress It is “morally unconscionable” for the fossil fuel industry, and the politicians who carry their water in Congress, to stand in the way of action on climate change, says Climate Progress blogger Joe Romm. A Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former US Department of Energy official, Romm says California voters have an opportunity this November to defeat the forces se
Jul 20, 2010 • 1:07:16
Shai Agassi: A Better Model?
Shai Agassi: A Better Model? Founder and CEO, Better Place In conversation with Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One INFORUM’s Next 21st Century Visionary Award Shai Agassi wants to tip a $3 trillion market – the market for miles. Agassi, the CEO and Founder of Better Place, said he plans to end oil’s stranglehold on the global economy by offering consumers access to miles in electric cars that will be cheaper,and more convenient, than the gasoline-powered cars they replace. Most large
Jul 13, 2010 • 1:05:59
Hot, Wet and Uncertain
Hot, Wet and Uncertain Wieslaw Maslowski, Research Professor, Naval Post Graduate School Will Travis, Executive Director, Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission Andrew J. Gunther, Executive Director, Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club VP, Founder of Climate One, Moderator What do scientists predict the Earth will be like in a few decades? While imperfect and complex, computer models using historic data and forward projections suggest d
Jul 12, 2010 • 1:10:13
America’s Climate War
America’s Climate War Eric Pooley, Deputy Editor, Bloomberg BusinessWeek Why is the national conversation about America’s energy future so polarized? Who are the true believers, power brokers and climate-change deniers working the halls of power in Washington? The political story of global warming includes colorful characters from activists chaining themselves to bulldozers and powerful lobbyists in the West Wing of President Obama’s administration. Pooley had extensive access to Al Gore in
Jun 25, 2010 • 1:07:03
Merchants of Doubt
Merchants of Doubt Erik Conway, Historian, California Institute of Technology What do tobacco and fossil fuels have in common? A handful of scientists were able to obscure the truth about both threats to public well-being, according to author Conway. “Doubt is our product,” one tobacco executive reportedly said. Oil and coal companies borrowed a page from that playbook and have used it effectively to cast a cloud over climate science. The result? Opinion polls show that a falling percent
Jun 14, 2010 • 1:02:52
Corporate Sustainability: A Sprint or Marathon?
Corporate Sustainability: A Sprint or Marathon? Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint When every company claims to be a green leader, how can consumers know which ones really are? Hesse will share his insights on why sustainable growth is sound business and can offer a competitive edge in an industry expanding rapidly around the world. What are the energy and environmental impacts of the global wireless revolution? Sprint has introduced eco-friendly phones and placed in the top 20 of Newsweek magazine’s 2
Jun 11, 2010 • 1:07:55
Drill, Baby, Spill
Drill, Baby, Spill Jim Boyd, Vice Chair, California Energy Commission Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club Dan Miller, Managing Director, The Roda Group Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association What impact will the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico have on America’s energy supply? With the environmental and economic damage mounting daily, California has backed away from plans to drill off the West Coast. Will the United States also change course
May 21, 2010 • 1:09:52
Reporter's Roundtable
Reporter's Roundtable Are electric cars ready for prime time? And is California hitting the brakes on its climate legislation? Our reporter's roundtable discusses all these issues and more with environmental reporter Todd Woody and Craig Miller of KQED's Climate Watch. This program was recorded live on May 13, 2010 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 14, 2010 • 22:46
National Ocean Policy: Working to Protect Our Oceans and Resources
National Ocean Policy: Working to Protect Our Oceans and Resources Sarah Chasis, Director of Ocean Initiative, Natural Resources Defense Council Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium Michael Thuss, Director and Member, Texas Water Conservancy Association Warner Chabot, CEO, California League of Conservation Voters; Former Vice President, the Ocean Conservancy – Moderator The United States has ocean areas larger than any country in the world. The White House is consideri
May 14, 2010 • 1:05:54
Youth Grabbing the Wheel: Young Leaders Speak Up on Driving Down Carbon
Youth Grabbing the Wheel: Young Leaders Speak Up on Driving Down Carbon Jason Bade, 19, Stanford Student; Co-director, Green Youth Alliance; California Climate Champion Gemma Givens, 19, UC Santa Cruz Student; Member, Indigenous Environment Network Shreya Indukuri, 16, Harker Upper School Student; Co-founder SmartPowerEd.org Alli Reed, UC Berkeley student; Real Food Challenge What would the move to a clean-energy economy look like if your kids were driving? Business and policy leaders o
May 5, 2010 • 1:05:13
Cap and Charade?
Cap and Charade? Michael Shellenberger, Breakthrough Institute Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate, Natural Resources Defense Council Larry Goulder, Chair, Department of Economics, Stanford Would capping and trading carbon pollution create a prosperous clean energy economy? Or would it be a boondoggle for Wall Street and scammers in developing countries? While touted as a market-based way to put a price on carbon, cap and trade has been parodied by Jon Stewart as
Apr 26, 2010 • 1:08:58
Vinod Khosla: Forecast or Invent Our Energy Future?
Forecast or Invent Our Energy Future? Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures; Former CEO, Sun Microsystems Predictions of peak oil and resource scarcity are driving investments in new energy and technologies. What will determine the winners and losers? What policies are needed to drive innovation and send proper price signals? Are incremental solutions such as hybrid vehicles helpful, or does the climate challenge require huge breakthroughs at the system level? This program was recorded i
Apr 21, 2010 • 1:01:38
Global Warring with Cleo Paskal
Global Warring Cleo Paskal, Consultant, U.S. Department of Energy Associate Fellow, Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London The changing climate now has the attention of military establishments around the world. Last year, for example, the CIA created a group focused on tracking the national-security implications of desertification, rising sea levels, population shifts and heightened competition for natural resources. What will the opening of the Arctic mean for Russi
Apr 19, 2010 • 1:04:55
Fossil Fuels + Dependence = Security Risks?
Fossil Fuels + Dependence = Security Risks? Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, United States Navy, Retired What do military officers think about the United States’ reliance on oil? One group of retired brass concluded that it threatens economic stability and national security. Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn (retired) says the 12 people studied scientific data and energy models for more than a year and concluded that the Pentagon should clearly integrate energy and climate change into its strategy and
Mar 30, 2010 • 1:03:39
Is Your God Green?
Is Your God Green? Reverend Sally Bingham, Interfaith Power and Light Senior Rabbi Stephen Pearce, Temple Emanu-El What would Jesus say about climate change? What does the Torah say about stewardship of God's creation? Leaders from different religious traditions discuss how their respective philosophies and scriptures guide their approach to today's energy challenges. They'll also address how congregations around the country are getting involved in the movement to build a cleaner energy fut
Mar 25, 2010 • 1:05:09
Geo-engineering: Global Salvation or Ruin?
Geo-engineering: Global Salvation or Ruin? Ken Caldeira, Professor, Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution Albert Lin, Professor, UC Davis School of Law David Whelan, Chief Scientist, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Should humans address man-made rising temperatures and sea levels by tinkering further with Mother Nature? A lively debate about such geo-engineering burst into the mainstream recently with reference to Caldeira’s work in the final chapter of the popular book SuperFreakonomics.
Feb 24, 2010 • 1:11:23
After Copenhagen: What Now?
After Copenhagen: What Now? Emily Adler, Partnership Director, Alliance for Climate Education Louis Blumberg, Director, California Climate Change, The Nature Conservancy Tony Brunello, Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Energy, California Natural Resources Agency Leslie Durschinger, Managing Partner, Terra Global Capital Caitlin Grey, Student, Alameda High School Dan Jacobson, Executive Director, Environment California AG Kawamura, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agricu
Feb 3, 2010 • 1:05:53
Chris Martenson: Oil, Water and Climate
Chris Martenson: Oil, Water and Climate A former employee of the International Energy Agency told the Guardian newspaper recently that figures about worldwide oil supplies are exaggerated. That supported what peak oil adherents such as Martenson have been saying for years. In addition to oil, he discusses how the intertwining effects of the economy and environment will coalesce to shape a future radically different from the past. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the C
Jan 28, 2010 • 1:05:25
The King of Coal, Prince of Wind? Dave Freudenthal, Governor of Wyoming
The King of Coal, Prince of Wind? Dave Freudenthal, Governor of Wyoming With America’s largest deposits of coal and uranium, Wyoming sends massive amounts of energy to California and the rest of the country. Governor Freudenthal is trying to chart a new path for an extraction state where half the people don’t believe global warming is real. He’s looking to cleaner ways of using coal and believes natural gas is a winner, for fueling transportation or generating electricity. Wind power also
Jan 25, 2010 • 1:06:00
Panel: Scaling Up Solar Power in California
Sun Up: Scaling Solar Power in California Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs Mike Peevey, Chair, California Public Utilities Commission Mike Splinter, CEO, Applied Materials Nancy McFadden, Senior Vice President, PG&E Solar power is surging in popularity as a renewable energy source, yet still remains a small part of California’s overall energy supply. How will this situation change, in light of a state plan calling for a massive scaling up of renewable sources by 2030? Wh
Jan 21, 2010 • 59:26
Climate One in Copenhagen
Climate One in Copenhagen Segment One Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor, California Huang Ming, Founder and CEO, Himin Solar (one of China's largest renewable energy companies) Segment Two Rajendra Pachauri, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Caio Koch-Weser, Vice Chair, Deutsche Bank As the tumultuous climate negotiations in Copenhagen near the end, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says it is embarrassing that the US does not have a national climate policy
Dec 17, 2009 • 1:00:00
James Letz: The Future of Cars and the Auto Industry
The Future of Cars and the Auto Industry James Lentz, President/COO, Toyota, USA, Inc. Toyota is known for creativity and a commitment to sustainable development, but is it enough in today's ultra-competitive globalized car industry? Come hear the unique perspective of industry veteran Lentz, who launched the innovative Scion brand in 2001, on what automakers are doing to ensure vehicles are a benefit, not a burden, to society and what future designs may be on the horizon. This program w
Nov 20, 2009 • 1:06:02
India: Deal Maker or Deal Breaker?
India: Deal Maker or Deal Breaker? India plays a critical role in the global climate chess game. It’s hard line stance has been softening slightly recently as the Copenhagen negotiations approach. What is India’s approach to the international negotiations? What are the prospects for reforming its electricity sector? How is clean technology faring in India now? These questions are addressed by Varun Rai, a Research Fellow at Stanford University’s Program on Energy and Sustainable Development
Nov 13, 2009 • 31:10
Lester Brown: Saving Civilization Is Not a Spectator Sport
Saving Civilization Is Not a Spectator Sport Lester Brown, President, Earth Policy Institute Brown sees concern in the merging of world food and energy economies. Putting corn ethanol in gas tanks and grain-intensive food (beef) into more human bellies will drive up commodity prices and exacerbate fresh water scarcity. Though he believes the Earth is under stress, Brown is hopeful, in part because for the first time since the Industrial Revolution we have begun investing in energy sources t
Nov 13, 2009 • 1:08:11
David Orr: Confronting Climate Collapse
Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse David Orr, Professor, Environmental Studies and Politics, Oberlin College Due to our refusal to live within the Earth’s natural limits, we now face a multitude of problems that will have a severe negative impact on human civilization. Orr, an expert on environmental literacy and ecological design, further argues that political negligence, an economy driven by insatiable consumption and a disregard for future generations are only adding to our p
Nov 13, 2009 • 1:04:13
Stephen Schneider: What’s Science Got to Do with Climate Change?
What’s Science Got to Do with Climate Change? Stephen Schneider, Professor of Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, Stanford Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One What risks does the changing climate pose to the global economy and how can we manage those risks? Rather than betting so much on a cap-and-trade regime for carbon pollution, Schneider says policymakers should fund more research to invent our way to a greener economy. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at th
Nov 5, 2009 • 1:05:43
Henry N. Pollack, Ph.D: A World Without Ice
A World Without Ice: Man’s Impact on Climate Change Henry N. Pollack, Ph.D., Professor of Geophysics, University of Michigan It has taken just three centuries for human growth and rising industrial economies to bring the delicate relationship between ice and humans to a dangerous precipice. Ice carved Earth’s landscape to its present state – the sharp Alpine peaks of Europe, the vast Great Lakes of North America, the majestic valleys of Yosemite National Park and the deeply incised fjords
Nov 5, 2009 • 1:00:06
Tim Flannery: Now or Never
Tim Flannery Chairman, Copenhagen Climate Council; Author, Now or Never: Why We Must Act Now to End Climate Change and Create a Sustainable Future Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One - Moderator One of the world's leading scientists and notable climate experts offers a pragmatic roadmap of the environmental challenges we face in dealing with climate change and the potential solutions toward sustainable living. Rather than looking backward and assigning blame, Flannery offers a powerful argum
Nov 5, 2009 • 1:02:15
EPA + You = A Greener Future. Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA + You = A Greener Future Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency After winning higher auto fuel economy earlier this year, what are the EPA’s next big priorities? In her first visit to California as the country’s chief environmental regulator, Jackson will lay out her vision for cleaning up America’s air, water and land. What are her plans on toxics, mining and other hot-button issues? And with climate legislation winding through Congress, what is her view on
Oct 2, 2009 • 1:07:53
Arnold Schwarzenegger: California - Carbon = A Cleaner World?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: California - Carbon = A Cleaner World? Governor of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will soon convene a global summit of governors from developing countries to advance the transition to a clean-energy economy. Before that happens, he visited Climate One for a discussion of California's role managing greenhouse gases, promoting green jobs and developing clean technology. Join us at the intersection of policy, politics and carbon for a conversation with the gove
Sep 25, 2009 • 1:10:18
Hopenhagen: Seth Farbman, Jon Krosnick, Adam Werbach - Public Support for a Deal in Copenhagen
Hopenhagen: Seth Farbman, Jon Krosnick, Adam Werbach - Public Support for a Deal in Copenhagen Adam Werbach, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi S Seth Farbman, Managing Director, Ogilvy & Mather Jon Krosnick, Professor of Communication and Political Science, Stanford University Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One What do people around the world think about the threat of climate change and the promise of a new clean economy? Are they informed about the international negotiations in Copenhagen? If cl
Sep 16, 2009 • 1:09:46
Panel: Carbon Exchange 101 - controlling emissions and boosting the economy
Carbon Exchange 101 Eileen Tutt, Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Justice, Cal EPA Lawrence Goulder, Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, Stanford University Josh Margolis, CEO, Cantor CO2e Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club – Moderator Could carbon exchange be the best route to controlling emissions? Some argue that the cap-and-trade approach lets companies buy the right to pollute, while others see a way to encourage clean industry wh
Sep 16, 2009 • 1:00:07
Woody Tasch: Slow Money - Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered
Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered Woody Tasch, Chair and President, Slow Money; Author Tasch is the chairman and president of Slow Money, a new nonprofit intermediary dedicated to catalyzing the flow of capital to enterprises that support the values that underline slow money, Tasch explains how we can “slow down” the flow of money to support soil fertility and local communities. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of C
Aug 28, 2009 • 1:00:19
Gill Friend: The Truth About Green Business and the Potential for Jobs and Prosperity
The Truth About Green Business: The Potential for Jobs and Prosperity Gil Friend, Founder/CEO, Natural Logic, Inc.; Author, The Truth About Green Business Running a profitable business that takes care of the environment, provides meaningful jobs, and helps the community is an oxymoron, right? Not so fast. Friend suggests that green business practices are good for business and the world. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on August
Aug 21, 2009 • 1:05:15
World Bank: Driving Incomes Up, Carbon Down
World Bank: Driving Incomes Up, Carbon Down Katherine Sierra, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank Group Awais Khan, Lead, Clean Tech Venture Capital Practice, KPMG Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club Are the world’s poor going to get shafted in the clean economy, just as they did in the dirty one? The World Bank is at the center of the great 21st-century challenge of reducing carbon while creating opportunity in emerging economies. When are tho
Jul 30, 2009 • 1:06:55
Curtailing Suburban Sprawl in California
Curtailing Suburban Sprawl in California Ted Droettboom, Joint Policy Director, Association of Bay Area Governments Laura Hall, Principal, Hall Alminana, Inc. Paul Campos, Vice President and General Counsel, Northern California Home Builders Association As California’s population has grown, so too has the state’s thirst for expansion and elbow-room. As a result, Californians are spending more time in their cars than ever before. Longer commutes equate to higher greenhouse gas emissions, wi
Jul 14, 2009 • 1:07:29
Chevron + Sierra Club: Drilling for Common Ground
Chevron + Sierra Club: Drilling for Common Ground Dave O’Reilly, CEO, Chevron Carl Pope, Executive Director, The Sierra Club Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal – Moderator Chevron and the Sierra Club both see renewable fuels as a growing part of our future. Yet as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy, they have different views on how that change should occur and who should bear the costs. Higher taxes? Voluntary conservation and efficiency? Government
Jun 11, 2009 • 1:06:04
The Road to Copenhagen: Are We on Track?
The Road to Copenhagen: Are We on Track? Bill Reilly, Chairman, Climate Works Foundation; Former Administrator, EPA Larry Schweiger, President, National Wildlife Federation; Board Member, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection John Bryson, Retired CEO, Southern California Edison; Co-founder, National Resources Defense Council Greg Dalton, Vice President, Commonwealth Club of California In six months more than 180 nations will gather in Copenhagen to hammer out one of the most far-reac
Jun 9, 2009 • 1:10:37
Rethinking Buying and Building: A New Sustainability Chain
Rethinking Buying and Building: A New Sustainability Chain Andy Ball, CEO, Webcor Builders Beth Springer, EVP, Clorox Dave Steiner, CEO, Waste Management, Inc. Greg Dalton, Vice President, Commonwealth Club, moderator Companies and consumers are being asked to think more about the full life-cycle of the products they make and buy. Whether making consumer goods or constructing skyscrapers, companies are coming around to such a cradle-to-cradle mentality. This panel, which includes the
May 18, 2009 • 1:08:02
Clean Coal: Myth, or Reality?
Clean Coal: Myth, or Reality? S. Julio Friedmann, Carbon Management Program Leader, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Ray Lane, Managing Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Bruce Nilles, Director, Beyond Coal Campaign at Sierra Club Joe Lucas, Senior Vice President, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity Jeff Goodell, Author, Big Coal – Moderator Coal-fired power plants are the largest U.S. emitters of CO2 and human-generated mercury, yet our nation is poised to build m
Apr 30, 2009 • 1:08:27
Change in Your Palm: The Borneo Rainforest
Biologist Birute Mary Galdikas discusses the connection between Indonesian rainforests and climate change. In conversation with Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, founder of Climate One Deforestation in Indonesia, driven largely by large palm oil plantations, has caused that country to become the third largest emitter of greenhouses gases in the world. Galdikas, who studied under anthropologist Louis Leakey, has been studying orangutans in Borneo for nearly 40 years. She urges p
Apr 29, 2009 • 25:09
Auden Schendler: Getting Green Done - Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution
Getting Green Done: Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution Auden Schendler, Executive Director of Sustainability, Aspen Skiing Company; Author, Getting Green Done What does the mechanic say when you ask him to put french fry oil in his $250,000 tractor? How do you actually make sustainability happen? Schendler will give us a peek under the hood of the green movement – what it means, in the trenches, to implement actual solutions to climate change. This program
Apr 7, 2009 • 1:00:17
Climate Security
Andrew Vincent Alder, Senior Fellow, Institute for Environmental Security Holmes Hummel, Lecturer, Climate Policy, University of California, Berkeley Tom Spencer, Vice Chair, The Institute for Climate Security Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club, Moderator What is the geopolitical context in which the “Carbon Quad” – The United States, European Union, China and India – are posturing regarding a global deal to reduce carbon pollution? What is the potential impact of the dwi
Mar 16, 2009 • 33:05
Clean Tech for California: Winners of the Third Annual California Clean Tech Open 2008
Clean Tech for California: Emerging Winners Jennifer Billock, Founder, Over the Moon Diapers – Air, Water, and Waste Winner Tuyen Vo, Founder and CTO, Viridis Earth – Energy Efficiency Winner Michael Looney, CEO and President, BottleStone – Green Building Winner Allen Bronstein, Founder and CTO, Focal Point Energy – Renewables Winner Donnie Foster, CEO and President, Power Assure – Smart Power Winner Fraser Smith, CEO, ElectraDrive – Transportation Winner Betsy Rosenberg, Founder, EcoTal
Mar 4, 2009 • 1:01:12
Two Billion Cars: Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board.
Driving Toward Sustainability Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board By 2020, the number of cars on the planet will double to two billion. Without big changes to our cars, fuels and personal habits, the carbon footprint from transportation will rise above its current 25 percent of total emissions. Can we break the cycle of “shock and trance?” Join energy expert Sperling as he reveals what is at stake if we refuse t
Feb 19, 2009 • 1:05:36
Letter To President Obama: Path to a Greener Future. Linda Adams (CalEPA), Carter Roberts (World Wildlife Fund), Jim Wunderman (Bay Area Council of Businesses)
Letter to President Obama: A Path to a Greener Future Linda Adams, Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency Carter Roberts, CEO, World Wildlife Fund U.S. Jim Wunderman, President and CEO, Bay Area Council Greg Dalton, Vice President Commonwealth Club Can President Obama heal the economy and turn it green at the same time? He says yes, he can – by pumping investment into modern infrastructure, renewable fuels and new technologies. Can he and his cabinet really do all that and
Feb 13, 2009 • 1:10:03
Alan Weisman, Author of "The World Without Us"
Alan Weisman, Author of "The World Without Us" Alan Weisman's reports from around the world have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Orion, Wilson Quarterly, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, Discover, Audubon, Condé Nast Traveler, and in many anthologies, including Best American Science Writing 2006. In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how our massive infrastructure would collapse and finally vanish without human pres
Feb 10, 2009 • 1:11:25
Cars: Clean Them or Crush Them. International Council on Clean Transportation, Clean Air Initiative (Asia), and UC Berkeley
Cars: Clean Them or Crush Them? Kate Blumberg, Research Director,International Center for Clean Transportation Cornie Huizenga, Vice-Chair, Clean Air Initiative, Asia Center Michael O’Hare, Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley Lee Schipper, Project Scientist, Global Metropolitan Studies, UC Berkeley Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, Moderator The number of cars in the world may double in twenty years to 2 billion if the emerging middle class in India and
Feb 2, 2009 • 52:30
Getting Your Green Dream Job.
Getting Your Green Dream Job Nick Ellis, CEO, Bright Green Talent Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners Peter Beadle, CEO, Green Jobs Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com; Author, Strategies for the Green Economy – Moderator Want a green job? INFORUM will tell you how to get it. In an increasingly green society, eco-friendly jobs are popping up everywhere. You don’t have to be an eco-expert to take advantage of this new mark
Jan 30, 2009 • 0:01
Climate Countdown: Can The World Cut A Deal? The Nature Conservancy, California Resources Agency
Climate Countdown: Can the World Cut a Deal? Tony Brunello, Deputy Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, California Louis Blumberg, Director, CA Forest and Climate Policy, The Nature Conservancy Aimee Christensen, Founder and CEO, Christensen Global Strategies Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One – Moderator In 2009, the world will try to craft the next comprehensive environmental treaty. To move forward, there must be multi-lateral consensus on the
Jan 22, 2009 • 1:07:17
Energy Efficiency Unplugged. Chevron, NRDC, Wall Street Journal, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Energy Efficiency Unplugged Jim Davis, President, Chevron Energy Solutions Ralph Cavanagh, Co-director, Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor and Executive Editor Online, The Wall Street Journal – Moderator Can we “save” our way to energy independence? Many energy companies contend the cheapest energy is unused energy. Changes in the construction and management of buildings h
Jan 21, 2009 • 1:02:30
Stewart Brand, Co-founder and President, Long Now Foundation
City Planet Stewart Brand, Co-founder and President, Long Now Foundation Brand will discuss how increasing urbanization is accelerating economic development with remarkable speed. The consequences will be profound, he believes. Are we prepared? Brand has focused on such subjects as digital media, education and architecture. He’s perhaps best known for founding the Whole Earth Catalog. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on June 14, 2007 Learn mor
Jan 16, 2009 • 1:05:31
James Howard Kunstler, Author of "The Long Emergency" & "The Geography of Nowhere"
Author, The Long Emergency, James Howard Kunstler is an author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger. He is best known for his books The Geography of Nowhere (1994), a history of American suburbia and urban development, and the more recent The Long Emergency (2005), where he argues that declining oil production is likely to result in the end of industrialized society as we know it and force Americans to live in localized, agrarian communities. This program was recorded in front of a li
Jan 9, 2009 • 1:06:50
Renewable Energy for California: Challenges and Solutions
Renewable Energy for California: Challenges and Solutions Paul Douglas, Renewables Portfolio Standard Program Manager, California Public Utilities Commission Roy Kuga, Vice President of Energy Supply, PG&E Diane Fellman, Director of California Regulatory Affairs, FPL Energy Carl Zichella, Regional Director for California, Sierra Club Cliff Chen, Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists - Moderator How fast should electric power companies change their game plans? Al Gore has challenged the
Oct 22, 2008 • 1:05:18
John Hofmeister, Founder and Chief Executive, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Co.
Is Big Oil Part of Our Energy Problem, or the Solution? John Hofmeister, Founder and Chief Executive, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Co. Big Energy is feeling the heat as skyrocketing oil costs and climate-change buzz fuel criticism from consumers and the media. But recently retired Shell chief Hofmeister will give a major speech addressing how the goals of consumers, the environmental movement and energy companies are actually closely aligned. He has just found
Oct 17, 2008 • 1:13:39
Rob Dunbar, Professor of Earth Science, Senior Fellow, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Global Climate Change in the Decades Ahead: Fact Versus Fiction Rob Dunbar, Professor of Earth Science, Senior Fellow, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Dunbar takes a fresh look at the controversy surrounding the global warming crisis. He discusses unprecedented changes in the environment, focusing on air-sea interactions, tropical marine ecosystems, polar climate and the transfer of chemicals between organisms and environme
Oct 9, 2008 • 1:11:59
Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google
Where Would Google Drill? Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google Would “Drill, Baby, Drill” be part of Google’s vision for green energy? Yes, but not drilling for oil. CEO Schmidt says punching down into the Earth to capture natural and clean geothermal energy could help move the United States away from its dependence on petroleum. Google’s new energy plan also calls for a bold move into solar and wind power. It would cost $2.7 trillion through 2030. However, Schmidt says it would generate $2.1 trillion i
Oct 2, 2008 • 1:04:03
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California In signing a landmark climate change law two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger put California ahead of the parade to a low-carbon economy. “The global warming debate is over,” he declared. Public awareness has surged since then, but most of the hard work still lies ahead. How will California meet its goal of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases 25 percent by 2020? Will offshore oil drilling be resumed? Who will pay for the transition to sustainab
Sep 27, 2008 • 1:06:52
Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi
Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board (CARB) Ray Lane, Managing partner of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, founder of The Club's Climate One Initiative PANEL: Leading a transformation to a global low-carbon economy Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pacha
Jun 28, 2008 • 1:08:33
Panel: Climate Change and Computers
Bill Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google Chris Geiger, Municipal Toxics Reduction Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment Subodh Bapat, Vice President and Distinguished Engineer in the Eco Responsibility Office, Sun Microsystems The digital age is improving the quality of our lives in many ways. But with advanced technology comes greater energy consumption and an impact on our environment. Bill Weihl, Google’s “Green Energy Czar,” and other energy experts will address the enviro
May 6, 2008 • 0:01
Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO, General Motors
Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO, General Motors Can GM Really Be Green Motors? “We are looking forward to hearing what Rick Wagoner has to say on energy diversity and security,” comments Greg Dalton, Club VP and Director of The Club’s new Climate One Program, who orchestrated the program. “A lot of Californians want to know if US automakers are finally turning the corner on the role of cars as a major source of global warming.” Wagoner has held numerous high level posts at General Motors. Be
May 2, 2008 • 1:05:56
Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defese Fund
Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defese Fund Fred Krupp discusses his new book Earth: The Sequel - The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming. The Environmental Defense Fund helped reduce acid rain in the 1990s by using market forces, and last year it played a role in the buyout of Texas utility TXU that reduced the number of planned coal-fired power plants. The advocacy group's president, Fred Krupp, believes business-friendly approaches such as carbon cap-and-trade systems a
Apr 24, 2008 • 1:07:35
Adam Werbach, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Former President, Sierra Club; Commissioner, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Adam Werbach CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Former President, Sierra Club; Commissioner, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission A lot has happened since Adam Werbach declared environmentalism dead in a speech to The Commonwealth Club three years ago. In 2007, Werbach's sustainability agency Act Now helped Wal-Mart engage its 1.3 million employees in one of the largest grassroots sustainability movements to date - the Personal Sustainability Project. In January 2008, Act Now was acquired by Saatchi
Apr 11, 2008 • 1:05:56
Jay Inslee & Bracken Hendricks, authors of "Appollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy"
Jay Inslee is a Representative in the United States House of Representatives, representing the First District of the State of Washington, in the Seattle area. He is a recognized leader in Congress on energy issues and is the prime sponsor of the New Apollo Energy Act, a comprehensive plan to build a clean energy economy in America. Bracken Hendricks is a Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress where he works on issues of climate change and energy independence, environmental protecti
Mar 29, 2008 • 0:01
David Deppen, Environmental Architect-Anatomy of a Green Building
ANATOMY OF A GREEN BUILDING Dave Deppen, Environmental Architect This program was recorded in front of a live audience on March 27, 2008 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 29, 2008 • 1:03:54
Peter Barnes, Tomales Bay Institute, Co-Founder of Working Assets
HOW TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT SOAKING THE MIDDLE CLASS Peter Barnes, Tomales Bay Institute, Co-Founder of Working Assets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 13, 2008 • 58:49
Panel: Winners of the Clean Tech Open
PROPELLING CLEAN TECH IDEAS INTO CLEAN TECH BILLIONS Progress Report from the Winners of the Clean Tech Open Winners tell their stories and display their products and technologies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 23, 2008 • 1:05:44
Gary Hirshberg, President and CE-Yo, Stonyfield Farm
STIRRING IT UP: How to Make Money and Save the World. Gary Hirshberg, President and CE-Yo, Stonyfield Farm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 21, 2008 • 59:40
Panel: Climate Change after Bali
Ambassador RENO L. HARNISH III, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs DIANA FARRELL, Director, McKinsey Global Institute KEN CALDEIRA, Scientist, Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology Bush Administration Assistant Secretary of State and Climate Change authority Ambassador RENO L. HARNISH III headlines a panel of experts who will examine the next steps in addressing the crisis. This comes on the heel
Feb 7, 2008 • 1:11:32
Brent Plater, Golden Gate University Environmental Law and Justice Clinic; RACE AGAINST TIME: The 2008 GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year
RACE AGAINST TIME: The 2008 GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year Brent Plater, Golden Gate University Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 24, 2008 • 1:06:39
Fighting Climate Change: Sinking Carbon and Raising Living Standards
FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE LARRY BRILLIANT, Executive Director, Google.org ANDREA GARDNER, Sustainable Solutions Manager, CH2M Hill AD MELKERT, Undersecretary of the United Nations, Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme NANCY PFUND, Managing Director, JPMorgan GREG DALTON, Vice President, Commonwealth Club-Moderator SINKING CARBON AND RAISING LIVING STANDARDS While many Californians consider buying hybrid cars and unplugging their computer, most of the world's 6 billion
Nov 28, 2007 • 1:04:18
Panel: How Green is Your City? The SustainLane U.S. City Rankings
How Green is Your City? The SustainLane U.S. City Rankings. Appearing with me will be the ever-entertaining Director of the Department of the Environment for San Francisco, Jared Blumenfeld--abandon your notions of a staid city bureaucrat--and Ian Kim from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, which is leading up a "green collar" jobs program for the city. This panel talks about the future of green cities, local jobs, economic development and clean tech in the 21st century, with
May 2, 2007 • 1:02:10
Todd Paglia, Executive Director, ForestEthics
Todd Paglia Executive Director, ForestEthics, THE NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM: USING CORPORATE POWER FOR SOCIAL CHANGE This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 29, 2007 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 29, 2007 • 1:00:02
Panel: Climate Change and Government-Local Policy Directions For Addressing Climate Change
LOCAL POLICY DIRECTIONS FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE Panel: MICHEL GELOBTER, President, Redefining Progress; Board Member, Natural Resources Defense Council DAVID R. BAKER, Markets and Energy Writer, San Francisco Chronicle SEVERIN BORENSTEIN, Director, UC Energy Institute; This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 27, 2007 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 27, 2007 • 1:10:52
Panel: Solar Power Update-California's Moment In The Sun
SOLAR POWER UPDATE: CALIFORNIA'S MOMENT IN THE SUN DAVID EDWARDS, Managing Director, ThinkEquity Partners LLC MICHAEL HALL, Chief Marketing Officer, Borrego Solar MARTIN ROSCHEISEN, CEO, Nanosolar, Inc., J.P. ROSS, Director of Programs, Vote Solar ARNO HARRIS, CEO, Recurrent Energy, Inc. – Moderator, This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 21, 2007 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 21, 2007 • 1:08:32