America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast

Doug Parsons talks with Dr. V. Kelly Turner, an Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Geography at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Doug and Kelly discuss: the need to create governance and regulation around extreme heat; decoupling disaster heatwave response to long term planning for it; how can social media amplify disaster messaging; the pros and cons of cool pavements and should we name heat waves. And we also hear about some innovative street art using reflecting paint! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics discussed in this episode: Unintended consequences on using cool pavements in LA. How to we address climate and thermal equity in urban planning? Making heat “visible” to people so they prioritize addressing it. Cool surfaces and art in Los Angeles We need to form a governance structure around dealing with extreme heat (like we do with air and water). Should we regulate heat like a pollutant. We are not framing the threat of heat properly. Ch

America Adapts joins with the Sky Island Alliance to discover conservation in the desert southwest. Learn about the unique Sky Island ecosystems along the U.S., Mexico border. Hear about the unique biodiversity in the region; how the landscape is adapting to climate change and the negative impacts of the border wall on wildlife and the ecology of the region. You will hear from experts on the challenges facing the Sky Islands and the opportunities and challenges of cross-border conservation. Staff and board members from the Sky Island Alliance will share conservation programs and why they think the region is so special. Doug joins SIA staff in a visit to the border wall to learn all about these issues. Have a listen! What are Sky Islands? Conservation on an international border. An on site visit to the infamous border wall along the U.S./Mexican border. What has been the impact of the Border Wall on wildlife. How is the Sky Island ecosystem adapting to climate change. What is happening to the spring resources

Doug Parsons talks history and the ecology of the Coskata-Coatue Haulover Wildlife Refuge on Nantucket Island with The Trustees of Reservations, the nation’s first and Massachusetts’ largest preservation and conservation nonprofit, and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.  This is the first of a two part series focusing on climate adaptation in the Refuge. Doug talks with experts, historians, donors and residents of Nantucket Island, hearing what makes this place so ecologically unique and important to the island. We also hear about some early steps to adapt the Refuge to climate change. Topics covered: What is the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge on Nantucket Island. Learn about the partnership between the Trustees of Reservations and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation to manage the refuge. Learn the history of the Refuge. How the Refuge is utilized and valued by local residents and tourists to the island. How climate change will impact the long-term viability of the Refuge. What is the ecology of the R

Doug talks extreme heat with Dr. Ladd Keith, Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona. Ladd and Doug discuss the media coverage of the recent pacific northwest heat wave; is naming heat waves a bad idea; will extreme heat be included in managed retreat discussions; Miami’s new Chief Heat officer; the challenge of tying mortalities to heat events; thermal equity; air conditioning shaming and much more. Topics covered: Media coverage of the Pacific Northwest heat wave. Is naming heat waves a dumb idea? What is “thermal equity” and what does that mean for air conditioners? Why vilifying air condition is a climate justice issue. Cities staffing up with heat related expertise. New heat projects for urban planning. Should extreme heat be talked about in the context of managed retreat? Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! America Adapts now has a newsletter! See first issue here. Follow here! D

Doug Parsons hosts Alex Harris, a climate reporter with the Miami Herald. Alex, the only reporter dedicated to climate change in the entire southeast, shares what it’s like covering climate change in the Miami region. We discuss the importance of local media for adaptation; using the latest science as a reporter; the mega projects Miami is considering to halt flooding and sea level rise; how a nearly decade old Rolling Stone article on climate change still haunts local officials; what happened to the Florida Chief Resilience Officer and why it’s so hard to stop using polluting septic tanks in Miami. Topics covered: Being the first climate reporter in the southeast United States Why local media coverage of climate change is so critical. And will adaptation help drive new interest in local media coverage. The challenges of covering private sector adaptation stakeholders. Embedding climate change into topic coverage. Climate justice and equity in the Miami region. Learn how every 5 years, local scientists mak

In episode 139 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts two leading adaptation thinkers, Dr. Susanne Moser and Dr. Linda Shi and we discuss a new article they published Transformative Climate Adaptation in the United States: Trends and Prospects. Learn what it is and how it can influence climate equity and justice issues. We also discuss if democratic governments are the best model for transformative adaptation and is the Biden administration prioritizing resilience planning. Also, in a bonus conversation, Judge Alice Hill returns to the podcast to discuss how climate change is not properly included in economic risk planning. Try to imagine a much different world where transformative adaptation can happen. Learn the story behind the articles’ publication and how it was rejected in the first journal it was submitted to. Is Democracy the right political model to accomplish transformative adaptation? Is there a role for authoritarian regimes? Is the Green New Deal capable of driving transformative change? How tra

In episode 138 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons is highlighting two new adaptation books, Moving to Higher Ground, Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward by legendary sea level rise expert John Englander and a Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation, edited by Dr. Carolyn Kousky at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. We’ll take a sneak peak in these books that are focusing on coastal adaptation and sea level rise. Learn what inspired the authors to write each book and how each brings new, important ideas in this emerging field of adaptation. Brief introduction to the Book “Moving to Higher Ground.” John Englander’s history working on sea level rise. Why the book is structured the way it is, for the public and practitioners. What we can learn from the Titanic story. The origins of the book, “Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation.” Background on all the contributors to the book. Carolyn Kousky’s motivation for writing a book on coastal management. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on you

In episode 137 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Victoria Herrmann, the Managing Director of the Arctic Institute and a National Geographic Explorer.  We learn what is a Nat Geo Explorer; her travels with the America Eroding Edges project; the origins of Rising Tides, an organization that pairs climate experts with at risk communities and we discuss the evolving nature of adaptation professionals. Also, a bonus conversation with Judge Alice Hill where we discuss her time developing adaptation policy in the Obama White House. What is a National Geographic Explorer. Details of the America’s Eroding Edges journey around the United States. What are people saying ‘on the ground’ in climate impacted communities. How the Rising Tides organization is pairing up adaptation experts with communities in need. Who can be an ‘adapter’ when it comes to helping at risk communities. Why President Biden should appoint a “Climate Migration Coordinator”. Our America, Climate of Hope Donate to America Adapts Listen to

In episode 136 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Jeanine Dudle and Dr. Sarah Strauss of Worcester Polytechnic Institute about launching a pioneering graduate program in community climate adaptation. The three discuss the challenges of starting a new program; how they developed the curricula; what type of students would excel in their program and the growing demand for professionals with a strong adaptation background. Topics covered: The state of climate adaptation programs in higher education. The origins of Jeanine and Sarah’s interest in starting a graduate program in adaptation. The unique nature of WPI’s’ adaptation Master’s program. The challenges of starting a Master’s program in an emerging field. The types of students that will thrive in this type of program. Is there a need for adaptation graduates? What’s the job market look like? How can you apply to the program? Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! America Adapts now has a newsletter! See firs

In episode 135, California Adapts part 3,  Doug Parsons and writer/producer Randy Olson talk about their overall impressions of climate adaptation in California. Each of the experts interviewed during the journey gave scores from 1 to 10 for their opinion of how well they think the state is addressing their element of climate adaptation. The scores are presented to three of the experts for their assessment. The analysis ends with one more expert - a dissenting voice in terms of how well California is preparing for the changes in the climate that are already happening. What is “climate adaptation” and how well is California doing with it? The podcast “America Adapts” hosted by Doug Parsons has been exploring the topic of climate adaptation since 2016. In this three part special, sponsored by the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Doug takes an in-depth look at the state of California, presenting its long history of environmental leadership, current work on adaptation throughout the state, an

In episode 134, a re-release, Doug Parsons’ journeys around California exploring the five most important elements of climate adaptation for the state — fire, drought, flood, temperature and sea level rise. For each one he goes into the field with an expert. He visits the burn area of the Thomas Fire of December 2017 with a fire captain, talks about drought with the state’s “Water Czar,” standing beside the Sacramento River, hears the details of the ARkStorm Mega-flood Scenario from a climate scientist, follows an urban heat expert using a laser thermometer to measure the temperature of asphalt in Los Angeles, and visits the central coast of California to talk about sea level rise. The five sequences provide an overview of climate adaptation for the state. What is “climate adaptation” and how well is California doing with it? The podcast “America Adapts” hosted by Doug Parsons has been exploring the topic of climate adaptation since 2016. In this three part special, sponsored by the UCLA Institute of the Envir

In episode 133 of America Adapts, What is “climate adaptation” and how well is California doing with it? In this three part special, sponsored by the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Doug takes an in-depth look at the state of California, presenting it’s long history of environmental leadership, current work on adaptation throughout the state, and how California will be dealing with a changing environment in the future. In this episode, California Adapts Episode 1, consists of three main stories. Geologist Jeff Mount of UC Davis tells the epic tale of the 1861-1862 floods that washed out Sacramento, killing hundreds and forcing the temporary moment of the state capital to San Francisco. Environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. and “The Queen of Green,” longtime head of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Mary Nichols tells about how the state managed to clean up the smog problem of the 1970’s, then brings us up to the present with her perspective on Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and

In episode 132 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Andrew Rumbach, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at Texas A&M University and faculty fellow at the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center. The two discuss the similarities (and differences) between the two fields. Andrew shares research, looking at historic resources vulnerabilities to climate change and we learn the unique role mobile homes play in determining a community’s overall resistance to climate and weather threats. That and much more! Topics covered: What is hazard mitigation. How it relates (and doesn’t) to climate adaptation. Historic preservation and hazard mitigation and case studies. Research on flooding in Colorado and the risk to historic resources. Why does there appear to be a division between hazard mitigation and climate adaptation? Why does hazard mitigation ignore extreme heat? Or does it? How does emergency management fit in all this? How mobile homes are a canary in the coal mine if you’re doing ad

In episode 131 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Sherri Goodman, a Senior Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and the Senior Strategist at the Center for Climate and Security.  We cover such topics as climate change being the ultimate national security threat multiplier. Also, we discuss some of the early climate work she did in Congress and in the executive branch; the ‘climatization of security’; emerging threats in the arctic region and how shifting political winds cam impact long term planning for climate change and national security. Topics covered: Learn about think tanks working on climate security. The early history of climate change and national security in the US government. Military involvement in Kyoto Treaty negotiations. The ‘climatization of security’ and its history. The threat of the “securitization of climate change.” What are ‘climate threat multipliers’ What are threats to US in the arctic region and how China is playing a bigger role in this region. The challenges for t

In episode 130 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Jesse Keenan of Tulane University. Jesse dissects some of the early moves on climate change policy in the Biden administration. He shares his thoughts on staffing decisions and how adaptation is and isn’t being prioritized through the Executive Orders. Also, in a new recurring segment, Judge Alice Hill shares insights on what FEMA can do to prioritize climate change. Topics covered: What happened at the recent Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 and what were the themes covered. Climate gossip among early policy decisions. Who/what makes up the climate power landscape in Washington, D.C. Dissecting the Climate Executive Order Understanding the National Climate Task Force Climate Action Plans (looking internally, not externally) The state of climate data and challenges ahead. Jesse’s gut check on what’s going on with adaptation in these early Executive decisions. Bonus conversation: Judge Alice Hill “What will it take for FEMA to take climate change serious

In episode 129 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Cheryl Slean of the Natural Resources Defense Council and TV writer Alexander Maggio. Cheryl discusses the Rewrite the Future Initiative she co-founded at NRDC on ways the science community can engage with the entertainment industry. We learn about the power of storytelling and how Hollywood can be a major ally in creating awareness around climate change. Also joining the podcast is Alex, who is a TV writer for shows like Madame Secretary on CBS. Alex shares how he has brought climate change into the story lines of some of their shows and the challenges of getting the entertainment industry to expand their role in climate education. Topics covered: Learn how NRDC is engaging the entertainment industry. What is the Rewrite the Future initiative. The value of storytelling in creating climate awareness. How some tv and movies have integrated climate change science into their narratives. What it’s like to write on network TV and talk climate change. Will clima

In episode 128 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Carolyn Kousky, the Executive Director at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Carolyn has developed 8 recommendations for the incoming Biden administration to prioritize climate adaptation. We go through each of the recommendations, which cover topics ranging from disaster preparedness, strengthening our infrastructure to utilizing nature based approaches to adaptation. The recommendations are a timely and important contribution as President Biden begins his efforts to mitigate AND adapt to climate change. 8 Recommendations for Climate Resilience: Provide just disaster mitigation and assistance. Make recovery easier. Improve the financial resilience of households, small businesses, and communities. Annually fund actions to lower our risk. Rebuild for the future, not the past. Strengthen our infrastructure. Harness nature for risk reduction. Pay for resilience investments by fighting climate chan

In episode 127 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons is joined by Dr. Ladd Keith, an Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at The University of Arizona and Dakota Larrick, a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma, who is finishing her master’s thesis on human adaptations to the landscape in the Southern Great Plains.  Doug and his guests list their top climate stories of the year; the impact of covid-19 on their work; the diversity of adaptation professionals; their top America Adapts episodes of the year and their recommendations for the pod in 2021! Topics discussed in this episode: Top Climate Stories of 2020 The state of adaptation professionals How the coronavirus impacted their work in 2020. Podcast ideas for 2021 Favorite America Adapts episodes of 2020 And much more! America Adapts was nominated for “Best Green Podcast’ by I Heart Radio! Learn about the other nominees here. And the awards ceremony will be streamed live (and virtually) on January 21st! Wi

In episode 126 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Commander Andrea Cameron of the U.S. Naval War College. In this episode, we discuss how the US military is approaching climate change; teaching this topic to military officers; learn what military branch is ahead on climate planning; how other countries like China and Russia are aggressively ramping up their adaptation efforts; the process of prioritizing a national threat and what we might expect to see in a Biden Administration. This episode will ground you on the fundamentals of climate change and national security. Topics covered: What is the U.S. Naval War College. History of the US military thinking about climate change. Developing climate curricula for the military officer class. Does the DoD actually see climate change as a direct military threat? Learn what branch is farther ahead on climate planning. Are other countries, like China and Russia, factoring in climate change in their national defenses more effectively than the US? We discuss “aggres

In episode 125 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Amy Westervelt, host of the Drilled podcast and founder of the Critical Frequency podcast network. Doug and Amy discuss media coverage of climate change and how climate podcasts are becoming more popular. We go behind the scenes of her podcast Drilled and learn how fossil fuel companies created the modern public relations industry. We also discuss her essay contribution in the new book, “All We Can Save” and the controversies of having children in the age of climate change. And we also cover how the media is doing connecting recent wildfires with climate change. It’s a full episode with a legend in the climate podcast space! Topics covered: How Amy got her start in climate journalism and what inspired her to start the podcast Drilled. How Amy constructs a Drilled episode. We discuss the boom in climate podcasts and the challenges of launching a podcast. Learn how the fossil fuel industry created the modern public relations sector. Should we ‘humanize’ the