The Climate Conversation

9.5 How Can Policymakers Protect Policyholders in a World on Fire?

Home insurance is one of those things you need to have and hope to never need. But as risk from climate disasters increases, many homeowners are finding it more and more difficult to obtain an affordable policy. This is especially true in the American West, where wildfires are creating more uncertainty than insurance companies are willing to cover, forcing many homeowners to enroll in state-run insurance plans. Daniel and Alison sit down with Dr. Lisa Dale, director of the Climate and Society Masters program at the Columbia Climate School, for a conversation about how policymakers can help communities navigate the insurance crisis as it relates to wildfires.
Show notes:
Risky Business: Insurance in the Era of Climate Change (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/050625insurance 
Missing the mark: Effectiveness and funding in community wildfire risk reduction (Headwaters Economics report): https://headwaterseconomics.org/natural-hazards/missing-the-mark-wildfire/ 
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 
Living with Climate Change: Wildfires (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/061322climatechange 
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 

9.4 Bringing Abandoned Mine Lands Back to Life

For residents of former and current mining communities (especially in Appalachia, the Midwest, and the Mountain West), abandoned mines are a familiar—and often dangerous—aspect of the local landscape. Unreclaimed abandoned mines and infrastructure can leak acid drainage, pollute groundwater, or collapse unexpectedly. Guests Kevin Zedack and Matt Hepler (both from Appalachian Voices) sit down with Daniel and EESI’s newest communications associate, Hannah Wilson-Black, to explain how cleaning up these sites can safeguard ecosystems and human health while providing new economic development opportunities in coal communities.
 
Show notes:
Central Appalachian Mine Reforestation Assessment (Appalachian Voices resource): https://skytruth.org/mtr-data-files/ 
Plugging Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells Provides Climate and Jobs Benefits (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/plugging-orphaned-oil-and-gas-wells-provides-climate-and-jobs-benefits 
Unlocking Rural Economies: Farm Bill Investments in Rural America (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/052423farmbill 

9.3 Keeping U.S. Climate Action Afloat: Subnational Diplomacy on Ocean Acidification

With the United States withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, there is a lot of uncertainty about what U.S. climate diplomacy will look like under the current administration. But despite challenges at the national level, many state governments are poised to continue making progress on global climate action. This new dynamic is already playing out in response to ocean acidification. Daniel and Alison sat down with Jessie Turner, executive director of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), to explore the landscape—or seascape—of subnational climate diplomacy.
 
Show notes:
Exploring the Policy Landscape of Carbon Dioxide Removal (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/091224cdr 
En-shoring a Better Future for Coastal Ecosystems and Communities (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/8.1-en-shoring-a-better-future-for-coastal-ecosystems-and-communities 
A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities (report): https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/a-resilient-future-for-coastal-communities 
Making Waves: The Importance of Oceans at COP28 (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/making-waves-the-importance-of-oceans-at-cop28
EESI Resources for the 2024 U.N. Climate Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29 resources): https://www.eesi.org/cop29-resources

9.2 Shooting for a Clean Energy Economy with Dr. Geri Richmond

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Earthshots Initiative set technical and financial goals for key clean energy challenges, growing to a portfolio of eight “shots” for technologies like hydrogen, long duration storage, and more. Today’s episode features one of the leaders who helped catapult the Earthshots at DOE, Dr. Geraldine “Geri” Richmond, who served as the agency’s Under Secretary for Science and Innovation during the Biden-Harris Administration. Geri sat down with co-hosts Daniel and Alison to share her vision for public-private partnerships to continue advancing the Earthshots, and her insights on women in STEM and international scientific cooperation.
 
Show notes:
Charting the Path: An Energy Earthshots Initiative Report (DOE report): https://www.energy.gov/eere/charting-path-energy-earthshots-initiative-report 
Energy Earthshots: The Frontier of Climate Innovation (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/020124doe 
Maximizing the Climate Benefits of Hydrogen (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/060123hydrogen 
Inside DOE’s Newest Office on Artificial Intelligence (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.8-inside-does-newest-office-on-artificial-intelligence
How the Department of Energy is Catapulting Clean Energy Innovation to Commercial Liftoff (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.4-how-the-department-of-energy-is-catapulting-clean-energy-innovation-to-commercial-liftoff

9.1 Polling Shows the Bipartisan Nature of Natural Climate Solutions

Welcome to Season 9 of The Climate Conversation podcast! How many issues can you think of that 94% of U.S. voters agree on? Probably not very many. But a poll commissioned by U.S. Nature4Climate in 2024 revealed that 94% of voters across the United States support the expansion of natural climate solutions—actions that reduce emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, farms, grasslands, and wetlands—in public policy. To kick off the new season of EESI’s podcast, co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis sit down with the bipartisan pollsters who led the survey, Lori Weigel of New Bridge Strategy and Dave Metz of FM3 Research.
 
Show notes:
Growth in Support for Natural Climate Solutions (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/growth-in-support-for-natural-climate-solutions 
Maximizing the Impact of Natural Climate Solutions (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/061124nature 
Cities Leading the Way on Nature-Based Solutions (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/052324cities 
New Guide Helps Decision-Makers Adopt Natural Climate Solutions (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/new-guide-helps-decision-makers-adopt-natural-climate-solutions 
Public Polling on Climate Change (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/020923camp 

8.6 Political Climate: Author Jay Hakes on the History of Climate Change Science in the White House

As 2024 draws to a close, many people are wondering what to expect from the next Congress and presidential administration on climate change. But sometimes, the best way to look forward is to look back. Co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis sit down with Jay Hakes, author of The Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics from Eisenhower to Bush, for a discussion about the intersection of climate science and political processes in the White House.
 
Show notes:
EESI at 40: Claudine Schneider Reflects on the Necessity of Communication in Climate Politics: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/eesi-at-40-claudine-schneider-reflects-on-the-necessity-of-communication-in-climate-politics
EESI Welcomes Two Energy Leaders to Its Board of Directors: https://www.eesi.org/press-releases/view/eesi-welcomes-two-energy-leaders-to-its-board-of-directors

8.5 Empowering People Around the World with Stellar Satellite Data

Atmospheric satellite data can provide key information about climate change, including measurements related to the ozone layer, air quality, methane, and more. In today's episode, Dr. Pieternel Levelt, a scientist and associate director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, joins Daniel and Alison to talk about satellite instruments like OMI (the Ozone Monitoring Instrument) and TROPOMI (the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument). These instruments provide essential data to scientists and policymakers all over the globe.

8.4 Reflecting on the Climate Mitigation Potential of Cool Surfaces

There are many tools and solutions available to help offset the global rise in temperature caused by greenhouse gas emissions. One such method that has been gaining traction in recent years is the use of solar reflective materials in the built environment. The degree of solar reflectance (or “albedo”) of our roofs, walls, and pavements, can impact local temperatures as well as the Earth’s energy balance. High albedo surfaces help to reduce the urban heat island effect, and a new report shines light on their effectiveness as a climate change mitigation measure. In this episode, EESI Board Member Kurt Shickman joins co-hosts Dan and Alison for a conversation with Seth Jacobson, Climate Solutions Officer at the nonprofit Climate Resolve. Seth leads the Shine On initiative, which was launched in 2023 to study the impact of albedo management of the built environment on climate change.
 
Show notes:
Shine On: Increasing Local Solar Reflectance as a Means to Reduce the Greenhouse Gas Effect: https://www.climateresolve.org/shine-on-white-paper/
Hot Today, Hotter Tomorrow: Policy Solutions to the Dangers of Extreme Heat: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.5-hot-today-hotter-tomorrow-policy-solutions-to-the-dangers-of-extreme-heat

8.3 Podcast: Representative Jennifer McClellan Talks Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice in the Commonwealth of Virginia

EESI recently held a reception at the Library of Congress to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and we were honored to welcome two members of Congress: Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.). This week on the podcast, we are resurfacing Rep. McClellan’s interview from earlier this year, when she joined us to discuss climate resilience and environmental justice in the Commonwealth and across the country.

8.2 The Gila River Indian Community Is Soaking up Sunshine with Solar Canal Innovation

The Gila River, which flows through New Mexico and Arizona, is the site of the first operational solar covered-canal in the United States, and will provide renewable energy to the people of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. This pilot project, also called the Casa Blanca Canal solar project, received nearly $6 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. For this week’s episode, EESI Policy Associate Molly Brind'Amour joins President Daniel Bresette to speak with George Cairo, the head engineer for the Casa Blanca Canal solar project, about the benefits and challenges of canal-based energy systems.
 
Show notes:
The Promise and Potential of Solar Canals: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/the-promise-and-potential-of-solar-canals
Keeping the Gila River Wild for People and the Planet: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/keeping-the-gila-river-wild-for-people-and-the-planet