Climate Papa

What if the most important step you can take for biodiversity is simply… noticing?Species are disappearing far faster than we can track, and for many of them, our entire scientific record amounts to a handful of specimens scattered across museum shelves.My guest today, Scott Loarie, has spent the last decade building one of the most hopeful counterforces to that trend: iNaturalist. What started as a simple idea — “What if anyone could help record the living world with their phone?” — has grown into one of the largest biodiversity datasets on Earth. Most of what scientists now know about many species comes not from elite field research, but from millions of everyday people noticing what’s around them.We talk about how climate change scrambles ecosystems, how citizen science has outpaced some traditional biology, and why biodiversity may be one of the last unpolarized environmental spaces left. iNaturalist works not because it’s high-tech, but because it taps into something deeply human: curiosity. A butterfly in your backyard becomes a datapoint for global science. A moment of noticing becomes a contribution that actually matters.In a world where climate action often feels abstract and distant, biodiversity offers something intimate: a reason to look closer.If you want to start, download the iNaturalist app, step outside, and snap a photo. It’s a tiny act that scales surprisingly far.Referenced:iNaturalist — iOS | AndroidSeek — for under 13IUCN Red ListGet connected:Scott Loarie — iNaturalist | LinkedInBen - LinkedIn | Climate PapaFeedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch by emailing ben@climatepapa.comMusic: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

How do you make decisions for the next hundred years based on evidence you only know today? That’s the question Gary Yohe has spent more than four decades wrestling with. One of the first five economists in the world working on climate change back in the early 1980s, Gary served as the Coordinating Lead Author for multiple IPCC report chapters, including the Fourth Assessment that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. His research has shaped how the world understands climate risk, bridging economics, science, and policy. Instead of chasing a perfect century-long plan, he argues we should treat climate as a risk management problem—act, learn, adjust. It’s an idea that changed the field: policy as an iterative process rather than a single bet on the future.We talk about how this shift happened and what it means today, from San Francisco’s sea-level strategy—where most of the city plans for a two-foot rise, but why the Embarcadero prepares for six—to the limits of insurance as climate risk becomes unpriceable. Gary channels John Holdren’s line that “we can abate, we can adapt, or we can suffer,” and explains why the catastrophic tail risks will never be fully insurable. He shares lessons from decades of human behavior research: how Florida’s hurricane-proof houses paradoxically increased deaths as people stopped evacuating, and how Outer Banks homeowners started building intentionally ‘disposable’ beach houses when insurance vanished. Along the way, he reflects on the communication gap that dogs climate science—how misinformation can be careless, but accuracy must be flawless—and the discipline it takes to keep public trust.Now in his seventies, Gary calls himself “a foot soldier in the climate wars.” What keeps him going isn’t blind optimism but something sturdier. Quoting Václav Havel, he distinguishes hope from optimism: optimism expects things will work out; hope believes your actions might make a difference. That’s what motivates him when he imagines his nine-year-old twin granddaughters asking, “Papa, what did you do when all this was happening?” His answer: “I was doing everything I could. And I really thought I might make a difference. And that gave me enough hope to think it was worth the time to do it.”Referenced:IPCC 4th AssessmentClimate CafeGet connected:Gary - Wesleyan | Climate CafeBen - LinkedIn | Climate PapaFeedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch by emailing ben@climatepapa.comMusic: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

Agriculture, forestry, and land use together account for nearly 24 % of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet somehow land sits in a weird blind spot: ignored by climate conversations focused on energy and transport, underanalyzed by markets, and mispriced by farmers and timber investors alike. That’s the problem, and opportunity, we’re going to discuss today.I sit down with Danan Margason, founder and CEO of Aarden, to explore how AI can help land owners understand their options. Aarden sits at the center of a messy, trillion-dollar decision problem—enabling landowners and capital allocators to evaluate a single parcel across radically different paths: timber harvests vs. solar fields, carbon projects vs. housing, restoration now vs. monetizing later.We dive into the systems thinking behind land use and why this is such a massive market that’s been underserved by technology.Along the way, Danan shares his journey from crew boats in Seattle to Booking.com, through Carbon Direct’s push for high-quality removals, and into company-building back with his original crew buddy.Referenced:Aarden.aiJobsLand useStepchange ShowGet connected:Danan - LinkedIn | danan@aarden.aiBen - LinkedIn | Climate PapaFeedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch by emailing ben@climatepapa.comMusic: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

✨ Special teaser from the Stepchange Show. Details here. ✨🎧 Listen to the full episode:Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSubstackAny other podcast player search: ‘Stepchange’Today’s Climate Papa episode is a quick teaser from my other project, The Stepchange Show.Anay and I spent months digging into the hidden backbone of our modern world: data centers. These warehouses of machines quietly power everything from your email to AI — and now use more electricity than some countries.This short preview pulls back the curtain. If it sparks your curiosity, head to the full episode on the Stepchange Show through the links above.

What happens when you take the two biggest sources of emissions in the US—transportation and electricity—and smash them together at breakneck speed?In this episode of Climate Papa, I sit down with Apoorv Bhargava, the co-founder and CEO of WeaveGrid. We explore the massive, unfolding challenge and opportunity of integrating millions of electric vehicles onto a grid that wasn't built for them. WeaveGrid sits at the very center—building the critical software layer to orchestrate this transition, turning EVs from a potential liability into a powerful asset for a cleaner, more resilient energy system.We dive deep into the systems thinking required to solve climate change, busting common memes around EV charging, and discussing why the real bottleneck isn't just charging stations, but the grid itself. Apoorv shares why he’s wary of buzzwords like "Virtual Power Plants" (VPPs) and makes the case for building trust and genuine partnership with the massive incumbent industries—like utilities and automakers—that are central to the energy transition.Along the way, Apoorv opens up about his personal journey: from a childhood seeing the impacts of energy and water scarcity firsthand to the all-consuming life of a founder, and why focusing on the human side of the work is essential for the long haul.Referenced:WeaveGridVolts podcast by David Roberts on “enshitification”Get connected:Apoorv - LinkedIn | apoorv@weavegrid.comBen - LinkedIn | Climate PapaFeedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch by emailing ben@climatepapa.comMusic: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

Ben sits down with Michael Leggett—former Google and Facebook design leader turned climate entrepreneur—to explore the invisible but essential machinery behind the clean energy economy. Michael is the co-founder and Head of Product at Ever.green, a startup working to democratize access to high-impact renewable energy deals.Ben and Michael go deep into the world of renewable energy credits (RECs), power purchase agreements (PPAs), and the shifting landscape of carbon accounting. Why is it that only ~1,000 companies today participate in the kind of long-term clean energy contracts that actually help bring new solar and wind projects online? What happens when companies buy cheap, after-the-fact RECs and claim 100% clean energy? And how might emerging standards like 24/7 carbon-free energy reshape what counts as climate impact—for better or worse?Along the way, Michael shares his own journey from Big Tech to climate, how becoming a parent shaped his urgency, and why he remains (cautiously) optimistic that Team Earth can get it right—if we keep the focus on real-world outcomes and the systems and incentives that guide those outcomes.Referenced:Ever.greenRethinking Scope 2 Accounting by Ever.greenStepchange Show: Coal Part IIGet connected:Michael - LinkedInBen - LinkedIn | ⁠Climate Papa⁠Feedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch, by emailing ⁠ben@climatepapa.com⁠Music: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

David Roberts, a climate journalist known for his work at Grist and Vox, dives deep into the energy transition and shares his unique journey from philosophy dropout to climate storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of presenting climate solutions with humor and clarity, advocating for a movement defined by abundance rather than austerity. The conversation also touches on the interconnectedness of urban planning, the urgency of community-driven energy systems, and the potential for humanity to creatively tackle ecological challenges.

What if the biggest climate impact from companies like Google wasn’t in their operations, but in how they shape the decisions of billions of people?In this episode of Climate Papa, I sit down with Travis McCoy, Director of Product for Sustainability at Google. We talk about his journey into climate, the pivotal moment that pushed him to make the leap, and how Google is leveraging its massive distribution to help individuals, businesses, and governments make lower-carbon choices.Travis shares why he believes climate action isn’t just about reducing emissions—it’s about changing systems at scale. And we have a mini product-jam on what it could mean for tech leaders and product builders to build climate native products.Referenced:Electrify by Saul GriffithGoogle’s sustainability work: Google SustainabilityProject Sunroof by Google: Project SunroofThe Stepchange ShowGet connected:Travis - LinkedInBen - LinkedIn | ⁠Climate Papa⁠Feedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch, by emailing ⁠ben@climatepapa.com⁠Music: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)

Today I'm excited to introduce a new project, the Stepchange podcast, where we share the stories of human progress. Like Climate Papa, it's driven by a curiosity about the systems that shape our world, but focuses on the historical innovations and moments that got us here and the transformations happening now. The show is a long-form conversation hosted by me and Anay where we unpack the technologies, systems, and infrastructure that underpin modern life. Our first episode explores coal's role in the Industrial Revolution - a story that echoes through to the many fuel debated today. You can listen by searching for "Stepchange" on your preferred podcast platform (here on Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Climate Papa email subscribers will be added to the Stepchange email list so that you don’t miss future episodes. If the show is not for you, you can always unsubscribe and your Climate Papa updates will not be impacted. Subscribe: stepchange.show ------------------------ Coal is the story of a step change—a transformation so profound that it reshaped the course of human history. The rise of coal reshaped economies, societies, and the very way we live. It became the foundation of the Industrial Revolution and powered a new era of progress, but this leap forward came at a tremendous cost. Coal’s story begins with ancient plants that captured sunlight and locked away carbon over millennia. These deposits, buried deep in the Earth, would one day drive empires and fuel industries that transformed the world. Yet, behind this transformation lies a complex and often difficult legacy. Even as coal has faded from the forefront of our energy landscape, its fingerprints remain everywhere. The technologies it spawned, from steam engines and the rail to industrial manufacturing, continue to underpin our modern world. At the same time, coal’s legacy is inseparable from many of the challenges we face today, from labor abuse and environmental degradation to global climate change. In this debut episode, we explore the first chapter of coal's story, from its early discovery and use through the dawn of the 20th century. Thank you for joining us for the first episode of Stepchange. Don’t forget to subscribe and share your thoughts by emailing us at hi@stepchange.show. Hosts: Ben Shwab Eidelson and Anay Shah Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome to Stepchange03:37 - The Birth of Coal09:39 - Coal's Early History17:01 - Britain's Coal Transformation25:49 - Reshaping Home & Hearth34:49 - The Iron & Coke Revolution44:28 - The Steam Engine Breakthrough1:03:37 - The Railway Revolution1:19:50 - The Rise of Industrial Cities1:38:57 - Life in the Mines1:54:37 - Coal Comes to America2:24:11 - Themes & Reflections Freese, Barbara. Coal: A Human History Goodman, Ruth. The Domestic Revolution: How the Introduction of Coal into Victorian Homes Changed Everything Paxman, Jeremy. Black Gold: The History of How Coal Made Britain Sinclair, Upton. King Coal:a Novel (fiction) Barbara Freese, 12/12/24 Johnston Suter, 1/6/24 Geological History The Carboniferous Period Earth's Historical Timeline Visualization Coal-Bearing Areas of the United States USGS: Coal Resources and Historical Production Coal Mining in Ancient China Coal Mining Regions Industrial Development British Population Growth (1100-Present) The Industrial Revolution Evolution of Steam Power History of the Steam Engine Newcomen Atmospheric Engine Key Industrial Figures Abraham Darby I James Watt Matthew Boulton John Wilkinson Franklin B. Gowen The Lunar Society of Birmingham The Grand Allies George Stephenson Social Impact and Labor History Friedrich Engels Coal Mining Labor Practices and "Hurrying" Lord Ashley and Labor Reform The Great Smog of London (1952) The Centralia Mine Fire Pennsylvania Anthracite Mining History Modern Context Global Coal Consumption Trends Emissions by Fuel Type

There was a fire that burned for 29 hours. It destroyed over 17,000 buildings, killed over 300 people, and left more than 100,000 homeless. This was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Out of the ashes, Chicago rebuilt itself into a global model of resilience. The disaster spurred major changes, including the use of fire-resistant building materials, stricter safety codes, the expansion of the fire department, and the modernization of water and sewer systems. It ultimately set the conditions for Chicago to become the birthplace of the skyscraper and a leader in architecture and urban planning. The fires in Los Angeles are still burning. The devastation is immense and heartbreaking. To grasp for some meaning, I’ve been reflecting on the history of Chicago—not as a direct analogy but as a beacon of hope. Hope that something long-lasting and transformative can come from this disaster. That we can be collectively catalyzed not just to rebuild, but to rebuild smarter—with better tools, better systems, and to rebuild resiliently. That is my hope for Los Angeles and its amazing people. To help process and understand the fires—how we got here and where we might go next—I reached out to our friends at Convective Capital. Jay Ribakove is a Principal at Convective Capital—a venture firm investing in solutions to combat and adapt to the growing threat of wildfires. We unpack how wildfires have changed over time—from the low-intensity fires of the past to today’s massive, catastrophic events. Jay explains the critical factors at play in the Los Angeles fires and the tools we have to increase our defenses. Referenced: Portfolio companies mentioned: BurnBot, Fire Aside, Overstory, Rhizome Firetech Job Board Red Sky Summit Get connected: Jay - LinkedIn | Convective Capital Ben - LinkedIn | ⁠Climate Papa⁠ Feedback? Guest ideas? Get in touch, by emailing ⁠ben@climatepapa.com⁠ Music: Slynk & Lazy Syrup Orchestra - Mellow Kinda Hype (Balkan Bump Remix)