11.1 Fighting Fire with Fire Through Philanthropic Grantmaking

Gender justice is a crucial component of any significant progress at the UN climate negotiations. Women and girls are uniquely vulnerable to and disproportionately burdened by the climate crisis. Today's episode features Alison Lam, an expert on the intersection of gender and the environment. Alison recently launched a gender and climate thematic group under the Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organizations (RINGO) COP constituency to help connect researchers in support of gender‑responsive climate governance.   Shownotes: In Climate Diplomacy, Being Gender-Blind Leaves Women Behind (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/in-climate-diplomacy-being-gender-blind-leaves-women-behind  What’s on the Table for the Negotiations (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/110526cop 

We may be done with beach weather for this year, but in coastal communities, the ocean is a part of daily life all year round. That's why several coastal states are developing dedicated ocean plans to facilitate responsible management of marine resources. In this episode, Dan and Alison are joined by two experts from Delaware, Kristi Lieske and Sarah Bouboulis, who are working on the development of the state's Ocean and Bay Plan.   Show notes: Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan: https://dnrec.delaware.gov/coastal-programs/ocean-and-bay-plan/

Fiction can prompt us to imagine alternative versions of the future, whether utopian, dystopian, or something in between. Stories where characters reckon with—or manage to prevent—the worst impacts of climate change make the science and solutions easier to conceptualize. For a deep dive into this form of climate communication, we spoke to Allegra Hyde, author and professor of creative writing at Smith College. 

Welcome to Season 12 of The Climate Conversation! To kick off the new season, EESI sat down with Cerenity Frederick, Howard University student and Future Climate Leaders scholar. We talked to Cerenity about her Capitol Hill internship, starting her own mentorship program, and how her childhood in Palm Beach informed her vision for a more just future.   Show notes: Future Climate Leaders Scholarship: https://www.eesi.org/initiatives/scholarship

EESI works hard to create opportunities for students, including through our Future Climate Leaders Scholarship program. Two-time scholarship recipient Sulaiman Mathew-Wilson is pursuing a bachelor’s in environmental studies at Howard University. Sulaiman joined Daniel and Alison on the podcast to discuss his research on air pollution and environmental justice in Accra, Ghana.

Are you ready for Danger Season? The months of May through October are when North America experiences its most severe weather. The Union of Concerned Scientists produces resources about Danger Season, with an emphasis on its connection to climate change. In this episode, EESI sat down with Union of Concerned Scientists Climate and Energy Policy Director Dr. Rachel Cleetus for a conversation about Danger Season tracking, trends, and key takeaways for policymakers.

In the words of Athens, Ohio, Mayor Steve Patterson and Power a Clean Future Ohio Executive Director Joe Flarida: “we know what the people are asking for.” In Ohio, those asks include more solar power, shade trees, and public transportation. In this episode of The Climate Conversation, hear how Steve and Joe have worked with municipalities across the Buckeye State to deliver on sustainability goals despite gaps in federal and state support. 

From greenwashing in advertisements to the altering of government websites, misinformation around climate change has become more rampant and pervasive than ever before. This episode focuses on strategies to preserve information integrity through the elevation of reliable and accessible climate data. Ryan Alexander, executive director of the Climate Data Collaborative at the Data Foundation, sat down with EESI to discuss the importance of standardized data for evidence-based climate action and policy.   Show notes: Climate & Environmental Data Day (Data Foundation event): https://datafoundation.org/events/view/climate-environmental-data-day  Tracking Down Data (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/042326data  Innovations in Weather Forecasting for a Changing Climate (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/021524weather  BREAKING: Broadcast News Is Falling Short on Climate Change Coverage (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.7-breaking-broadcast-news-is-falling-short-on-climate-change-coverage  Empowering People Around the World with Stellar Satellite Data (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/empowering-people-around-the-world-with-stellar-satellite-data Climate Change FAQ (fact sheet): https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change

For today's episode, EESI sat down with U.S. Representative Sean Casten, who serves the sixth district of Illinois (western suburbs of Chicago) and sits on the House Financial Services Committee and the Joint Economic Committee. He is also vice-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. In this interview with EESI, Rep. Casten shares his insights about all things energy policy, including infrastructure, productivity, and data.   Show notes: Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove on Well-Rounded Policies for a Circular Economy (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/10.1-rep-sydney-kamlager-dove-on-well-rounded-policies-for-a-circular-economy  Representative Jennifer McClellan Talks Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice in the Commonwealth (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.4-representative-jennifer-mcclellan-talks-climate-resilience-and-environmental-justice-in-the-commonwealth  Representative Ro Khanna on the CHIPS and Science Act (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/5.8-representative-ro-khanna-on-the-chips-and-science-act  Illinois (Climate Solutions by State Map): https://www.eesi.org/page/Illinois 

Welcome to Season 11 of The Climate Conversation! In this episode, EESI President Daniel Bresette and Policy Director Anna McGinn are joined by Genevieve Biggs, who oversees the Wildfire Resilience Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Genny explains how the initiative and its grantees are creating a future for Western North America where ecologically beneficial fire is dominant over extreme wildfire.   Show notes: Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/012726fire  Heating Up Wildfire Solutions (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/heating-up-wildfire-solutions  Every Breath You Take: Preventing Wildfire Smoke Injuries (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/every-breath-you-take-preventing-wildfire-smoke-injuries  How Can Policymakers Protect Policyholders in a World on Fire? (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/9.5-how-can-policymakers-protect-policyholders-in-a-world-on-fire  All Fired up for Innovation in Wildfire Risk Analysis (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.6-all-fired-up-for-innovation-in-wildfire-risk-analysis  Rethinking Tourism in the Wake of West Maui’s Wildfires (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/rethinking-tourism-in-the-wake-of-west-mauis-wildfires  Living with Climate Change: Wildfires (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/061322climatechange  Earth Fire Alliance FireSat Mission: https://www.earthfirealliance.org/#our-solution FireWERX: https://www.firewerx.org/ Dr. Hussam Mahmoud and AGNI-NAR model: https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2024/07/new-computationally-efficient-model-will-tame-fire Dr. Michael Gollner and WU-E model: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/outdoor-areas-can-form-key-buffers-in-slowing-urban-fires-like-la-s General Dave Winnacker and XyloPlan: https://www.moore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=analysis-of-recent-disasters-what-is-needed-for-a-fire-to-turn-into-an-urban-disaster Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative: https://www.westernfireforest.org/