The Climate Conversation

EESI works hard to create opportunities for students, including through our Future Climate Leaders Scholarship program. Two-time scholarship recipient Sulaiman Mathew-Wilson is pursuing a bachelor’s in environmental studies at Howard University. Sulaiman joined Daniel and Alison on the podcast to discuss his research on air pollution and environmental justice in Accra, Ghana.

Are you ready for Danger Season? The months of May through October are when North America experiences its most severe weather. The Union of Concerned Scientists produces resources about Danger Season, with an emphasis on its connection to climate change. In this episode, EESI sat down with Union of Concerned Scientists Climate and Energy Policy Director Dr. Rachel Cleetus for a conversation about Danger Season tracking, trends, and key takeaways for policymakers.

In the words of Athens, Ohio, Mayor Steve Patterson and Power a Clean Future Ohio Executive Director Joe Flarida: “we know what the people are asking for.” In Ohio, those asks include more solar power, shade trees, and public transportation. In this episode of The Climate Conversation, hear how Steve and Joe have worked with municipalities across the Buckeye State to deliver on sustainability goals despite gaps in federal and state support. 

From greenwashing in advertisements to the altering of government websites, misinformation around climate change has become more rampant and pervasive than ever before. This episode focuses on strategies to preserve information integrity through the elevation of reliable and accessible climate data. Ryan Alexander, executive director of the Climate Data Collaborative at the Data Foundation, sat down with EESI to discuss the importance of standardized data for evidence-based climate action and policy.
 
Show notes:
Climate & Environmental Data Day (Data Foundation event): https://datafoundation.org/events/view/climate-environmental-data-day 
Tracking Down Data (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/042326data 
Innovations in Weather Forecasting for a Changing Climate (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/021524weather 
BREAKING: Broadcast News Is Falling Short on Climate Change Coverage (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/6.7-breaking-broadcast-news-is-falling-short-on-climate-change-coverage 
Empowering People Around the World with Stellar Satellite Data (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/empowering-people-around-the-world-with-stellar-satellite-data
Climate Change FAQ (fact sheet): https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/faq-climate-change

For today's episode, EESI sat down with U.S. Representative Sean Casten, who serves the sixth district of Illinois (western suburbs of Chicago) and sits on the House Financial Services Committee and the Joint Economic Committee. He is also vice-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. In this interview with EESI, Rep. Casten shares his insights about all things energy policy, including infrastructure, productivity, and data.
 
Show notes:
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove on Well-Rounded Policies for a Circular Economy (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/10.1-rep-sydney-kamlager-dove-on-well-rounded-policies-for-a-circular-economy 
Representative Jennifer McClellan Talks Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice in the Commonwealth (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/7.4-representative-jennifer-mcclellan-talks-climate-resilience-and-environmental-justice-in-the-commonwealth 
Representative Ro Khanna on the CHIPS and Science Act (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/5.8-representative-ro-khanna-on-the-chips-and-science-act 
Illinois (Climate Solutions by State Map): https://www.eesi.org/page/Illinois 

Welcome to Season 11 of The Climate Conversation! In this episode, EESI President Daniel Bresette and Policy Director Anna McGinn are joined by Genevieve Biggs, who oversees the Wildfire Resilience Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Genny explains how the initiative and its grantees are creating a future for Western North America where ecologically beneficial fire is dominant over extreme wildfire.
 
Show notes:
Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/012726fire 
Heating Up Wildfire Solutions (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/heating-up-wildfire-solutions 
Every Breath You Take: Preventing Wildfire Smoke Injuries (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/every-breath-you-take-preventing-wildfire-smoke-injuries 
How Can Policymakers Protect Policyholders in a World on Fire? (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/9.5-how-can-policymakers-protect-policyholders-in-a-world-on-fire 
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 
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 
Living with Climate Change: Wildfires (briefing): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/061322climatechange 
Earth Fire Alliance FireSat Mission: https://www.earthfirealliance.org/#our-solution
FireWERX: https://www.firewerx.org/
Dr. Hussam Mahmoud and AGNI-NAR model: https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2024/07/new-computationally-efficient-model-will-tame-fire
Dr. Michael Gollner and WU-E model: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/outdoor-areas-can-form-key-buffers-in-slowing-urban-fires-like-la-s
General Dave Winnacker and XyloPlan: https://www.moore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=analysis-of-recent-disasters-what-is-needed-for-a-fire-to-turn-into-an-urban-disaster
Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative: https://www.westernfireforest.org/

This episode revisits last week’s Rapid Readout, with additional insights from co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis and EESI Policy Director Anna McGinn. Speakers unpacked what happened at COP30; covered U.S. federal, subnational, and private sector roles in the proceedings; and explained what it all means for U.S. climate policy. If you’re catching up on the whirlwind of COP30, this episode is for you!

The United Nations climate summit—also known as COP—will take place in Belém, Brazil, starting on November 10th. This year, the United States will not have an official presence at COP30 due to the elimination of the State Department's Office of Global Change, making it more important than ever for mayors and other subnational leaders to engage. In this episode, Kate Johnson, regional director for North America at C40, sits down with EESI to talk about subnational climate action and how it fits in with COP and international collaboration more broadly.
 
Show notes:
Keeping U.S. Climate Action Afloat: Subnational Diplomacy on Ocean Acidification (podcast): https://www.eesi.org/podcasts/view/9.3-keeping-u.s-climate-action-afloat-subnational-diplomacy-on-ocean-acidification 
What Congress Needs to Know About COP30 (briefing series): https://www.eesi.org/cop30-briefings 

Capacity building is crucial to the success of community-led climate adaptation and resilience projects. In our latest podcast episode, we sit down with Liz Tully of the Climate Resilience Fund to learn about the Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI). We also chat with community leaders from Kentucky to Idaho about how CSCI grants have made local resilience efforts possible, and how federal and state support could make their work even more impactful.

Whether you are an amateur in the kitchen or a professional chef, electrification is a gouda option! In this episode, Chef Christopher Galarza, an expert in cooking with electric and induction technology, explains to co-hosts Daniel and Alison why he does not play with fire in his restaurants or at home. Chef Chris’s leadership at Forward Dining Solutions and EcoChef recently earned him a spot on the 2025 Grist 50 list.
 
Show notes:
I Made the Switch from Gas to Electric Cooking. Here’s Why I Love My New Induction Stove (article): https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/i-made-the-switch-from-gas-to-electric-cooking-heres-why-i-love-my-new-induction-stove 
Smart Home, Green Home (2025 Clean Energy EXPO Panel): https://www.eesi.org/expo2025smarthome 
Benefits of ENERGY STAR (Rapid Readout): https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/051625rapidreadout