Climate One

After a year of climate-amplified fires and hurricanes around the country, New York Times reporter Trip Gabriel tells host Greg Dalton how climate and energy issues are playing in the midterm elections. Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, describes what his organization is doing to mobilize the more than 10 million Americans who cite environmental protection as a core value but who don't vote regularly. And Sam Arons, Director of Sustainability at Lyft, explains how his company is encouraging its employees and customers to get out and vote. Guests: Trip Gabriel, political reporter, The New York Times Nathaniel Stinnett, Founder & Executive Director, The Environmental Voter Project Sam Arons, Director Sustainability Lyft

Chinese factories churn out parts and products that end up in our cars, our kitchens and our cell phones. And all that productivity has improved the lives of its citizens, many of whom can now afford cars and cell phones of their own. It’s also made China the global leader in carbon emissions. But in her new book, “Will China Save the Planet,” Barbara Finamore says that China may well take the lead in saving the world from environmental catastrophe. How? By phasing out coal and investing in green energy to power its factories and keep its cities moving. With the US government cutting efforts to curb carbon pollution, is it possible that China is our best hope for saving the planet? Guests: Barbara Finamore, Asia Senior Strategic Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Author, "Will China Save the Planet?" (Polity, 2018) Carter Roberts, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund, United States

Climate used to have bipartisan support. Now that the Republican party is skeptical about fighting climate, companies are moving into a leadership void. On the show today we'll hear from two former white house spokesmen in Republican and Democratic administrations now working on climate from different angles. Robert Gibbs addresses what McDonald's is doing to cut its carbon emissions and environmental impact. Jeff Nesbit heads a communications organization trying to get the climate story covered more prominently in the mainstream news media. Guests: Robert Gibbs, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Communications Officer, McDonald's Corporation Jeff Nesbit, Author and Executive Director, Climate Nexus

Former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres credits Buddhist teachings both for helping her through a personal crisis, and for providing a source of inner strength that sustained her through negotiations at the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, and helped contribute to its success. “I realized my commitment and my task here is to change that global mood,” Figueres remembers. “And of course I can't change the global mood before I change myself, because as we know all change starts with self.” Can mindfulness practice help us cope with the realities of climate change?

The Paris Climate Accord was successful in bringing together the entire world around a common goal, but the focus was on what could be done at the national level. In light of the U.S. abdicating their own leadership role, there is a growing chorus demanding that subnational leaders take on the issue of climate change. The goal of GCAS is to inspire and elevate the solutions from those leaders. This event is in partnership with Cool Effect, Capital Public Radio and in affiliation with the Global Climate Action Summit.

Wildfires have always been part of the landscape in the western states. But the size and intensity of fires over the last several years is something new. They are being called “megafires;” wildfires covering over 100,000 acres each. The higher temperatures and lower humidity, brought on by climate change, are whipping up these hotter and bigger wildfires. And people’s lives are being upended by the flames. Today we’re exploring the damage megafires are unleashing on life, property and natural ecosystems – and forest management solutions. Guests Rich Gordon President of the California Forestry Association Lizzie Johnson Staff Writer for the San Francisco Chronicle Scott Stephens Professor of Fire Science at University of California, Berkeley

Can a menu at a fancy restaurant be a map for solving the climate challenge? A handful of high-end chefs are using their restaurants to show how innovative grazing and growing practices can cut carbon pollution. Anthony Myint, asks “What would it look like if you had ... environmentalism right up there with deliciousness, as your top priorities?” Dominique Crenn, a two Michelin star chef, pushes to move beyond the restaurateurs who she says only pay lip service to responsibly sourcing their food. Theirs is an uncompromising approach to cutting carbon while maintaining the best of the best. Gwyneth Borden Executive Director, Golden Gate Restaurant Association Dominique Crenn Chef and Owner, Atelier Crenn Anthony Myint Chef and Co-owner, The Perennial

On the eve of the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS), we started the conversation about how solutions could be led by states, cities, businesses and NGOs. The Paris Climate Accord was successful in bringing together the entire world around a common goal. But as Gina McCarthy points out, “We need to get together and figure out how you address and drive solutions to climate that actually end up in not just a cleaner and healthier and more sustainable world, but one that’s more just.” This event is in partnership with Cool Effect, Capital Public Radio and the Global Climate Action Summit. Guests Marisa de Belloy CEO, Cool Effect; Executive Director, Overlook International Foundation Gina McCarthy Director, The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Bill McKibben Founder, 350.org Tom Steyer Founder and President, NextGen America Gloria Walton President and CEO, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education

Solutions to the climate crisis include driving cleaner cars, planting more trees, eating less meat. But how do our housing choices factor into this? Where we build housing and how close it is to mass transit has a big impact on our carbon footprint. Plans to green our cities should include new, urban housing that’s convenient to transportation. But this runs the risk of boosting the real estate market and gentrifying the neighborhood out of the reach of all but the wealthy. Can we build smart and affordable at the same time? Guests Ann Cheng Transportation expert at TransForm Isela Gracian, President of the East LA Community Corporation Rachel Swan City Hall reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle Scott Wiener State senator representing San Francisco, Daly City and Colma

Fossil fuels have helped bring people out of poverty around the world, and many people working in the industry are proud of their contribution. William Vollmann writes about the lives of laborers and executives in different parts of the vast fossil fuel system. Discussing an alternative path for these communities, National Director of Green for All Michelle Romero advocates, “for some, retraining is a viable option and for others nearing retirement...maybe providing a benefit package that will help.” Explore the lives of those who remain captives of an economy run on carbon. Guests Michelle Romero National Director, Green For All William Vollmann Author, No Good Alternative: Volume 2 of Carbon Ideologies

The reality of permanent change along the shoreline is starting to slowly sink in. Recent studies indicate that vulnerability to changing tides is starting to be reflected in property markets around the country. And now cities are grappling with how to build roads, airports and other infrastructure for a very uncertain future. How fast and how high will the tides rise? No one knows for sure but every new forecast tends to be faster and higher than scientists predicted just a few years ago. Elaine Forbes Executive Director, Port of San Francisco Nahal Ghoghaie Bay Area Program Lead, The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water Larry Goldzband Executive Director, Bay Conservation and Development Commission

What’s the connection between climate change and national security? “Military commanders don't operate on the basis of fiction,” says Leon Panetta, who served as Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA under President Obama. “Understanding climate change and what was happening had to be part and parcel of our effort to protect our security.” The military has long seen climate as critical to readiness, as Rear Admiral David Titley (Ret) explains. “If you’re directly connecting renewable energy to increasing our combat effectiveness,” explains Titley, “the military is all in.” Leon Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense Rear Admiral David W. Titley, USN (Ret) Director, Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk, Penn State University

California. Land of sunshine and seashore. In an effort to protect the state’s magnificent landscape, California has led the country in environmental action. It established strong automobile emission standards. It preserved fragile lands from development. But as climate change fuels megafires across the state and sea level rise threatens the coast, is California doing enough, fast enough? Huey Johnson Chair, Resource Renewal Institute Jason Mark Editor, Sierra Magazine David Vogel Author, California Greenin’: How the Golden State Became an Environmental Leader

Production of animal protein is producing vast amounts of climate-eating gases. But a new generation of companies are creating innovative food products that mimic meat and have much smaller environmental impacts. Some of this mock meat is derived from plants with ingredients designed to replicate the taste and pleasure of chomping into a beef hamburger. Others are growing meat cells that come from a laboratory and not a cow. Will those options wean enough people from burgers and chicken wings to go mainstream? Guests Patrick O. Brown CEO and Founder, Impossible Foods Carolyn Jung Journalist/Blogger, FoodGal.com Mike Selden CEO and Co-founder, Finless Foods

Can changing our consciousness hold off the climate apocalypse? When we think about the enormity of climate change and what it’s doing to our planet, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, even shut down, by despair. But is despair such a bad place to be? Or could it be the one thing that finally spurs us to action? A conversation about climate change, spirituality and the human condition in unsettling times. Roy Scranton Author, We're Doomed. Now What? (Soho Press, 2018) Matthew Fox Co-Author, Order of the Sacred Earth (with Skylar Wilson, Monkfish, 2018)