Climate change is intensifying flood risk around the world, with potentially devastating consequences for communities and infrastructure. Listen to Dr. Daniel Swain describe strategies to mitigate and adapt to this growing risk. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/recharging-aquifers-with-flood-waters-with-daniel-swain/

Heat pumps are a more sustainable and efficient way to heat homes than to conventional gas heat, but they're often too expensive for homeowners to install. Meet the GeoGrid, an underground geothermal heat pump network that could make the technology more efficient and accessible. Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) is a nonprofit working with utilities to develop GeoGrids in residential neighborhoods. We spoke to HEET Executive Directors Audrey Schulman and Zeyneb Magavi about heat pumps and...

California's ambitious goal to achieve 60% renewable energy by 2030 brings new challenges in managing grid stability due to the variable nature of solar and wind energy. With growing demands from electric vehicles and energy-efficient buildings, enhancing energy storage capacity becomes crucial for a sustainable transition. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/balancing-the-grid-californias-shift-to-renewable-energy-sources/

Hip Hip is not just a music genre it’s a way to incite activism in marginalized youth. In this episode we delve into how youth can use art to engage critically with the world around them and specifically climate activism as we are joined by Khafre Jay, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit: Hip Hop For Change. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/hip-hop-4-change-using-art-activism-to-combat-climate-change/

How can we help developing countries finance climate action? We spoke with Kelly Varian, a policy analyst at UC Berkeley law, who proposes changes to the International Monetary Fund. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/international-monetary-fund-reform-with-kelly-varian/

In advance of the 2022 Bioneers Conference, we spoke to Teo Grossman, Bioneers' Senior Director of Programs and Research, about why meeting grounds like the Bioneers Conference are important for empowering climate action. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/community-as-antidote-to-climate-despair-with-teo-grossman/

Wetlands, especially coastal salt marshes, provide crucial ecosystem services including biodiversity preservation, water regulation, carbon storage, and climate regulation. Human activities have degraded many of these ecosystems, but restoration projects, such as those at Cape Cod National Seashore, aim to rejuvenate affected marshes and restore their vital functions. For a transcript of this episode, please visit...

Nature-based solutions to climate change, such as "Resilience Hotspots," can enhance climate resilience by restoring and maintaining pockets of nature, such as wetlands and urban green spaces, to counteract storm surges and urban heat islands. Integrating these natural defenses into urban planning, while emphasizing community equity, not only mitigates climate impacts but also promotes climate justice. For a full transcript of this episode, please visit...

Ammonia, vital for global agriculture, is traditionally produced with significant carbon emissions. Dr. Benjamin Snyder envisions farmers using solar power to create “green ammonia” on-site, reducing greenhouse gases and promoting self-sufficiency. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/green-ammonia-pioneering-a-sustainable-future-in-food-production/

When plants photosynthesize, they temporarily remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Could we use gene editing technology CRISPR to enhance photosynthesis and increase the amount of carbon dioxide they remove? UC Berkeley biology Professor and photosynthesis expert Kris Niyogi thinks so, and he says it could fight climate change and enhance food production at the same time. In this episode, Climate Break speaks to Professor Niyogi about his lab's early-stage research into CRISPR,...

Today's proposal: using geothermal energy to generate round-the-clock, carbon-free electricity. Pat Dobson at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab explains how power plant operators can extract the geothermal energy from heat zones deep within the Earth. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/geothermal-power-tapping-earths-heat-for-a-carbon-free-future/

With more and more people concerned about climate change and climate pollution, local governments are increasingly demanding zero-emissions public transportation options. But those can be costly. We spoke with Ed Thomson, from Scotland’s transport agency, to learn about their pathway to decarbonization of heavy-duty vehicles, such as public buses. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/matching-demand-for-zero-emissions-public-transportation.

The European Union’s new trucking policies are a key component of its goal to quickly achieve a 90% gas emissions reduction. But economic and societal conditions must be set to enable this goal. We spoke with Sofie Defour of Transport and Environment, a European NGO, to learn more. For a transcript of the episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/carbon-free-trucks-on-the-road-to-zero-emissions/

Traditional hard rock lithium mining is energy- and resource-intense. But lithium is a key component of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, like those used in electric vehicles. We spoke with Dr. Pat Dobson of the Geothermal Systems Program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory about his work with alternative mining techniques used in the Salton Sea, in Southern California. For a transcript of this episode, please visit...

Corporate lobbying, sometimes viewed skeptically, is increasingly being considered as a useful tool for advancing science-based climate policies. The effectiveness of this strategy hinges on overcoming several challenges, including workforce mobilization and the powerful corporate interests that lobby against environmental action. For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/corporate-lobbying-as-an-ally/

The “30 by 30” conservation movement aims to conserve 30 percent of the Earth's land by 2030. California is among the first jurisdictions to implement a comprehensive 30 by 30 strategy and has invested $11 billion towards the effort. The movement focuses on protecting biodiversity, engaging local communities, and building resilient ecosystems, while also navigating challenges like land use conflicts and climate change adaptation. For a transcript, please visit...

Concentrated beer formulas that minimize water content and transportation emissions are reducing the carbon footprint of the beer industry. This groundbreaking approach presents an opportunity for both producers and consumers to make more environmentally responsible choices when consuming beer. For a transcript, visit https://climatebreak.org/raising-the-bar-brewing-a-greener-future-with-concentrated-beer-with-gary-tickle/

How does improving access to education act as a climate solution? And why focus on educating girls? Education can contribute to the climate resilience of girls–and of their communities. We spoke with Dr. Christina Kwauk about the connections among climate change, education, and gender. For a transcript of this episode, please visit: https://climatebreak.org/educating-girls-to-address-gendered-impacts-of-climate-change/

What can EV adoption incentives learn from how we've subsidized industries in the past? In this episode, we speak with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mobility Francois Bausch, to learn more about Luxembourg's approach to mobility decarbonisation and the surprising reason he thinks it's just like cell phones. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/learning-from-luxembourgs-approach-to-evs-with-minister-of-mobility-francois-bausch/

For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/climate-change-litigation-on-behalf-of-young-people-with-julia-olson/ Young people worldwide, represented by organizations like Our Children's Trust, are increasingly using litigation to force governments to take climate action. This trend is illustrated by notable cases like Juliana v. United States and Held v. Montana.

For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/tackling-the-plastic-crisis-with-martin-bourque/ In an effort to combat the increasing use of non-recyclable plastics, Martin Bourque and the Ecology Center in Berkeley advocate for laws and programs that reduce plastic consumption. Their strategies, including a bag reduction initiative and a disposable foodware ordinance, have been adopted at state levels and by other cities.

For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/hydrogen-fuels-potential-to-decarbonize-aviation/ Air travel accounts for about 2.5 percent of global carbon emissions. To reduce emissions from aviation, ZeroAvia is seeking to build the world’s first zero-emission passenger jet powered by hydrogen fuel, which offers three times more energy per kilogram than jet fuel and emits no toxic fumes when combusted. Hydrogen fuel’s higher energy density and capacity for consistent electrical...

The human health effects of air pollution and climate change can exacerbate each other and some air pollutants, like black carbon, are both hazardous to human health and powerful greenhouse gasses. We spoke with Dr. Collins Gameli Hodoli about the importance of increasing awareness of poor air quality–through the use of a mobile app he developed–to developing policies to improve air quality in Ghana. For a transcript, please visit...

For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/using-paleo-valleys-to-recharge-aquifers-with-dr-rosemary-knight/ How can insights from geophysics help us to make better use of rainwater? Geophysicists, like Stanford’s Dr. Rosemary Knight, can identify ancient, buried riverbeds called paleo valleys. We spoke with her about how such geologic structures can help us recharge aquifers deep below the Earth’s surface.

For a transcript, please visit the episode page on ClimateBreak.org. Electric motorcycles and battery swap technology can improve livelihoods and reduce emissions in Africa and around the world. Ampersand, an African electric vehicle company, provides affordable electric motorcycles (called “e-motos”) in East Africa and operates a convenient battery swap system. These e-motos are replacing polluting gas motorcycles with a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative.