America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast

In episode 111 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Linda Shi, an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University. Doug and Linda talk about coastal development and adaptation economics; what happened to the 100 Resilient Cities Initiatives; urban inequality; racially just adaptation; transformative adaptation and much more!

Doug Parsons hosts two adaptation professionals, Shaun Martin of World Wildlife Fund and Emily Wasley of WSP to discuss how they are focusing on their jobs during a pandemic. Both share the changes in their work environment and how they are able to maintain their adaptation efforts. Also, Dr. Gabriel Henderson comes on to share a paper he wrote that looks at early efforts to develop climate adaptation legislation during the Carter administration.

In episode 109 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts climate legend Christiana Figueres, head of Global Optimism and Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Doug and Christiana talk about the coronavirus and what lessons the climate movement can learn from the pandemic response; what’s next for the Paris Climate Accords; can the US jump back in after the election; Christiana’s political family history in Costa Rica and much more!

Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Jisung Park, assistant professor at the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA. The two talk about Jisung’s research, showing how increased temperatures can negatively impact student academic performance. Rising temperatures can lower worker productively, seriously impacting the labor market. We also discuss the positives/negatives of adaptation (AC) to these emerging problems. Jisung also shares how UCLA is training the next generation of adaptation professionals.

Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Shalini Vajjhala of re:focus partners to talk about the once in a generation opportunity to invest in community infrastructure. Shalini discusses how re:focus works with cities/states on investing now to avoid future costs of climate impacts. Doug also talks with Caleb Stratton, Chief Resilience Officer of Hoboken, New Jersey and how they worked with re:focus partners to invest in some critical flooding infrastructure after the catastrophic floods of Hurricane Sandy.

In ‘rewind’ of episode 76, Doug Parsons takes a journey with the Freedom to Breath bus tour on location in New Orleans. 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 on the new climate podcast web site they’ve created!

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 how the community development sector is tackling this emerging issue. Jesse sticks around to talk about the “climate intelligence arms race” with Doug.

Doug talks with Dr. Ladd Keith, Asst Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the U. of Arizona. They 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/climate justice; how urban planning is evolving to include adaptation; how to integrate heat planning into emergency management ; how to communicate the threat of extreme heat to the public and more!

In episode 103 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Anita Van Breda of World Wildlife Fund, Amanda 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!

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!

Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Samantha Montano, a disasterologist/Asst. Professor at the Univ. of Nebraska in Emergency Management and Disaster Science. Samantha, along with her colleague Amanda Savitt, evaluated the disaster/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.

Doug Parsons talks with Dr. AR Siders, assistant professor at the Disaster Research Center at the Univ. 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!

Doug Parsons talks with Rob Moore, the Director of the Water and Climate Team at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council. 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!

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 & Elkins. Margaret shares insights from her book Adapting to Rising Sea Levels: Legal Challenges & Opportunities. Doug and Margaret dig into topics such as the conversion of private land to public land as the oceans rise; the public trust doctrine; coastal Superfund sites and corporate responsibility; will eminent domain drive coastal planning in the years ahead.

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, working with Rush Limbaugh and Senator James Inhofe. 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.