In episode 183 of America Adapts, it’s a re-release of episode 68.  Doug travels down under to Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. Doug was invited to give the keynote address at the Victoria Adaptation Summit, then he participated in the National Adaptation Conference, where he interviewed experts from throughout southern Australia. Learn innovative adaptation techniques from the private sector, local councils and the state government. Topics in this episode: local council approach to...

In episode 182 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons host Mark Nevitt, a former Navy Jag and now Law professor at Emory University.  Mark shares his insights on the intersection of law and climate change. They discuss how US laws were created during a much more stable climate and how the legal system has not kept up with the current climate moment. The takings clause in the US Constitution is now relevant for climate change and Mark and Doug dig into this issue. Mark also considers his military...

In episode 181 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Eric Roston, the Sustainability Editor at Bloomberg News (that covers the climate beat!).  We explore the world of climate journalism and the challenges that reporters face when covering this complex and ever-changing topic. From the difficulty of reporting on emerging science to the tough decisions that newsrooms make about which climate issues to focus on, Eric and I discuss some of the biggest questions facing climate journalists today....

In episode 180 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Eric Chu. Eric shares the challenges of integrating climate curricula into universities and the functions of the UC Davis Climate Adaptation Research Center. We also discuss the importance of working with university students to determine their professional adaptation work needs. We take a closer look at Chapter 12 of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) and discuss why it isn't used more frequently by adaptation professionals....

In episode 179 of America Adapts, I’ve partnered with World Wildlife Fund to learn the critical role mangrove forests play in coastal adaptation and the work WWF is doing with their Mangroves for Community and Climate project.   You’ll hear how WWF is applying its three core adaptation strategies:  ecosystem-based adaptation, nature-friendly adaptation, and climate-smart conservation. We journeyed to the Yucatán in Mexico to speak with mangrove experts from around the world - Mexico,...

In episode 178 of America Adapts, we dig into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as a catalyst for transformational adaptation. Joining the podcast: Adie Tomer of the Brookings Institution talks about their infrastructure resource hub; Shalini Vajjhala of re:focus partners returns to discuss how they are helping local communities be strategic in their adaptation planning and finding practical approaches for grant applications; Brandon Kay of Tempe Arizona and Tom Jacobs of the...

In episode 177 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Justin Sanchez of Battelle; Jamie Beck Alexander of Project Drawdown; Franco Amalfi of Google Cloud; and Erin Sikorsky of the Center for Climate and Security. All our keynote speakers at the upcoming Innovations in Climate Resilience that Battelle is hosting in Columbus, Ohio. You’ll learn about the climate change work each of their companies and organizations are working on and you’ll hear get previews of their talks at the Innovations...

In episode 176 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Kelly Hereid, the Director Of Catastrophe Research and Development at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Kelly takes us through the tool of catastrophe modeling and explains why it could be useful for adaptation planners. We also learn how the insurance industry tries to make the uncertain nature of hurricanes and climate change more predictable: “Climate translators” play a critical role in this process.  They also discuss the wild, wild west...

In episode 175 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts early career adaptation professionals. We learn their educational background; what inspired them to get into the adaptation space; what climate impacts and geographic regions they are most interested in making a difference; do they think there are enough adaptation professional advancement opportunities; what adaptation work they want to be doing in 20 years; and what unique skills do they bring to the resilience space. Fantastic...

In a re-release, 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!   Topics covered: Issues for equity, adaptation and climate change Urban planning and climate justice....

In episode 173, Dr. Carolyn Kousky of the Environmental Defense Funds joins the podcast to discuss her new book, Understanding Disaster Insurance, New Tools for a More Resilient Future. Carolyn and Doug discuss why insurance companies still are not taking climate change seriously enough. Carolyn shares some innovative insurance tools to help people gain access to flood insurance in at risk areas. We also learn some of the fundamentals of climate risk and how insurance can play an increasing...

In episode 172, Judge Alice Hill from the Council on Foreign Relations returns to the podcast! Alice discusses the recent floods in Pakistan and how the aftermath could be a national security threat. We also discuss Puerto Rico and Hurricane Irma and the challenges of getting on the ground resilience funding on the island. Alice and I discuss how bureaucracies can have difficulty supporting adaptation planning and funding and why a National Adaptation Plan would help with adaptation...

In episode 171, Dr. Jesse Keenan of Tulane University returns to discuss the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act and how adaptation and resilience are built into the legislation. We discuss the misleading adaptation coverage in the media and why the Act represents a significant investment in climate resilience. Jesse takes a deep dive and explains how adaptation is built into tax policies, clean energy credits, community investment and much more in the legislation. Joining the podcast...

In episode 170, Lisa Craig of The Craig Group joins the podcast to discuss how her company supports local governments, community groups, cultural organizations, and state, national and tribal partners in adapting to climate change.  We also discuss the challenges of adapting cultural resources in a changing climate. Doug and Lisa discuss the implications of suing a local government to adapt to climate change.  Lisa shares stories of working with communities and describes in detail how they...

In episode 169, we’re doing a mid year adaptation review extravaganza! Doug is joined by Shaun Martin of World Wildlife Fund and Monika Serrano, of Turner Construction. The three discuss the top climate stories of the past year; their favorite America Adapts episodes; future recommendations for the podcast; how to stay connected to the adaptation universe; their favorite resilience and adaptation resources; where will adaptation be in ten years and much more! It’s a fun and informative...

In episode 168 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts David Kuhn and Ben Jordan. David is the lead for corporate resilience at World Wildlife Fund and Ben is the Senior Director of Packaging and Climate at The Coca-Cola Company.  We discuss why engaging the corporate sector is so important to WWF and why the private sector will be so important for the emerging adaptation sector.  We also discuss sustainability and its longer history with corporate America and how adaptation can complement the...

In episode 167, Doug Parsons hosts Francisco Sanchez Jr., Associate Administrator for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Francisco shares what is the office of disaster assistance. We also discuss how climate change is requiring them to evolve their mission. SBA is actually a major funder of disaster preparedness, an increasingly important part of any adaptation response for communities. We also learn about Francisco’s previous experiences doing similar...

In episode 166 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts adaptation experts from Colorado. We learn how extreme storm events have been a major driver in adaptation planning in the state. Discover the most pressing climate impacts facing Colorado. We hear from the state climatologist about Colorado’s unique climate and what challenges it brings to adaptation planners. We also hear about on the ground examples of resilience planning from city and local governments.  Colorado is learning quickly...

In episode 165 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Katharine Mach. Katharine is a Professor at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and is a lead author for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Katharine explains the process of drafting the report; how the media succeeds and fails at communicating the urgency of the report; Doug and Katharine also discuss a need to rethink the role and purpose of the IPCC report to help elevate the urgency of the...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, we are talking with citizen activists impacted by repeated flooding and what actions they are taking in response.  The podcast is joined by representatives from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Anthropocene Alliance. We also talk to four citizen activists who have experienced flooding first hand and the steps they are taking to make their communities more resilient to future extreme events.  We share stories of citizen adapters and the...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Erin Sikorsky, the director of The Center for Climate and Security. Erin and Doug discuss: how to elevate the urgency of climate change through national security; why climate change is considered a top threat to the U.S.; how it’s impacting the core duties of the U.S. military; where are global ‘hot spots’; how climate change could lead to further political polarization in the U.S.; the value of a National Adaptation Plan and more! ...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Ladd Keith and Dr Sara Meerow to discuss their new book, Planning for Urban Heat Resilience.  Sara is an Assistant Professor at the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University and Ladd is an Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at The University of Arizona.  Ladd and Sara discuss: the complexities of urban heat; heat equity; planning tools; case studies...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Leo Goldsmith of ICF and  Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine, to discuss their new paper, Queer and Present Danger: Understanding the Disparate Impacts of Disasters on LGBTQ+ Communities. Mike and Leo discuss the unique vulnerabilities of this community in disaster relief; the myth of gay affluence; how faith-based groups have a history of...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine. Michael shares his research on how undocumented immigrants are particularly vulnerable to wildfires and climate change; why FEMA doesn’t provide disaster aid to these workers; what is a “worthy disaster victim” and how adaptation planners can incorporate climate equity into their plans. These topics and much more! ...

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Dr. Elizabeth Mattiuzzi of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Lizzie’s latest research unpacks the ways low- and moderate-income communities are vulnerable to climate risks. Learn the role of housing insecurity in communities’ climate vulnerabilities. Her research also uncovers awareness levels among organizations dealing with climate risk and what impacts they perceive are affecting their community members. It’s important...