Adaptation: When Prevention Isn’t Enough

So much of the conversation about the climate crisis focuses on prevention. But no matter how well we succeed on that front, climate-induced disasters are already causing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage worldwide every year — not to mention destroying livelihoods and causing deaths. We're seeing those impacts today, and we need to be ready. Adaptation does not mean giving up on trying to rein in heat-trapping pollution; it’s facing reality. The way we adapt can be creative and empowering. But what does that kind of adaptation look like?  Episode Guests:   Susannah Fisher, Principal Research Fellow, University College London; Author of "Sink or Swim" Nick Mott, Multimedia Journalist; Author of “This Is Wildfire”  Tanya Gulliver-Garcia, Director of Educational Impact, Center for Disaster Philanthropy This episode features a field piece by David Condos, who originally reported the story for KUER in Salt Lake City, Utah. For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/audio/adaptation-when-prevention-isnt-enough. Highlights: 00:00 Intro 4:06 Susannah Fisher on her findings as a research student 7:43 Susannah Fisher on transformational changes 11:52 Susannah Fisher on the realities of climate migration 17:41 Susannah Fisher on the future of adaptation 22:47 Susannah Fisher on international cooperation 27:01 Susannah Fisher on surprising connections 30:35 Nick Mott on who is responsible for protecting your house 33:09 Nick Mott on the next level steps for protecting from wildfire 39:58 Field piece by David Condos on reusing sewage water 44:38 Tanya Gulliver-Garcia on what mutual aid is 48:20 Tanya Gulliver-Garcia on a mutual aid response to climate disasters 53:35 Climate One More Thing *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know what needs to be done to ward off the worst impacts of global climate disruption: rein in heat-trapping pollution, reverse deforestation, build resilient systems. But how we do those things is the trick. Every second counts. The sooner we act, the more lives saved, the more jobs protected and the more futures secured.  So how do we orchestrate the vast change we need in a short amount of time? World Resources Institute President Ani Dasgupta gives his honest take on the lack of progress since the Paris Agreement was signed 10 years ago — and maps a path forward. Guests: Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO, World Resources Institute (WRI); Author, “The New Global Possible” Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, Project Drawdown Nikhil Swaminathan, CEO, Grist Highlights:  00:00 – Intro 01:46 – Importance of the Paris Accords in terms of multilateralism 04:00 – Backlash to climate action  07:00 – The market is producing the technology we need, but we also need to deploy them at scale 12:00 – How do we get companies producing the bulk of emissions to change course? 16:00 – Addressing climate disruption is a societal choice about what we value 20:40 – Why COP is essential and also disappointing and maddening 23:30 – Unpacking climate finance and why it’s so important 27:30 – Addressing justice isn’t a choice but an imperative when it comes to climate 31:00 – How to keep focused and remain optimistic in this current moment 37:00 – We have everything we need right now to solve climate change 41:00 – Project Drawdown’s analysis of what climate tools do and don’t work 45:00 – So many missed climate opportunities 52:00 – Tradeoffs of tools like batteries  58:00 – Climate One More Thing ***** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we have a special episode to share with you from TED’s brand new podcast, Speed & Scale. Speed & Scale was created to help combat the doom and gloom that comes when thinking and learning about climate change. The hosts Anjali Grover and Ryan Panchadsaram interview experts from around the world on the measurable changes they’re making to combat the climate crisis and create a better future for the planet – and for those of us living on it.  In this episode, Ryan and Anjali reflect on what to do about fossil gas, and they are joined by some incredible people coming up with bold solutions. The kind of solutions that save billions of dollars for energy companies – and consumers. Check out more episodes of the TED podcast Speed & Scale wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, hydrogen has held promise as a revolutionary tool in the clean energy transition. It can be a fuel and energy carrier, and when made with renewable energy and burned in a fuel cell, its only byproduct is water. President Biden’s administration invested billions into proposed clean hydrogen hubs. But as we’ve seen dramatic technological innovations and drastic price drops for solar and wind, lithium-ion batteries, and heat pumps — hydrogen may have gone from tomorrow’s technology to yesterday’s solution. Experts say the best uses of green hydrogen come down to decarbonizing certain industries, like steel manufacturing and fertilizer. So where does hydrogen fit in the modern energy mix? For show notes and related links, visit our website. Episode Guests: Eleanor Smith, Community Organizer, Tó Nizhóní Ání Joe Romm, Senior Research Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media; Author, “The Hype About Hydrogen” Hilary Lewis, Steel Director, Industrious Labs Highlights: 00:00 - Intro 04:04 - Eleanor Smith on learning about the Tallgrass Energy project 12:21 - Eleanor Smith on how the new projects fits in historically 16:45 - Eleanor Smith on opposition to the project 22:06 - Joe Romm on the uses of hydrogen 28:50 - Joe Romm on why there is still investments made in hydrogen technology 35:15 - Joe Romm on using renewables directly vs for hydrogen production 41:00 - Joe Romm on what people need to understand about hydrogen 46:32 - Hilary Lewis on how steel is made 47:42 - Hilary Lewis on the health impacts of the steel industry 51:59 - Hilary Lewis on current green steel projects in the US 56:40 - Hilary Lewis on projects that received federal funding *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. ⁠Sign up today⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary primatologist Jane Goodall died on October 1. In a 2024 conversation on the Climate One stage with Co-Host Greg Dalton, the indefatigable Goodall was focused on three intertwined crises: biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental inequity. Her message from that night still resonates: Vote like your children’s lives depend on it — because they do.  Guests: Jane Goodall, Ethologist, conservationist For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding one's voice in climate action can come in many forms. Author and activist Taylor Brorby grew up in Center, North Dakota as a fourth-generation member of a fossil-fuel family. He struggled to find his place as a young gay kid who loved art, music, nature and poetry. Over time, he turned that tension into writing that challenges the fossil fuel industry, makes space for others stuck in a broken system, and inspires a more just future.  Suzie Hicks felt the weight of climate concerns but after college, didn’t know what to do with those feelings. After doing an internship at the New England Aquarium, they realized they could merge their love of performing with a career focused on climate. With the help of a sunflower puppet named Sprout, Suzie created a children’s show that teaches kids about climate change through a frame of possibility and hope, not doom and gloom.  Guests: Taylor Brorby, Activist, Author, “Boys and Oil: Growing Up Gay in a Fractured Land” Suzie Hicks, Climate Media Maker and Educator – Intro For show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org⁠. *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Within the federal government, science — especially climate science — has taken a beating. The Trump administration has moved from climate denial to climate erasure, firing thousands of career scientists across departments, rolling back established landmark protections, and undermining its own authority to regulate pollutants like carbon emissions. Even at the UN General Assembly, Trump referred to green energy as a “scam” and said climate science came from “stupid people.”  But climate scientists aren’t all taking it lying down. From former EPA researchers to independent academics, many are heroically maintaining open-access databases and continuing fundamental research like the National Climate Assessment without the administration’s blessing. Guests:  Brandon Jones, President, American Geophysical Union Wes Ingwersen, Lead, Cornerstone Sustainability Data Initiative Rachel Cleetus, Senior Policy Director, Climate and Energy, Union of Concerned Scientists For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. Episode Highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 3:23 - Brandon Jones on how the Trump administration has treated science 6:35 - Brandon Jones on what’s next for scientists who were laid off 10:58 - Brandon Jones on continuing to collect climate data   13:18 - Wes Ingwersen on the creation of USEEIO 22:24 - Wes Ingwersen on how EPA changed when Lee Zeldin took over 31:24 - Wes Ingwersen on when EPA employees decided to speak out 37:31 - Wes Ingwersen on taking his work to Stanford  42:28 - Rachel Cleetus on DOE climate report  51:27 - Rachel Cleetus on agency staff cuts 60:40 - Rachel Cleetus on how the scientific community is responding  *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past few years have seen a seismic shift in energy and industrial policy in the United States. Under Biden, laws like the Inflation Reduction Act led to money pouring into clean energy manufacturing and deployment. The Trump administration has reversed course, cutting off incentives in instituting massive tariffs.  As a result, entire clean energy projects have been put on hold or even canceled. Workers who were counting on those projects now face an uncertain future. This situation forces tough questions for unions: Where do they go from here? Guests:  Roxanne Brown, Vice President at Large, United Steelworkers  Lee Anderson, Director of Governmental Affairs, Utility Workers Union of America Lara Skinner, Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute, Cornell University Episode Highlights: 00:00 Intro 3:46 Roxanne Brown on the origins of USW’s environmental advocacy 5:50 Roxanne Brown on the effects of climate workers are feeling today 14:25 Roxanne Brown on how energy policy has affected USW members  18:45 Roxanne Brown on climate messaging within USW 24:16 Lee Anderson on the jobs of utility workers 25:41 Lee Anderson on how climate has affected the safety of workers 30:54 Lee Anderson on UWUA’s input on current federal policy 40:15 Lara Skinner on what sparked a worker centered agenda on climate policy 42:36 Lara Skinner on the ups and downs of Climate Jobs New York’s work 48:57 Lara Skinner on creating state based coalitions For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Those standing up to climate and environmental injustice face challenges they weren’t seeing a year ago. But Gloria Walton, head of The Solutions Project, sees a bigger picture: "The reality is that the same systems that created the climate crisis, whether that's colonialism, white supremacy, racism, and the patriarchy, those are the same ones that have harmed communities of color for generations,” she says. Her organization has channeled tens of millions of philanthropic dollars to grassroots efforts that build community resilience.  Black Girl Environmentalist founder Wawa Gatheru is helping more Black girls, women, and gender-expansive people enter and lead in the climate space. She says the climate fight has shifted from education to action, with over 70% of Americans now understanding that climate change is real. So what should this 'action phase' look like? Guests: Gloria Walton, President & CEO, The Solutions Project Wawa Gatheru, Founder & Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 05:30 – Gloria Walton on the impact of the Altadena wildfires 10:30 – Walton’s work as an organizer in South Central LA 13:00 – Living with idea of abundance 19:00 – Finding and keeping your individual power within our democracy 21:00 – Work of West Street Recovery Project in Houston 22:30 – Developing local resilience hubs 24:00 – Reframing frontline communities as victors, not victims 27:00 – Channeling philanthropy to climate resilience and frontline communities 36:00 – Story of Hoʻāhu Energy Cooperative Molokai  42:00 – Wawa Gatheru’s start in climate and environmental advocacy 44:00 – Not seeing herself in climate spaces 48:00 – Climate storytelling can offer nuance and move people  55:00 – Work and growth of Black Girl Environmentalist organization 59:00 – Climate One More Thing For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Students are heading back to school, and in addition to all of the usual challenges of the school year, some children are carrying an extra weight: climate anxiety. Teachers are also swimming in tricky waters as conversations around the climate crisis — and renewable energy — become more polarized. Yet there are educators who have worked to create resources for students and teachers, to help bring climate education into the classroom. The question is: How can schools, parents and teachers better help young people navigate the ideas and feelings around a warming planet?  Guests:  Margaret Wang-Aghania, Executive Director and Co-Founder, SubjectToClimate Robin Cooper, Co-Founder and President, Climate Psychiatry Alliance Melissa Lau, High School Environmental Science Teacher, Piedmont, Oklahoma Leah Christenson, 2026 Piedmont High School Senior; Vice President, Piedmont High School Green Team  Alyson Dennie, 2026 Piedmont High School Senior; President Piedmont High School Green Team This episode features a field piece by Mary Catherine O'Connor, who originally reported the ⁠story⁠ for KALW Public Media.  Highlights: 00:00 - Intro 3:33 - Margaret Wang-Aghania on her aha moment 5:42 - Margaret Wang-Aghania on how lessons get developed 12:33 - Margaret Wang-Aghania on teacher development 15:00 - Alyson Dennie and Leah Christenson on their climate related feelings 17:10 - Robin Cooper on how the emotions young people face because of climate 24:17 - Robin Cooper on how the moment the guides her thinking  26:52 - Robin Cooper on how to know if a young person is dealing with climate anxiety 33:34 - Mary Catherine O'Connor’s Piece on Electric Buses in Oakland  40:05 - Melissa Lau on the arctic trip that changed her life 44:33 - Melissa Lau on not being shy about teaching climate  48:35 - Melissa Lau on the importance of relationship building For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org. *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices