America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast

In episode 107 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Shalini Vajjhala of  re:focus partners to talk about the one in a generation opportunity to invest in community infrastructure needs in light of climate change. Shalini discusses how re:focus partners works with cities and states on investing now to avoid future costs associated to climate impacts.  Doug also talks with Caleb Stratton, the Chief Resilience Officer of Hoboken, New Jersey and how they worked with re:focus partners to invest in some critical flooding infrastructure needed after the catastrophic flooding of Hurricane Sandy.  This episode digs into shovel ready adaptation and the concrete steps communities can take to adapt. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: What does it mean ‘once in a generation’ investment. What is procurement and what does it mean for climate adaptation. No brainer climate investing. Financing based on “avoided losses” Helping cities maneuver through adaptation

In episode 106, a ‘rewind’ of episode 76 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons takes a journey with the Freedom to Breath bus tour on location in New Orleans. During his visit, Doug attends a town hall on women and minority groups talking about climate resilience; a visit to Africatown to learn about the legacy of racism and environmental pollution and a visit to a protest community that is also serving as a gateway for refugees fleeing storm events and climate change. Women, tribal members, people of color and members of the LGBT community talk about how climate uniquely impacts them and what steps they are taking to adapt to climate change. It’s an exciting episode, with interviews with minority voices on the front lines of climate change. Bonus material, Doug interviews Marc O’Brien of The Determined podcast on the new climate podcast web site they’ve created to highlight the growing number of climate podcasters! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: New Ma

In episode 105 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Ian Galloway and Tom Flannigan of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Harvard’s Dr. Jesse Keenan. All three join Doug on the podcast to discuss the Fed’s Community Development Investment Review. This issue of the review focuses on climate adaptation and shares examples from across the country on how the community development sector is tackling this emerging issue. Jesse sticks around to talk about the “climate intelligence arms race” with Doug. Jesse describes how new climate services are coming online and how communities, businesses and the public can wade through these new climate technical services such as climate modeling and downscaling.   Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics discussed in this episode: What is the Community Development Investment review. The Federal Reserve Bank’s involvement with climate adaptation. Contributing to the adaptation investment dialogue. Climate Intelli

In episode 104 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Ladd Keith, Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona. Doug and Ladd discuss what is extreme heat in the context of climate change; how urban heat will get worse and what cities are doing to plan for it; what extreme heat means for social and climate justice; how urban planning is evolving to include adaptation; how to integrate extreme heat planning into emergency management systems; how to communicate the threat of extreme heat to the public and much more! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics discussed in this episode: University of Arizona and climate adaptation. What is extreme heat in context of climate change. Urban heat island effect and climate change. What extreme heat means for social and climate justice. Urban planning evolving to incorporate adaptation. What tools and resources are available for extreme heat planning. What

In episode 103 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Anita Van Breda of World Wildlife Fund, Emily Wasley of WSP and Dr. Meredith Wiggins of Historic England. In this end of the year showcase, Doug and his guests list their top climate stories; the diversity of adaptation professionals; podcast listening habits; top America Adapts episodes of the year and their recommendations for the pod in 2020! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics discussed in this episode: Top Climate Stories of 2019 The state of adaptation professionals Ways to share America Adapts with colleagues Podcast ideas for 2020 Favorite America Adapts episodes of 2019 And much more! Sign up to be a guest on Cimpatico Studios! https://cimpatico.com/dougparsons Facebook and Twitter: @usaadapts @EnviroDM @wsp @DrMWiggins https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ Donate to America Adapts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Android Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are inte

In episode 102 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Judge Alice Hill at the Council of Foreign Relations. Judge Hill co-authored the book “Building a Resilient Tomorrow” with Leonardo Martinez-Diaz. Judge Hill shares insights on the book: making financial markets work for climate resilience; climate equity; funding adaptation projects; the emerging adaptation profession; the Green New Deal; adaptation vs. resilience; national security implications of climate change and much more! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics discussed in this episode: Making markets work for climate resilience. Find better ways to fund adaptation projects. What is “loss aversion” and how it relates to adaptation. Does the Green New Deal address resilience? Helping communities through healthcare makes them more resilient. National security implications of climate change. Addressing social and financial inequities through resilience. Maintaining the integrity of ‘Big Data’ for c

In episode 101 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Samantha Montano, a disasterologist/Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska in Emergency Management and Disaster Science.  Samantha, along with her colleague Amanda Savitt, evaluated the disaster and adaptation policies of the 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates. Doug and Samantha discuss what makes for effective disaster policies and where the candidates stand on these issues. Samantha also recommends how these policies can be improved heading into the 2020 election. Follow along with the Disaster Policy Blog Post here.  Candidates evaluated in this episode:  Joe Biden , Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, , Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar,  Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Yang Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! In this Episode: Topics discussed in this episode: Evaluation of the Democratic disaster and adaptation policies. Recommendations on how to improve these plans.

In episode 100 (a true milestone!) of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Dr. AR Siders, an assistant professor at the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. Dr. Siders defines what is ‘managed retreat’ and also the policy challenges of getting communities to undertake this adaptation action. Doug and Siders also discuss:  is it happening in an equitable way; the various emerging managed retreat models; successful case studies; the need for a National Seashore; Presidential emergency declarations; communicating the issue and much more! Also, Doug talks with two of Dr. Siders students, Bridget Flynn and Jennifer Gallagher, who share some managed retreat case study work in Tulsa, OK and Charlotte, North Carolina. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! In this Episode: Topics discussed in this episode: What is managed retreat? Is it happening in an socially equitable way? Does it increase poverty? No consensus yet on ‘right way’ for managed retre

In episode 99 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Rob Moore, the Director of the Water and Climate Team at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council. Doug and Rob talk about flooding and the bureaucratic inertia of flood management. They also discuss the psychology of rebuilding in flood zones. Rob also explains attempts to reform federal flood policies and the challenges of finding funding to help people with buy outs. Also: nature based solutions to flooding; being an adaptation professional; organizational approaches to climate mitigation and adaptation and much more! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! In this Episode: Topics discussed in this episode: Role of NRDC in adaptation planning. Why people keep rebuilding in flood zones (and why they are allowed). The institutional barriers to buy outs. Bureaucracy keeps people from moving. The psychology of getting people to move. The insanity of rebuilding in flood zones. Nature based approaches to flood

In episode 98 of America Adapts, which is a re-release of episode 64,  Doug Parsons talks with Margaret Peloso, of the law firm Vinson and Elkins. Margaret shares insights from her book Adapting to Rising Sea Levels: Legal Challenges and Opportunities. Doug and Margaret dig into topics such as the conversion of private land to public land as the oceans rise; adaptation and the public trust doctrine; coastal Superfund sites and corporate responsibility; will eminent domain drive coastal planning in the years ahead and much more! Bonus material, Jesse Terry and Alex Wong share their music album about climate change! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! In this Episode: Topics discussed in this episode: The public trust and sea level rise; Legal precedent and sea level rise; A new definition of private property; Sea level rise and Superfund sites; Policy versus the law as an adaptation strategy; The legal definition of resilience; Adaptation law as a profession; The adva

In episode 97 of America Adapts, which is a re-release of Episode 47, Doug talks with noted climate change skeptic, Marc Morano of Climate Depot.  Doug and Marc discuss his motivation to be a contrarian voice on climate change and his history working on environmental issues, from being a reporter for Rush Limbaugh, to being chief spokesman for noted climate skeptic Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma. We also talk about the current state of climate affairs.  In the second part of the episode, Dr. Randy Olson joins Doug to deconstruct the conversation with Marc and to see what the climate change community can learn from Marc’s tactics and motivations. In light of recent major setbacks, e.g., pulling out of the Paris Agreement, Randy analyzes Marc’s approach and offers a way forward to the climate community. Doug includes an updated wrap up, sharing his thoughts on climate change communication. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! In this Episode: AMAZONIAN ROOTS OF SKEPTI

In episode 96 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Bob Inglis, former Congressman from South Carolina and now Executive Director of RepublicEN.  Doug and Bob talk about his history of being a climate advocate in the Republican Party; why the current GOP is so skeptical of climate science; how evangelicals’ attitudes about climate change are influenced by their support of President Trump. Also, Doug talks with John Sweeney, Chelsea Henderson and  Rouzy Vafaie of RepublicEN. They talk of the challenges of being Eco-right conservatives and how they message climate change to their fellow Republicans. This is an amazing episode! People Interviewed: Bob Inglis, Executive Director of RepublicEN John Sweeney, New York spokesperson for RepublicEN Chelsea Henderson, Director of Editorial Content, RepublicEN Rouzy Vafaie, South Carolina spokesperson for RepublicEN Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: The political consequences of supporting climate ch

In episode 95 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons hosts Peterson Toscano, host of the podcast Citizens Climate Radio. Doug and Peterson talk climate activism, how adaptation can learn from the response to the AIDS crisis and much more. Doug also interviews America Adapts listeners to get their feedback on the podcast and what role it plays in their careers and they share their recommendations for future episodes. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: The who, what, where of the podcast Citizens Climate Radio LGBTQ activism and role in climate change. How the response to the AIDS crisis can serve as a template for adaptation Interviews with Adapters, listeners of the America Adapts podcast! Donate to America Adapts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Subscribe on Android Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining

In episode 94 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons visits New York City! This is THE episode on urban forestry and climate adaptation. Doug travels across the city, visiting parks and interviewing experts on such topics as:  How forests add to the overall resilience of New York City; Cool Neighborhoods program and public health; urban forestry and climate adaptation; extreme heat in urban areas; public health and urban forests, social and ecological resilience; tree equity and social resilience and much, much more! This episode was generously sponsored by American Forests. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Experts in this Episode:  Marit Larson, Chief of Natural Resources, NYC PARKS (2:18) Sarah Charlop-Powers, Director, Natural Areas Conservancy (33:11) Jad Daley, President and CEO, American Forests (23:30) Kristy King, Director, NYC Parks (36:50) Clara Pregitzer, Deputy Director of Greenbelt Native Plant Center, Natural Areas Conservancy (47:08) Justin Bowers, Fo

In episode 93 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons interviews Dr. Carolyn Kousky, the Executive Director at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania.  In this lively discussion, Doug and Carolyn discuss: how wildfires in California drove their utility into bankruptcy and what policy reforms are needed to prevent this from happening again; who owns the legal risks of climate change; needed disaster aid reform; the dysfunctional nature of flood insurance and the need to help low income households get access to appropriate disaster insurance. These topics and much more! Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: Climate change and California wildfires and that state’s unique legal liability to these threats. Who ‘owns’ risk when it come to climate impacts? What are the major shortcomings of disaster aid. The critical need to engage with decisionmakers early in the policy process. How do you make academic adaptat

In episode 92 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons interviews the CEO of Grist, Brady Walkinshaw.  Grist is the long time, online environmental news group.  Doug and Brady discuss the presidential politics of climate change; the race to define what the Green New Deal really is.  They also discuss how the Green New Deal address climate adaptation and Grist’s own coverage of the issue. They also discuss the challenges of covering environmental news in a non partisan way, and sharing some of the Grist news programs. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Topics covered: What is Grist environmental news. A deep dive on the Green New Deal: substance, players and politics of it. “It’s a positive viewpoint of the future, not a negative one.” 2020 Presidential elections and climate politics. Should there be a climate presidential debate (yes)? Does the green new deal address climate adaptation? Is it impossible to do bipartisan Green New Deal? Is it time to play hard ball on thi

In episode 91 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons goes to the 2019 National Adaptation Forum in Madison, Wisconsin!  During this adaptation-palooza, Doug interviews a variety of conference participants.  Discover the topics and themes covered at this event and learn how diverse the adaptation community has become. Hear what presentations stood out and how adaptation professionals see this sector growing.  Doug also interviews several listeners of the podcast and gets their feedback on the conference.  If you couldn’t make the conference yourself, this is the next best thing, hearing dispatches from those in attendance on what makes the National Adaptation Forum the premiere adaptation event in the country.    Donate to America Adapts Interviewed in this episode: Lara Hansen, Executive Director of EcoAdapt and co-founder of NAF Amber Pairis, lead for the Climate Science Alliance, California Emily Wasley, Adaptation Professional Jesse Keenan, Harvard University Lisa Craig, Principal Lisa Craig Group Rohan Ha

In episode 90 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons travels to beautiful Saint Augustine, Florida for the Keeping History Above Water conference.  Doug interviews experts on the threat of sea level rise to cultural resources. Learn the innovative, proactive approaches the city of St. Augustine is taking to address sea level rise. The conference highlights the specific examples of adaptation planning that are happening at the local community level.  Discover how historic preservation will be a key catalyst for adapting the built environment to climate change. Learn how the Keeping History Above Water series is challenging the historic preservation sector to factor in the enormous challenges of sea level rise.   This episode of America Adapts was generously sponsored by Sponsored by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, Flagler College, and the University of Florida. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app! Donate to America Adapts Interviewed in this episode: Leslee Keys – Assistant Prof

In episode 89 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons interviews Yale-Nus College Asst. Professor of Environmental Studies Dr. Matthew Schneider-Mayerson about his recent literacy research on how “Cli-Fi”, or climate change science fiction, can influence a reader’s behavior. Doug is joined in this interview by Cli-Fi expert, Dr. Amy Brady, a previous guest on America Adapts.  In a bonus conversation, Doug interviews Laur Hesse Fisher, host of a new podcast, Today I Learned: Climate (TILClimate), based out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Discover how this new podcast is teaching climate fundamentals in short, science driven episodes. Donate to America Adapts Other Topics covered: Using “Cli-Fi” to influence a reader’s behavior. Amy Brady weighs in on need for empirical evidence in the cli fi genre. Matthew Schneider-Mayerson, says “the future is a distant country.” Using “Cli-Fi” to move people from just awareness to actual action. “Cli-Fi” can help bring people together to talk about climate ch

In episode 88 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons interviews Dr. Marcy Rockman, cultural resource and climate adaptation expert. Marcy, until recently, was the Cultural Resources Adaptation Coordinator for the National Park Service and is now the IPCC Team Lead with the International Council on Monuments and Sites Climate Change and Heritage Working Group. Marcy and I discuss her time at the Park Service, developing the first of its kind cultural resource and climate change white paper. We also talk about how climate change will impact historic sites and how it’s a threat multiplier.  Marcy also discusses the tension at the Park Service between natural resources and cultural resources which ultimately led to her leaving the NPS. Hear about these issues and much more! Donate to America Adapts Other Topics covered: Is time more important than resources? When do historic sites stop making history? Climate change is a threat multiplier for cultural history. Has the NPS ever let a park or resource ‘go’ due to