The Climate Conversation

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

8.1 En-shoring a Better Future for Coastal Ecosystems and Communities

Welcome to Season 8 of The Climate Conversation podcast! Many of us are returning from trips to the coast, where breezy beaches provided a respite from the brutal summer heat. But these coastal areas are important for more than just the occasional vacation. Wetlands and estuaries, which connect inland rivers to the open ocean, are critical ecosystems for climate adaptation and carbon sequestration. In this episode, co-hosts Dan and Alison—alongside EESI Policy Director Anna McGinn—talk about coastal restoration with Daniel Hayden, president and CEO of Restore America’s Estuaries.
 
Show notes:
2024 Coastal and Estuarine Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/110611bc-78c6-43ad-b053-a9afd2a4263a/summary 
The Mississippi River: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/101024rivers 
Building a Stronger Chesapeake Bay with EPA: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.7-building-a-stronger-chesapeake-bay-with-epa 
A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/a-resilient-future-for-coastal-communities 
Celebrating Two Years of Coastal Resilience Solutions at EESI: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/4.4-celebrating-two-years-of-coastal-resilience-solutions-at-eesi 
What Is the Future for New Jersey’s Coastal Marshes? https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/qa-what-is-the-future-for-new-jerseys-coastal-marshes 

7.8 Inside DOE's Newest Office on Artificial Intelligence

It seems like almost every day there is another story about new advancements in Artificial Intelligence, or AI. By now, many of us are familiar with ChatGPT, but there is a wide variety of different models and applications for the rapidly-evolving AI technology. To wrap up Season 7 of The Climate Conversation podcast, Dan and Alison are joined by Helena Fu, director of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies. Helena discusses how AI can help modernize the power grid for a clean energy future and shares some of what DOE’s newest office has accomplished since it opened in December 2023.
 
Show notes:
AI for Energy: Opportunities for a Modern Grid and Clean Energy Economy: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/AI%20EO%20Report%20Section%205.2g%28i%29_043024.pdf 
AI: Powering the New Energy Era: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtsVXbsO1zI&t=1090s 
Innovations in Weather Forecasting for a Changing Climate: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/021524weather 
All Fired up for Innovation in Wildfire Risk Analysis: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.6-all-fired-up-for-innovation-in-wildfire-risk-analysis 
Funding the Future: The Impact of Federal Clean Energy Investments: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/041224doe 
How the Department of Energy is Catapulting Clean Energy Innovation to Commercial Liftoff: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.4-how-the-department-of-energy-is-catapulting-clean-energy-innovation-to-commercial-liftoff 

7.7 Building a Stronger Chesapeake Bay with EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ten regional offices across the country that carry out the agency’s programs. In this episode, co-hosts Dan and Alison sit down with EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz, whose office serves Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, DC, and seven federally recognized tribes. Adam shares his insights on Chesapeake Bay restoration and other EPA priorities in the region, as well as the importance of environmental justice and local partnerships.
 
Show notes:
EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/a40840fe-b2dc-4848-81d6-dd2afdbe6c70/summary 
Washington D.C. RiverSmart Homes Program Helps Protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/washington-d.c-riversmart-homes-program-helps-protect-the-chesapeake-bay-watershed
Improving Coastal Resilience in the Northeast: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/102319northeast

7.6 All Fired up for Innovation in Wildfire Risk Analysis

Wildfires have already made national headlines this year, as Texans recover from the largest fire in their state's history. The impacts of climate change—rising temperatures and drought, in particular—have driven the increase in wildfire frequency and severity, which then contributes to air pollution, including carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, changes in weather patterns have made wildfires less predictable and more difficult to contain. Co-hosts Dan and Alison are joined today by Joe Scott, founder and principal wildfire analyst at Pyrologix, for a conversation about how fire modeling and hazard assessment can help shape data-driven approaches to wildfire mitigation.
 
Show notes:
Living with Climate Change: Wildfires: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/061322climatechange 
Rethinking Tourism in the Wake of West Maui’s Wildfires: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/rethinking-tourism-in-the-wake-of-west-mauis-wildfires 
Hawaii Prioritizes Energy Equity So No One Gets Left Behind or Forgotten: https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.5-hawaii-prioritizes-energy-equity-so-no-one-gets-left-behind-or-forgotten 
Q&A: Learning from the Past to Chart the Future of Fire in Western Forests: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/qa-learning-from-the-past-to-chart-the-future-of-fire-in-western-forests
The Future of Forestry in the Farm Bill: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/060723farmbill