America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast

In the latest episode of America Adapts, we are talking with citizen activists impacted by repeated flooding and what actions they are taking in response.  The podcast is joined by representatives from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Anthropocene Alliance. We also talk to four citizen activists who have experienced flooding first hand and the steps they are taking to make their communities more resilient to future extreme events.  We share stories of citizen adapters and the advice they give others that are dealing with extreme events in their communities. We also hear some national level policy recommendations on how to help communities adapt to flooding conditions that will worsen as the climate warms. Get on the ground with flood survivors! Topics covered: Learn what it’s like to live with repeated flooding. How the Anthropocene Alliance helps citizens take action in response to flooding (and how you can benefit too). What role FEMA plays in flood response. What federal policy reforms are n

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Erin Sikorsky, the director of The Center for Climate and Security. Erin and Doug discuss: how to elevate the urgency of climate change through national security; why climate change is considered a top threat to the U.S.; how it’s impacting the core duties of the U.S. military; where are global ‘hot spots’; how climate change could lead to further political polarization in the U.S.; the value of a National Adaptation Plan and more! Topics covered: Why we need to elevate the urgency of climate change. Climate change is rated at the top of the list of threats to the United States.  Climate change is a ‘shaping risk’ that influences many other national security topics. How does climate change affect the core duties of the US military. Climate change doesn’t fit neatly into how the intelligence community has normally organized itself. Where are global climate ‘hot spots’ regarding national security. Younger national security professionals more likely t

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Ladd Keith and Dr Sara Meerow to discuss their new book, Planning for Urban Heat Resilience.  Sara is an Assistant Professor at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University and Ladd is an Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at The University of Arizona.  Ladd and Sara discuss: the complexities of urban heat; heat equity; planning tools; case studies of cities doing urban heat resilience effectively and policies for federal approaches to heat management. Topics covered: Review of new book, Planning for Urban Heat Resilience Understanding the complexities of urban heat. Developing urban heat strategies. What is ‘heat equity’? Planning tools or urban heat resilience. Case studies of cities doing urban heat planning effectively. How this book could be relevant to federal policy makers. Resources and networks for planners focusing on extreme heat. Advancing urban heat res

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Leo Goldsmith of ICF and  Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine, to discuss their new paper, Queer and Present Danger: Understanding the Disparate Impacts of Disasters on LGBTQ+ Communities. Mike and Leo discuss the unique vulnerabilities of this community in disaster relief; the myth of gay affluence; how faith-based groups have a history of discriminatory practices in disaster relief; how cohesive is the LGBTQ community and how race is a problem even in LGBTQ groups. Mike and Leo also lay out specific policy recommendations on how adaptation planners can properly consider this community in their planning. Topics covered: This paper was the first highlighting the lack of laws and policies protecting the LGBTQ community in disaster relief. What is the myth of gay affluence? How faith-based groups are on the front lines of disaster relief and how some of them discriminate

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine. Michael shares his research on how undocumented immigrants are particularly vulnerable to wildfires and climate change; why FEMA doesn’t provide disaster aid to these workers; what is a “worthy disaster victim” and how adaptation planners can incorporate climate equity into their plans. These topics and much more! Topics covered: Why are undocumented immigrants particularly vulnerable to wildfires and pandemics. FEMA won’t cover undocumented workers. That needs to change! Could climate change be a catalyst for real immigration reform? Who is a “worthy disaster victim.” What is “contextual vulnerability”? Recommendations on how to consider climate justice issues in your adaptation plan (or your updates) How understanding the differential impacts on undocumented immigrants can help improve disaster planning to protect the most vulnera

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Elizabeth Mattiuzzi of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Lizzie’s latest research unpacks the ways low- and moderate-income communities are vulnerable to climate risks. Learn the role of housing insecurity in communities’ climate vulnerabilities. Her research also uncovers awareness levels among organizations dealing with climate risk and what impacts they perceive are affecting their community members. It’s important research with many implications for on the ground adaptation practitioners! Sign up for a free two-week trial of Wondrium. Stream video lectures, documentaries & more! Make sure you use the America Adapts link when you register here: Wondrium.com/adapts Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts @LizzyMattiuzz @sffed Donate to America Adapts Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Android Doug Parsons and Speakin

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Crystal Skillman, an award winning playwright, who has written a new climate themed play, Rain and Zoe Save the World.  The show is co-hosted by regular guest, “cli-fi” expert, Dr. Amy Brady.  Amy and Doug discuss with Crystal what inspired her to write a climate themed play, why the arts are so important in climate communication and how the theater has driven societal change in the past. It’s an exciting and unusual episode for America Adapt! Topics discussed: Theater as a climate communication tool. Plot and inspiration for the play, Rain and Zoe Save the World How Crystal weaved climate changed into a dramatic storyline How the theater has driven societal change in the past. Why we need an all hands approach for climate communication. This episode sponsored by newBin The solution to the plastic waste crisis is right in your pocket https://www.startengine.com/newBin Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Fa

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Cameron Adams, a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, in the office of Senator Chris Coons (Democrat) of Delaware. Cam is the primary author of a new bi-partisan bill that would create a position of Chief Resilience Officer, who would be responsible for developing a National Adaptation Plan. Cam shares the history of the legislation; why Congress should work with the Executive Branch on adaptation issues; its prospects for passage; the details of the legislation and his own experiences as an adaptation professional. Topics discussed: Why pass an adaptation bill? Do we need a national adaptation plan? Roles and responsibilities of a future Chief Resilience Officer Most climate policy is focused on mitigation Very few organizations providing expertise to Congress on the issue of adaptation. This needs to change. How a national adaptation plan would integrate the national climate assessment. What is policy durability? And why is it important for climate adapt

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Laurie Schoeman, the National Director for Climate Risk Reduction and Resilience at Enterprise Community Partners. We discuss:  affordable housing and climate change; standardizing resilience in building codes; what’s problematic about the subject of managed retreat; Resilience21; and a new, important FEMA housing policy change. Topics discussed: Affordable housing and climate change. Resilience should be as well understood by the public as Energy star in regard to energy efficiency. Standardizing resilience in building codes. What’s problematic about the subject of managed retreat. Resilience21 – What is it and what does it do? How to distribute climate funding in an equitable way. Learn about FEMA’s recent policy decision regarding long term housing. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts @LaurieJNYC @EnterpriseNow Donate to America A

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Alizé Carrère, a National Geographic Explorer, filmmaker, and PhD student researching and documenting human adaptations to environmental change. Alizé discuses her four part adaptation series she did with PBS. We also discuss her doctoral research on “climatopias”, the forward-looking plans that architects, designers and futurists are drawing up in response to imminent environmental change. Doug and Alizé discuss how the adaptation sector needs dreamers and big thinkers. Topics discussed: PBS takes a crack at telling local adaptation stories Local adaptation examples in Kentucky, Vanuatu, India and Bangladesh What is a ‘climatopia’? Relationship between transformational adaptation and climatopias. The role of social cohesion in climatopias. The adaptation sector needs more dreamers and visionaries to help create inspiring narratives. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Facebook and Twitter: https://www.face

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Cal Inman, founder of ClimateCheck, an online real estate climate risk data tool, that identifies current risk exposure to climate impacts such as drought, floods and sea level rise. Cal shares why climate data is so important to the real estate sector in helping consumers make climate smart decisions on home buying. We also ground truth the ClimateCheck tool on two vastly different home locations to see what their future impacts will be. Topics discussed: What is ClimateCheck and how does it work. How large real estate listers like Redfin and Zillow are integrating climate impacts into their database of homes. How the real estate sector is evolving to consider climate impacts. Home level case study of how ClimateCheck works. Why is climate data so important for the real estate sector? Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Sign up to be a guest on Cimpatico Studios! cimpatico.tv Facebook and Twitter: https:/

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts the CEO and President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Manish Bapna. Doug and Manish talk about how NRDC is addressing climate change, specially focusing on their approach to resilience and adaptation planning. Manish shares his vision on how domestic and international adaptation approaches can learn from each other and an update on their legislative approach to adaptation funding. Topics covered: Integrating international and domestic adaptation planning. How COP26 approached resilience Legislative opportunities for resilience NRDC’s legal approach Why NRDC was an early adopter of resilience in their climate change approach. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Sign up to be a guest on Cimpatico Studios! cimpatico.tv Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts @NRDC @RobMooreNRDC @ManishBapnaNRDC Donate to America Adapts Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Androi

The hosts of a new climate adaptation podcast, Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast, join the show to talk about international adaptation. Elizabeth Bernhardt and Marcus Neild, from the United Nations’ Environment Program, discuss the origins of the podcast and why there’s a need to tell more international adaptation stories. Also joining is Laura Schifter of the Aspen Institute who gives an update on the climate curricula initiative, K12 Climate Action. They’ve just released a new report and we’ll hear the status of climate curricula in the country. A great episode, have a listen! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Sign up to be a guest on Cimpatico Studios! cimpatico.tv Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts @laschifter12 @AspenInstitute @K12ClimateAct @UNEP Donate to America Adapts Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Android Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and

In the second of a two part series of America Adapts, Doug Parsons and Tulane Professor,  Dr. Jesse Keenan  complete their assessment of the Federal Climate Adaptation Plans.  Jesse discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the remaining federal agencies’ plans. We also discuss National Adaptation Plans and the need for the United States to have one. Currently the U.S. is the only G20 country without a national plan. The first episode in this series is available here. Topics and Adaptation Plans covered: General Service Administration Dept of the Interior Dept. of Justice Dept. of Labor NASA Social Security Administration Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Veterans Affairs Dept. of Treasury Executive Order 14030 Dept. of State PREPARE – President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience ($3 Billion collar press release, not much else.). National Adaptation Plan (and the U.S.’s glaring lack of having one). Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Sign up to be a gu

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons and Tulane Professor,  Dr. Jesse Keenan assess the newly released federal climate adaptation plans.  Jesse does a deep dive and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of 10 of the adaptation plans. This is the first part of a two part series, with the rest of the departments and agencies covered in the second episode. We also discuss maladaptation and what role the National Climate Assessment plays in adaptation planning across the nation. If you wanted to learn what the federal government is up to on climate adaptation, this episode is your go to resource. Have a listen!  Topics and Adaptation Plans covered: Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense U.S. Army Corps Department of Education Department of Energy Dept. of Health and Human Services U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Dept. of Homeland Security Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Responding to maladaptation Strengths and Weaknesses of the National Climate Asse

In the second of a two part series with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Risk Center, we take a deep dive on risk and floods and helping communities find financial resilience as impacts escalate with a warming climate. Returning to the podcast is Dr. Carolyn Kousky of the Wharton Risk center who gives context to what this two-part series is all about. Then joining me is Joe Rossi, Joe Flood Insurance; Rob Moore, Director of the Water and Climate Team at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Josh Lippert, and finally Samantha Medlock, Senior Counsel for the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in the US Congress. We are going to learn about flooding and risk with a special emphasis on the mid-Atlantic region and the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia! Experts Interviewed: ·         Dr. Carolyn Kousky - Executive Director, Wharton Risk Center   ·         Joe Rossi – Joe Flood Insurance ·         Rob Moore - Director of the Water and Climate Team at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense

In the second of a two part series, we learn how science and adaptation planning work to help the Coskata-Coatue Haulover Wildlife Refuge on Nantucket Island adapt to climate change. The podcast is joined by The Trustees of Reservations, a coastal conservation group in Massachusetts, and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation to learn how they are managing the refuge for future climate impacts. Experts discuss: the ecology of the refuge; collaborating with local community members on adaptation planning; evolving their conservation strategies to integrate adaptation and why they are hopeful for the future of the refuge.  Don’t forget to listen to the first episode in the series! Guests in this episode: Karen Beattie: Director of Science and Stewardship at the Nantucket Conservation Foundation Shea Fee: Southeast Coastal Ecologist for the Trustees of Reservations. Cecil Barron Jensen: Executive Director of ReMain Nantucket and the primary sponsor of the Envision Resilience Nantucket Jennifer Karberg: Research

In this episode, Doug Parsons talks with returning guest Alice Hill about her new book, The Fight for Climate After Covid-19. We discuss what inspired her to write the book; how her experiences working on climate change and biodefense during the Obama Presidency informed her thinking; why we need a national adaptation plan; the critical need for political leadership in confronting crises like covid and climate change; and why we should ‘marry’ climate mitigation in adaptation.   Topics covered: What lessons can we learn from Covid-19th in dealing with climate change? We need a national adaptation plan. Why political leadership is absolutely critical in dealing with big issues. We need to ‘marry’ adaptation and mitigation and have them work together…when possible. Learning about the adaptation profession and what advice Alice can offer professionals in this space. Alice’s experiences in the Obama White House and how that informs her adaptation work today. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on

In the first of a two part series with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Risk Center, we take a deep dive on flood risk and helping communities find financial resilience as impacts escalate with a warming climate. Returning to the podcast is Dr. Carolyn Kousky of the Wharton Risk Center who gives context to what this two-part series is all about. Then joining me is John Miller of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Reese May, the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at SBP, and finally Julia Rockwell, the manager of the adaptation program for the City of Philadelphia’s Water Department. We are going to learn about flood risk with a special emphasis on the mid-Atlantic region and the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia! Experts Interviewed: ·         Dr. Carolyn Kousky - Executive Director at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania ·         Reese May - Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at SBP   ·         John Miller - Mitigation Liason

Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Brandon Collins, an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley and the lead scientist at Berkeley Forests. As wildfires rage in the Western U.S., why are some areas more prone to out of control fires than others?  Brandon explains the ecology of western forests and some of the management options to mitigate against these extreme events. We also discuss the growing impact of climate change on these catastrophic fires and why the land management of a hundred years ago is making it harder for these landscapes to adapt to climate change. Topics covered: Some fires permanently damage the ability of the forest to grow back. What’s the climate signal in present day wildfires? Can we use controlled burns to avoid the largest, most catastrophic fires? What happens to the land post fire? Are fire impacted forests transitioning into new ecosystems? We need year-round fire crews to prescribe burn in the winter. How emerging infrastructure funding in Congress can help in managing fires. Bonus conversation wi