Subscribe/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.Now on Spotify! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/america-adapts-climate-change/id1133023095?mt=2 Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! On Twitter: @usaadapts In episode 33 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Katharine Mach, Director of Stanford Environment Assessment Facility - Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and former Co-Director of the Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Topics covered: ADAPTATION ON CAMPUS - Doug and Katharine discuss how adaptation is an emerging academic area of study on campus and what sorts of programs are now available to students. HARVARD, STANFORD THEN THE IPCC – Katharine discusses her own academic history and how she was recruited to join the staff of the IPCC. HOLISTIC ADAPTATION - Adaptation requires integrating various disciplines in both research and implementation and Katharine describes her experiences. BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER – Katharine describes ‘synthesis’ and the role it plays in the IPCC process. Learn the inner workings of the IPCC and the challenges of collaborating across cultures and continents. CLIMATEGATE – Doug and Katharine discuss the fall out of the Climategate scandal and what institutional changes it led to and also the challenges of doing sound science on such a highly charged issue. ON THE GROUND IN MOROCCO - Katharine discusses traveling to Marrakesh, Morocco, where the world’s climate community was following up the historic Paris Climate Agreement. She describes landing in Morocco on the day of the US election and talking with representatives from other countries on what the election of Trump meant. MISSION PARIS – Katharine describes the truly historic process behind the Paris climate agreement and what happens next. CHINA STEPPING UP – As the role of the US becomes increasingly uncertain, Doug and Katharine talk about the steps China is taking to mitigate its carbon footprint. CAUTIOUS IPCC - Doug discusses with Katharine the IPCC’s reputation as being too cautious in its models, demonstrating the constraints of a report published once every five years. HIGH AND LOW ADAPTATION – Katharine discusses developing metrics for identifying adaptation actions that factor in future biological and socioeconomic factors. What steps will future societies take to adapt to climate change? ADAPTATION ELEVATOR SPEECH – Katharine discusses her own experiences communicating climate change and adaptation and highlights some of the leading communicators in the field. We also discuss communicating climate change with skeptics, and how skepticism has developed into a truly western phenomenon.   MARCHING FOR SCIENCE – Doug and Katharine briefly discuss the upcoming march for sciencehttps://www.marchforscience.com/ in Washington, DC and the challenges of being apolitical in an increasingly politicized society. ADAPT OR MITIGATE – Katharine weighs in the on the tension between carbon mitigation and the need to adapt to climate impacts today. Key Quotes: “The IPCC is a grand partnership between the governments of the world and the scientists of the world.” Additional Segment: Dan Ackerstein and Tim Watkins join Doug to discuss recent comments by the new Administrator of the EPA, Scott Pruitt. Pruitt, in no uncertain terms, comments that he doesn’t think humans are the major contributors to global warming.  Dan, Tim and Doug discuss the implications of these comments.    Additional Resources: IPCC Report on Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg2/ Stanford Woods Institute Adaptation Memo https://woods.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/files/PBrief-ClimateResponse-Mach.pdf Dr. Katharine Mach https://woods.stanford.edu/about/woods-faculty/katharine-mach Additional Information on Dr. Mach https://profiles.stanford.edu/katharine-mach Dr. Mach’s CV https://cap.stanford.edu/profiles/viewCV?facultyId=85383&name=Katharine_Mach EPA Adminstrator Scott Pruitt’s comments on global warming: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/09/epa-scott-pruitt-carbon-dioxide-global-warming-climate-change America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by subscribing via PayPal! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!  Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

Subscribe/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.Now on Spotify! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/america-adapts-climate-change/id1133023095?mt=2 Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! On Twitter: @usaadapts Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) In episode 32 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks “Cli-Fi” with Dr. Amy Brady, Senior Editor with the Chicago Review of Books.  Amy just debuted a monthly column dedicated specifically to cli-fi called "Burning Worlds." Doug and Amy cover such diverse topics as: CLI-FI – What is Cli-Fi? Learn the history of this emerging genre of fiction. BURNING WORLDS - Amy describes her new monthly column focusing on this emerging field and what she hopes to accomplish with the column. AUTHOR AS CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST – Amy explains the backgrounds of various Cli-Fi authors and how some see their role as inspiring readers to take action on climate change. SCIENCE FICTION OR HIGH ART – Since Cli Fi is such a new area of fiction, it’s unclear if it’s considered just another form of science fiction, or something else. Doug and Amy discuss the controversies associated with the genre. SCIENCE OR SCIENCE FICTION – Doug and Amy discuss the use of sound science in writing Cli-Fi and what responsibilities authors feel in using science in writing fiction. NUCLEAR AGE VERSUS THE CLIMATE AGE – Doug and Amy discuss the parallels between the nuclear age of the 50s and 60s and how that drove science fiction writing and how climate change will influence literature. SCENARIO PLANNING WITH FICTION WRITERS – Doug and Amy discuss the possibility of fiction writers joining adaptation planners and scientists in the scenario planning process, relying on their creative talents to create a likely future scenario. GRAPES OF WRATH – Amy argues that John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath was the original Cli-Fi novel. MUST READ CLI FI AUTHORS – Amy gives her suggestions on Cli Fi authors. She identifies books for new readers or for the robust consumers of fiction.  Additional Segment(starts at 55:45 into podcast):  Dr. Molly Cross (previous guest!) and Darren Long from the Wildlife Conservation Society come on for a short discussion to promote the call for proposals for the Adaptation Fund, one of the first granting programs focusing on climate adaptation. They discuss deadlines, strategies for applying and examples of previous grantees. We also briefly discuss the Atlanta Falcons historic collapse in the Super Bowl (Darren is a big Falcons fan). Additional Resources: Dr. Amy Brady https://chireviewofbooks.com/author/dramybrady/ Burning World Column https://chireviewofbooks.com/2017/02/08/the-man-who-coined-cli-fi-has-some-reading-suggestions-for-you/ Cli Fi resources: http://cli-fi.net/ and eco-fiction.com. Essays that provide quick overviews of the genre: http://www.salon.com/2014/10/26/the_rise_of_climate_fiction_when_literature_takes_on_global_warming_and_devastating_droughts/ https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/08/climate-fiction-margaret-atwood-literature/400112/ Anti Cli-Fi:  emerging as a conservative rebuttal to clifi's more progressive stance on climate change: https://thinkprogress.org/the-untapped-value-of-clifi-shakespeare-passover-supergirl-and-game-of-thrones-5344df553732#.lb0man9di Wildlife Conservation Society’s Adaptation Fund http://wcsclimateadaptationfund.org/program-information America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

In episode 31 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with CNN’s John Sutter! John is an award winning opinion journalist at CNN who focuses on climate change with his program Two Degrees.  Doug and John cover such diverse topics as: Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Write a Review! Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! Now on Spotify! Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!)   MARSHALL ISLANDS SEA LEVEL RISE - John describes his story on sea level rise in the Marshall Islands. John discusses how he used innovative media tools such as Snapchat to tell the story how climate change poses extreme risks to this island chain.   PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT - Doug and John discuss the Paris Climate Agreement and how it inspired John to develop the Two Degrees program.    THE HOCKEY STICK - Doug and John also discuss the 20 anniversary of climatologist Michael Mann’s hockey stick research.   CLIMATE IN RURAL AMERICA - John discusses his groundbreaking story where he visited Woodward, Oklahoma as he went on a funny and sometimes frustrating journey to try to identify citizens who actually believed climate change was happening. THE OTHER PEOPLE - John explains the challenges of interviewing people you do not agree with and the role of trust in these conversations. CLIMATE AS HEALTH - We discuss climate change as a public health issue. CLIMATE SINCE THE DUST BOWL - John describes talking with citizens of Woodward, Oklahoma and how historic events like the Dust Bowl influenced their perceptions on how humans can impact nature. CLIMATE CREATIONIST - John describes a conversation with a climate skeptic and young earth creationist who also installed solar panels on his property. WHICH WAY MARSHALL ISLANDERS?  We discuss climate change mitigation versus adaptation and how John’s experiences in the Marshall Islands has influenced his perspective on this issue. FROM THE PACIFIC TO ARKANSAS - We learn about climate refugees from the Marshall Islands who have relocated to Springdale, Arkansas. ANALYSIS - Tim Watkins comes on for a brief conversation dissecting the conversation with John Sutter. Doug and Tim also discuss how America Adapts will talk about how adaptation can be a pathway to educate, inspire and motive people to reduce their carbon footprint.   Additional Resources: John Sutter http://www.cnn.com/profiles/john-d-sutter Two Degrees program on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/specials/opinions/two-degrees John’s groundbreaking visit to Oklahoma here: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/03/opinions/sutter-climate-skeptics-woodward-oklahoma/index.html Opinion: Common ground with climate skeptics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16_IupUxG8M   America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

In episode 30 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with Suzanne Perdeaux, Climate Change Researcher at the Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR).  Doug also talks with Dan Ackerstein about how federal agencies might pivot from emphasizing mitigation of carbon emissions to focus solely on adaptation. Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Listen here. Now on Spotify! On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! In the main interview, Doug and Suzanne cover the following topics: What is OCCIAR and its role in adaptation planning across the region and country. What are the unique climate change impacts in Canada. We learn about the different sectors impacted by climate change and how OCCIAR is assisting these sectors in adaptation planning. Suzanne is a multi-year, award winning young professional and we learn how climate change has influenced her career choices. Suzanne discusses how one becomes an adaptation professional, from her undergrad and graduate school experiences. We discuss the first of its kind Climate Change Master’s program at University of Waterloo. We discuss how millennials are inspired to act on climate change and what are some career and school opportunities.  Suzanne discusses how she wants to make adaptation relatable to a younger generation and her role in mentoring those interested in joining this field.  We finish by discussing the role social media plays in younger professionals communicating science and staying connected with peers. It is a great conversation and inspiring to hear Canada playing such a leadership role in the emerging field of adaptation! EPA becomes the “Environmental Adaptation Agency”? In the final segment of the podcast Doug talks with Dan Ackerstein about a recent article that highlights how federal agencies are scrubbing climate change from their web sites. The article also describes how some agencies might pivot from addressing climate change through mitigation of carbon emissions, to focusing solely on adapting to impacts.   We discuss how this approach could split climate change activists into two camps:  mitigation and adaptation. Doug states, “Unless we deal with mitigation, none of us will be able to control how we adapt to climate change.”   Additional Resources: Suzanne Perdeaux is a Climate Change Researcher at the Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR) in Sudbury, Ontario, where she provides communication and research support on climate impacts and adaptation. Ontario’s Climate Change Strategy: https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net/documents/4928/climate-change-strategy-en.pdf Climate Change Adaptation Community of Practice:  https://ccadaptation.ca OCCIAR: www.climateontario.ca Masters of Climate Change program: https://uwaterloo.ca/geography-environmental-management/graduate/master-climate-change Mashable article on adaptation at Federal Agencies. http://mashable.com/2017/02/03/trump-epa-climate-website-changes/#EZ24P6TuZkqw   More information on Dan Ackerstein Http://www.ackersteinsustainability.com   America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by subscribing via PayPal! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

In episode 29 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Keren Bolter, Climate, Policy & GeoSpatial Analyst at the South Florida Regional Planning Council. Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! Now on Spotify! Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) Keren talks about her experiences talking sea level rise with actor Jack Black on the climate change TV series, Years of Living Dangerously (he’s apparently funny in person too – hear about his crank calls to the Florida governor’s office). Keren digs into the fundamentals of sea level rise and it’s not as simple as it sounds. Basic message:  the seas are rising, some areas more than others. She also explains why south Florida has a higher level of sea level rise than other regions of the country (it involves water traffic jams). “We’re setting off these sea level rise feedback loops. Things are snowballing and snowballing.” Keren also describes her experiences doing a Tedex talk. We also hear about the project Keren is leading, literally going out and measuring sea level rise at the neighborhood level. Keren, armed with a ruler, goes into different modeled areas of south Florida to see if the actual flooding aligns with the models. We also learn how the communities in south Florida are responding to increased flooding and how the affluence of a neighborhood impacts what infrastructure is in place to divert flooding.  Yes, environmental justice comes into our discussion. Keren describes how she’s recruited her own kids to help communicate the topic of sea level rise and shares other examples of clever sea level rise themed science communication techniques.  We also hear what an individual can do to address sea level rise. Although Keren studies one of the most powerful impacts of climate change, she’s actually very optimistic about her work and how local communities can address this threat. In addition, we discuss the economic and tourist impacts of increased flooding and Keren describes the aggressive planning by south Florida governments to address sea level rise. Yes, it’s a fascinating and funny episode, please have a listen!   Additional Resources: Dr. Bolter’s Groundtruthing project (map with locations): https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1d5Dpykq3M7vRolgq8BPY3BJ2ArE&ll=25.895186087073757%2C-80.15447169999999&z=15 Floating above the rising tides debate: Keren Bolter at TEDxMiami 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEhx-Q43Tfo Building Coastal Flood Hazard Resiliency with a Regional Tools Buffet http://sfregionalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Council-Mtg-11_14.pdf?lbisphpreq=1 Sea Level Rise Impact: Communicating the Risks https://youtu.be/Ws7ZqgWL1fM America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

In episode 28 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Rebecca Beavers of the Climate Change Response Program at the National Park Service. Yes, that Park Service of Federal government fame.  In this fascinating and very practical episode, Rebecca talks about the newly released Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook.  Doug and Rebecca talk about the history of the guidebook and some practical ways to apply what’s in it. Now on Spotify! Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) “We are here to help the parks adapt to climate change.” Dr. Rebecca Beavers, National Park Service In addition, we are in week three of the new Trump Administration. It is important to note this podcast was recorded three days before Trump’s inauguration. For the record, Dr. Beavers obtained permission through appropriate channels at NPS to participate in this podcast.  The recording occurred under the Obama administration, but the publication of the podcast has been delayed for several weeks into the Trump Administration. It remains to be seen how active federal agencies, and NPS in particular, will be able to speak out on climate change related work.  But for the time being, listen in as Dr. Beavers – a brilliant and committed public servant - talks about coastal adaptation.   Doug also talks with Dan Ackerstein about the first few weeks of the Trump administration and what that will mean, based on early actions by Trump, for federal agencies like NPS working on climate change issues.   Highlights: Doug and Rebecca talk about the unique mission of the National Park Service. What would it mean to privatize a park? We discuss the realities of parks that will be submerged by sea level rise and what that means for your average park goer’s experience. Learn about all the climate change activities NPS is involved in. Learn the art of making waysides at the parks. In depth discussion of the coastal adaptation handbook. We talk about the role of scenario planning at NPS. We discuss the unique ability of NPS in protecting some of America’s key cultural resources. We discuss the size of the report and the challenges of people taking advantage of it. How does one approach it in a useful way. Is there an opportunity for each park to host its own podcast? We talk about NPS being able to do what they’ve been doing on climate change within a new Trump administration. America’s best idea has done groundbreaking work on climate change and the public will expect it continues to do so! Additional Resources: Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook- released Oct 31, 2016- 4th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/coastalhandbook.htm Coastal Adaptation Strategies Case Studies (Companion to handbook) - Released at COP 21 in Paris, Nov 2015 https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/coastaladaptationstrategies.htm More Coastal Resources https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/coastaladaptation.htm CR Strategy & Impacts table https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/adaptationforculturalresources.htm NPS Climate Change https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/index.htm More on Coastal Geology https://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/coastal/climate.cfm More on Ocean & Coastal resources https://www.nature.nps.gov/water/oceancoastal/index.cfm Yale Climate Connections Podcast- Statue of Liberty September 2016 http://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2016/09/costs-mount-to-protect-statue-of-liberty/ KPBS interview with Rebecca Beavers about broader Climate Change Impacts in the National Park Service http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/jul/04/scientists-say-climate-change-damaging-national-pa/ Climate Central's report on National Park Service units near New York City at risk from Sea Level Rise http://reports.climatecentral.org/nps/new-york-parks-sea-level-rise/ Ensia- What is a National Park to do about Climate Change https://ensia.com/features/whats-a-national-park-to-do-about-climate-change/ Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities; A Technical Input to the 2013 National Climate Assessment; Co- author Adaptation and Mitigation Chapter (with Lara Hansen) Marcy Rockman's Blog post Sea Change: Climate Change and Coastal National Parks https://savingplaces.org/stories/sea-change-climate-change-coastal-national-parks#.WJTlcFMrJpg   America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Listen here. Now on Spotify! On Google Play here. To get a tease how our conversation went: DOUG PARSONS:  Do you think the Scientist March is a good idea?   ANDY REVKIN:  No. ANDY REVKIN:  People should visit Woodward County, West Virginia — the most climate skeptical county in the U.S. ANDY REVKIN:  Nothing we can do right now will change the course of climate change for at least a decade. In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with legendary journalist, Andy Revkin.  Andy has been a long time reporter for the New York Times, covering climate change science, policy and impacts for decades. Andy also blogged at Dot Earth for the New York times, one of the most popular ‘hang outs’ for those wanting to learn more about global warming. Doug talks with Andy about his recent move to Propublica, an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.  Andy talks about his early days in science journalism, going all the way back to the 1980s when he started working for the now defunct Science Digest. In what becomes almost a climate change history lesson, Andy then explains how global warming awareness grew in the sizzling summer of 1988, with Yellowstone National Park on fire and famed climatologist James Hansen testifying before Congress. As Andy put it regarding his shift to climate reporting after these events, “I never got off the bus.” Discussing climate change with Andy is like rehashing an Indiana Jones movie:  from his visit to the North Pole, writing on the Vatican and global warming, to the policy and science implications of the issue. Andy has long been associated with his perch at the New York Times and we discuss the details of that identity pivot to Propublica. We talk about his long term goals of writing longer investigative pieces, to highlighting some of the daily reporting he’s done during the first weeks of the Trump administration. Andy discusses the need for anonymous tips in climate reporting and how Propublica has created an encrypted page for these tips. Other topics covered: Propublica has a section “Steal our stories” that encourages others to repost their work. Andy describes how the Obama administration went through their own secretive information sharing process especially regarding the work of scientists at the EPA. Andy revisits his reporting during the George W. Bush years,. This includes the tampering with NASA research by Bush administration officials. “Science is like putty, unfortunately, in the policy arena,” as Andy describes how administrations handle issues like science. Andy describes how natural gas fracking, went from officially ‘unconventional gas’ to a ‘conventional gas’ supply and how that affected climate emissions trends. For other countries, climate change has become a key issue like trade and security, so Trump just can’t come in and ignore it. Andy describes his own podcast, Warm Regards, which he cohosts with Eric Holthaus and Jacqueline Gill. Andy discusses the positive aspects of adapting to climate change versus fighting global warming through mitigation. Andy thinks focusing on adaptation is a good thing, since it’s a ‘now’ issue, with impacts impacting communities now, whereas mitigation will be an issue that takes decades to address. Encourage America Adapts to go on the road and talk to the communities facing these challenges first hand. Key Quotes: Doug poased the question, “Do you think the messaging that will come out of the upcoming scientist march on Washington will be helpful?”  Andy responds: “No.” (Again, listen in to hear the nuance behind his answer.) “The global warming problem is too big for Trump to do much about…” meaning Trump’s ability to impact action in a negative way. “He can’t make it worse. Just like Obama couldn’t make it better.” (Listen to get the nuance of these quotes!) “Trump can’t order West Virginia’s miners to go back in the mines” meaning Trump’s ability to get the country to switch back to coal. “The end of coal in America is a done deal, and Trump can’t force that to change.” Andy’s final message and it’s a great one:  “At the grandest scale, the thing I’ve learned about the climate problem, it is so big and multi-faceted, that everyone can play a role.” Doug also brings on previous guest, Tristram Korten to discuss reporting in the age of Trump.  Tristram is the reporter who broke the viral story, “Florida Governor Bans Climate Change”.  Tristram and Doug discuss the challenges of journalism in the face of a hostile government and what some options are for those in government who want to share information with reporters. So please have a listen, it’s an amazing conversation with a legendary figure in climate change circles.   Additional Resources: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114029917 For those who didn’t know, Andy is quite the accomplished musician (and toured regularly with the late, great Pete Seeger). http://j.mp/revkinmusic Stories in Propublica: https://www.propublica.org/search/search.php?qss=revkin+climate+trump+obama&x=0&y=0&csrf_token=664986bb133b59015d7ad527eed303a11be63e61a421860d7a81d39a760d75e5 Final Dot Earth Post: http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/my-propublica-move-from-blogging-and-teaching-back-to-deep-digging-on-climate/ Books by Andy https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Revkin/e/B001IXNSRK/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1390325965&sr=1-2-ent Andy on Twitter: @revkin Warm Regards @ourwarmregards America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by subscribing via PayPal! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

In the latest episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons talks with Shaun Martin, Senior Director of Adaptation and Resilience at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/america-adapts-climate-change/id1133023095?mt=2 Listen here. On Google Play here. Please share on Facebook! On Twitter: @usaadapts Doug and Shaun then talk about WWF’s long and storied history in adaptation planning, WWF being one of the first groups to develop its own internal adaptation program.  Shaun walks through the nuts and bolts of developing an adaptation program and what it means for a group that already has a longstanding history of groundbreaking conservation programs.  Shaun discusses the sometimes difficult journey of merging existing conservation efforts with new approaches like adaptation.  Shaun also discusses the key role training plays in adaptation planning at WWF, not only with his staff, but with people working in the field.  The Titanic is used as an analogy for adaption in our discussion, as Shaun walks us through what that means, and it’s not as bleak as you might think. Shaun provides the insight, that as conservationists, we are not emotionally equipped as adaptionists to deal with the many difficult future decisions on species and ecosystems, in the context of climate change, that will need to be made.  Doug and Shaun discuss the cultural shifts needed in the conservation community to ‘give up’ on species, and are the policy pieces in place to help make those decisions.  Doug and Shaun also discuss the long standing notion of the intrinsic value of nature, why that doesn’t resonate with the broader public, and how adaptation can be a unifying theme between intrinsic value and ecosystem services. Shaun is an expert is Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA) and the two spend considerable time discussing this topic, its similarities to ecosystem service, and how it’s been used in the field. Other topics covered: Does EBA offer the US Department of Agriculture a way forward to invest more in adaptation funding? Comparing adaptation to pornography to make a point: I know it when I see it! Doug and Shaun count down their top 3 challenges of communicating adaptation. Shaun discusses how his WWF adaptation team went through a communication training, learning how to talk adaptation with donors, the public, field staff, and more. Mentioned in This Episode: Titanic “Managing Decline” National Park Service Ecosystem Services Lara Hansen Nikhil Advani   Additional Resources: Free interactive courses and training activities for conservationists on climate change adaptation basics developed by Shaun. Available in multiple languages. Watch Shaun's recent webinar, "Learning to Live with Climate Change: What Educators need to know." with the North America Association for Environmental Education.  https://naaee.org/eepro/learning/webinars/learning-live-climate-change-what In A Changing Climate, We Need Nature To Save Us From Ourselves http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shaun-martin/in-a-changing-climate-we-_b_11800250.html EbA Revisited: disentangling misconceptions about nature and adaptation http://www.climateprep.org/stories/2016/6/14/eba-revisited-part-1-disentangling-misconceptions-about-nature-and-adaptation?rq=Shaun%20Martin Adaptation strategies: Invest in natural capital https://www.greenbiz.com/article/adapting-climate-change-road-less-travelled 5 Things You (Probably) Didn't Learn in Business School https://www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/on-balance/posts/5-things-you-probably-didn-t-learn-in-business-school Embracing Uncertainty: Is It Really That Hard? http://www.climateprep.org/stories/2016/3/1/embracing-uncertainty-is-it-really-that-hard?rq=Shaun%20Martin America Adapts also has its own app for your listening pleasure!  Just visit the App store on Apple or Google Play on Android and search “America Adapts.” Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Randy Olson joins Doug Parsons on America Adapts to discuss the dire state of coral reefs; storytelling as a technique to communicate complex science; and what we can learn from Donald Trump’s vexing, but intuitive narrative instincts.  Randy has had a fascinating career arc.  He is a scientist-turned-filmmaker who earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University (1984) and became a tenured professor of marine biology at the University of New Hampshire (1992) before changing careers by moving to Hollywood and entering film school at the University of Southern California.  The first part of the discussion focuses on the state of coral reefs in the world and how the conservation and science communities have done a poor job communicating the dire state of coral reefs.  Randy highlights some of his early career research, diving on some of the most pristine spots in the Caribbean and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.  Doug and Randy talk about how in the 1980s through the 1990s, the coral reef systems begin to really fall apart due to pollution and bleaching events.  Randy explains the concept of shifting baselines, which demonstrates how we lose track of the past by resetting what we consider an existing baseline.  People diving for the first time on coral reefs in the 1990s would have no idea they are viewing a highly degraded system, hence the ‘shifting baseline.’ This makes communicating the urgency of coral conservation that much harder.  Randy then discusses the critical need to develop simple narratives to communicate complex subjects (such as coral reef conservation!).  The coral reef community has struggled to communicate in a cohesive manner the current state of this diminishing ecosystem.  Doug and Randy also discuss the diverse and contradictory nature of the coral reef community: scientists, conservationists, and the tourism industry, each of which has its own agenda when communicating the state of coral reefs.    Randy discusses the recent presidential campaign and how Donald Trump intuitively understood simple narratives with his “Make America Great Again” slogan. Other topics covered: Randy discusses his storytelling technique, “ABT” (and, but, therefore) and how it can be used to simplify coral reef conservation narratives. We talk about story circles, a workshop that randy runs with different agencies and groups to practice the ABT story narrative structure. Randy describes how Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is a perfect example of the ABT structure. We go through the thought exercise: what if Donald Trump tried to save coral reefs, how would he approach it? Randy discusses how the doomsday clock was a good example of how the science community distilled the complex threat of nuclear disaster into a simple message. How does one adapt to climate change in a ‘post factual world’? We ponder this dilemma. The “truth” is not prevailing in scientific discourse, but narrative dynamics are, e.g., “Make America great again.” We discuss the plight of the Vaquita dolphin and how it represents a failure of the conservation community to rally around a message that would have saved it. Scientists need to understand that Hollywood, movies and television, are meant to entertain. Structure your advocacy message accordingly. Don’t bore people. With the new administration, Randy observes we have likely entered a new era of anti-science. The science community needs to be prepared. Finally, we discuss solutions such as getting local groups to take ownership of simplifying the message of adaptation and conservation.  It is a provocative and thought provoking episode, but ultimately a hopeful one, where both Randy and Doug challenge the science and conservation communities to learn to embrace simple narratives to get the public more aware of these important issues.  Mentioned in This Episode: Randy Olson Discovery Bay, Jamaica Lizard Island, Australia Jeremy Jackson, Coral Reef Researcher Randy Olson on Twitter, @ABTagenda Story Circles “Houston We Have Story: Why Science Needs Story” by Randy Olson Don’t be Such a Scientist by Randy Olson Rand’s blog: com “Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .

Donate to America Adapts (We are now a tax deductible charitable organization!) Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Dr. Jesse Keenan, of Harvard University, joins Doug Parsons on the first episode of America Adapts of 2017!  Dr. Keenan is a member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Design where he teaches courses and conducts research in the fields of real estate development, design-development management and technology and climate adaptation science.  Jesse wears several hats: academic, public and professional.  In their conversation, Doug and Jesse dig into the origins of adaptation planning and how the federal government is currently approaching the issue. Jesse has several roles advising the federal government on adaptation and we talked about those many different approaches. We spend considerable time discussing the emergence of ‘resilience’ as the primary word and approach by the government, and increasingly, the private sector. Much of this origin ties into aligning adaptation with disaster management and Jesse explains those links.  Jesse also explains how partisan politics played a role in the rise of ‘resilience’ as the preferred term in adaptation planning. We also talk about how adaptation has become a serious area of study for universities. Jesse is one of the more prolific publishers of adaptation literature and we talk about some of his work.  We also discuss the state of adaptation in academic programs at universities in the United States.  Professors like Jesse are providing the much needed academic grounding for the emerging field of adaptation. Jesse also discusses Harvard’s role in engaging the city of Miami with adaptation planning and we talk frankly about the future of that city and the tough choices that community will have to make in the coming years regarding sea level rise. We also learn that Jesse is a fellow University of Georgia graduate and he talked about being on campus when legendary ecologist Eugene Odom was there. Doug and Jesse also have a lively discussion about the movie The Big Short, and speculate what lessons could be learned from the real estate bubble as society begins to incorporate uncertainty into long adaptation planning. Other topics discussed: We discuss how one person’s resilience is another person’s maladaptation. How 911 terror attacks led the modern national security state to adopt resilience as the preferred approach to climate change planning. Learn how federal agencies have evolved to incorporate disaster risk management, adaptation and resilience. FEMA, etc. Learn how the US is lagging at adaptation in university academic programs. How do ethics come into play when deciding to invest in high risk communities like Miami, New Orleans, etc.  Learn what climate gentrification means for Miami. How a huge company like Goldman Sachs approaches climate change. The Challenge of drawing distinctions between sustainability, resilience and adaptation. Also in this episode, we talk with Beth Gibbons, Managing Director of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals. Beth talks about the January 25th deadline to nominate someone (or your own org) for their Adaptation Prize for Progress, which will be announced in May at the National Adaptation Forum. Additional Notes: People can pre-order Jesse’s new book Blue Dunes: Climate Change by Design here: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Dunes-Climate-Change-Design/dp/1941332153 Dr. Jesse Keenan on Twitter:  @Jesse_M_Keenan Jesse’s Harvard Profile: http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/person/jesse-keenan/ http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/2016/09/jesse-keenan-leads-research/ https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-10-31/climate-change-is-already-forcing-americans-to-move Finally, yes, most of your favorite podcasts are supported by listeners just like you! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapt's fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Itunes.   America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we’re also on YouTube! On Twitter: @usaadapts Subscribe to America Adapts on Itunes Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com .