America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast Doug Parsons

In episode 209 of America Adapts, I attended the Waterfront Conference in New York City hosted by the Waterfront Alliance. The conference took place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan. In this episode, you'll hear from state and local government officials talking about how they do coastal climate adaptation. We’ll also have insights from private sector companies who are leading the way in shovel-ready adaptation projects, essential for the next phase for the adaptation sector.  Attendees were not just talking about adaptation—they’ve created templates and programs with broad applications. The Alliance’s WEDG national adaptation program is another innovative initiative that we'll highlight, showing how it's paving the way for resilient communities.  You’ll also learn how 3D printing technology is used to create artificial reefs and seawalls. We'll also discuss private sector national funding efforts that are driving these shovel-ready adaptations and a new, massive New York State grant program for adaptation. The City of New York's climate justice efforts are also front, and center and we’ll dive into the concept of a cloudburst and how cities can manage these intense rainfall events. Yes, we cover a lot of ground in this episode!
 
https://www.americaadapts.org/episodes/waterfront-conference-designing-for-tomorrow-the-multisector-approach-to-climate-adaptation-with-the-waterfront-alliance
Experts in this Episode:
Cortney Koenig Worrall – President and CEO, Waterfront Alliance Suzanna Randall - Chief Resiliency Officer NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Joseph Sutkowi - Chief Waterfront Design Officer, Waterfront Alliance Karen Appell - VP, Climate Change Lead, AECOM Tyler Taba – Director of Resilience, Waterfront Alliance Elijah Hutchinson - Executive Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) Carly Foster - Water Management Practice Director, Arcadis Maor Bezner – Chief Technology Officer, Econcrete Mason Sears - VP. Sales and Marketing, SF Marina Systems Erin Morey - Director, Climate Resilience Planning, MTA Construction and Development Lee Clark - Program Manager, New Jersey Future Adam Friedman – Founder and Chief Executive, 1Print Justin Baumann - Engineering Management Undergraduate at Stevens Institute of Technology
Topics covered:
The Annual Waterfront Conference Private and Public Sector Adaptation Funding Climate Justice and Coastal Adaptation WEDG Adaptation Program Innovate Technology for adaptation Cloudburst and stormwater management Resilience Planning at the Waterfront Alliance New Jersey Futures Program And much more! Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!
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Links in this episode:


https://new.mta.info/project/second-avenue-subway-phase-1
 
https://new.mta.info/document/136871
 
https://waterfrontalliance.org/
 
https://wedg.waterfrontalliance.org/
 
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Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1
https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/201

In episode 208 of America Adapts, Mark Nevitt, an associate professor of law at Emory University joins the podcast to discuss his new paper that’s under review, entitled, Destroy, Rebuild, Repeat: How to Break the Climate Disaster Cycle.  Mark delves into the expansion of climate change law courses and his research on the security implications of climate change. He discusses his articles highlighting legal challenges in climate adaptation and introduces his new article focusing on breaking the climate disaster cycle. Mark emphasizes the importance of democratizing climate risk information and proactive measures like managed retreat. He explores legal liabilities in climate adaptation, the semantics of resilience, and the significance of accurate terminology in conveying climate risks. It’s a packed legally episode along with Doug’s ‘Hot Take’!
Transcript of this episode available here.

Topics covered:
 
The Legal Crisis Within the Climate Crisis Emory's Climate Research Initiative Flying Navy Jets and Legal Scholarship Destroy, Rebuild, Repeat: Overview Democratizing Climate Risk Information The Adaptation Paradox Holding Individuals Responsible for Climate Risk Decisions Adaptation vs. Resilience Semantics Quotes from the episode:
Mark Nevitt:
 
The National Flood Insurance Program is essentially a massive program to subsidize sandcastles. That is in place. It's a classic moral hazard where the people who are benefiting from the program are not fully invested in all the risks associated with it. It's heavily subsidized.
 
My central argument in that article is that just as we have a climate crisis, and most of your listeners are aware of that, we also have legal doctrines, statutes that have not really kept up with our climate destabilized world.
 
Doug Parsons:
 
And so you're proposing an entirely new framework. To break this cycle of destroy, repealed, rebuild, repeat.
 
…we've got to hold people responsible even today decisions that are going to be happening in the next few years, because we won't ever be able to afford this because 10 years from now.
 
Mark Nevitt’s previous appearance on America Adapts:
Climate Change and the Legal System:  Why the U.S. Constitution Needs to Adapt with Law Professor Mark Nevitt
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Links in this episode:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4744172
 
https://law.emory.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/nevitt-profile.html
 
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/marknevitt/

https://x.com/marknevitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities:
If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here!
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Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.
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Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1
https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/2019/october/strategies-to-address-climate-change-low-moderate-income-communities/
Podcasts in the Classroom – Discussion guides now available for the latest episode of America Adapts. These guides can be used by educators at all levels. Check them out here!

The 10 Best Sustainability Po

In episode 207 of America Adapts, Dr. Kelly Turner of UCLA and Dr. Ladd Keith at the University of Arizona join host Doug Parsons to discuss groundbreaking work in extreme heat governance and planning, specifically focusing on the recent NOAA grant awarded to launch the Center for Heat Resilient Communities. The grant aims to enhance heat resilience in communities by encouraging connections between stakeholders and the federal government, with a heavy emphasis on climate justice and environmental justice as part of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative. The discussion also covers federally funded research programs supporting rural and tribal communities with heat resilience, mapping shade equity nationally, and initiatives on indoor cooling. Kelly and Ladd encourage involvement in the field of heat policy and governance, inviting individuals to reach out and engage with the three year project.
Topics covered:
NOAA Grant Overview Biden Administration's Role Principals and Key Partners/Community Partnerships Heat Resilient Communities Framework Evaluating Heat Resilience Policies Training Future Heat Leaders Funding and Support for Communities Climate and Environmental Justice Media Coverage of Extreme Heat Plug for Other Research Programs for Kelly and Ladd Call to Action: Visit heat.gov Principal Researchers for the Grant:
Dr. V. Kelly Turner, UCLA (lead)
 
Dr. Ladd Keith, University of Arizona
 
Dr. Sara Meerow, Arizona State University


Transcript of episode available here. 
 
Quotes from the episode:


Dr. Kelly Turner: 
Really, there are two main goals. One is to to create a robust framework across a diverse set of contexts that communities could use to do heat resilience work. And so we have a series of six cores that the whole center is organized around. So the first goal is for us to create this framework. And the second goal is to then fund and to support communities. So 10 communities per year over three years to test that framework and refine it. And I could get into a little bit about each one of the cores if that's of interest.
 
Dr. Ladd Keith 
And we'll be co-developing essentially this heat resilient framework that the communities will be going through. And it involves all the cores and is really focused on supporting heat action planning at the local level and really drawing on that network of experts that we have involved in the center. I think one of the exciting things is we'll be co-developing this heat resilient framework with the communities that we're working with. And of Of course, we'll be supporting the initial 30 communities, but we'll also be putting a lot of that information on heat.gov so that it's accessible to all of the other 19,000 communities in the United States. And another part of it that's really exciting is all of the lessons that we're going to learn through the center is feeding that back to federal agencies and really partnering with them so they know how to better support community heat planning as well.
 
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Links in this episode:
Center for Heat Resilient Communities

Biden-Harris Administration invests $4.55 million for community heat resilience through Investing in America agenda

UCLA to lead the Center of Excellence for Heat Resilient Communities
ASU is lead partner in new national Center for Heat Resilient Communities
New federally funded center will rely on UArizona expertise to help communities manage extreme heat
 
Living Planet Podcast Promotion in this episode:
Podcast: Deep Dive: Reviving repair culture
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In episode 206 of America Adapts, the podcast partnered with Battelle for their third annual Innovations in Climate Resilience Conference, ICR24. The conference took place April 22-24th in Washington, D.C. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Keynote speakers and attendees join the pod to share their experiences in climate adaptation and also discuss highlights from the conference. The event attracted senior level federal officials along with emerging adaptation professionals from the private sector.  The themes of the conference were resilience, mitigation and sustainability and you learn how Battelle, through the conference, is prioritizing adaptation. This is the third ICR and the first to be hosted in the nation’s capital. You’ll also hear from a high school student who won Battelle’s Climate Challenge - the future of adaptation is in good hands. ICR24 isn't just any conference; it's a convergence of minds, bringing together environmental professionals, scientists, researchers, students, and key leaders.
Experts in this Episode:
Matt Vaughan - President, Applied Science & Technology at Battelle Dr. Rick Spinrad – Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & NOAA Administrator Dina Esposito – Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) at USAID Lauren Risi – Program Director of the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Wilson Center Matt Huddleston - Senior Data Analytics Consultant at Resilient Analytics Dr. Nadia Seeteram - Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University's Climate School Emilie Mazzacurati - Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Tailwind Taylor Dimsdale - Senior Fellow, Climate and Disaster Resilience, Fors Marsh Faith Qin - Student Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!
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The third annual Innovations in Climate Resilience Conference (ICR24) took place on April 22-24, 2024, in Washington, DC.

ICR24 WEBSITE
https://www.battelle.org/conferences/conference-on-innovations-in-climate-resilience
Linkedin ICR24 Web page
Photos taken at ICR24
To learn about partnering with Battelle, contact Lisa Avedon.
EMAIL CONTACTS
·         General email climateconf@battelle.org
·         Media inquiry contact - TR Massey masseytr@battelle.org
INFORMATION DOWNLOADS
·         ICR22 on-demand: Access all proceedings, presentations, videos, and photos here
·         ICR23 on-demand: Access all proceedings, presentations, videos, and photos here
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Links in this episode:
https://www.battelle.org/conferences/conference-on-innovations-in-climate-resilience/on-demand/icr24/photo-gallery?_gl=1*1cv6v4r*_ga*MTI3MDUzMzgyNC4xNjk1MDU5MzE1*_ga_STK7503CND*MTcxNTk0NzgyMS41MS4wLjE3MTU5NDc4MjEuNjAuMC4w

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Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities:
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Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1
https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-developmen

In episode 205 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Abrahm Lustgarten, an investigative climate reporter and author from Propublica. Abrahm discusses his work on climate change and migration and highlights his coverage of various climate-related issues such as water scarcity, sea level rise and wildfire. Abrahm’s book, "On the Move," explores climate-driven migration in the United States. He traveled the country learning how areas are preparing, or not, for the impacts of climate change. He goes on the ground and interviews people in the heart of these climate impact zones.  You’ll learn the unique struggles people have as it becomes increasingly expensive…and dangerous…to live in these impact zones. We also discuss how the media is doing covering climate migration and what the government can potentially do to help with this growing threat. And an all new episode tradition, Doug's "Hot Take"! 

Topics covered:
Abrahm Lustgarten and climate journalism Abrahm’s  Book: "On the Move" Reporting at ProPublica Winners and Losers of Climate Migration Ecological Impact of Climate Migration Media Coverage of Climate Migration Book Promotion and Tour Future Project on Societal Conflict from Climate Migration Quotes from Abrahm Lustgarten in episode:
I think all we can say about that is that we all can anticipate an era of great change and I think it'll scramble the map. It's hard to know when that'll happen, when there's a tipping point, both in terms of people moving or what that means for politics. But I think that all that I could say about that is that I wouldn't be surprised if 25 years from now, the electoral map looks entirely different from how it does today in part in response to the kind of changes that I write about…
So we're having this kind of scary conversation about the economics of home values in California. And then that particular day, I was looking out my window into the wildland urban interface in the suburban place that I that I live in. And I was like, Hey, wait, Jesse, I live right one of these spots you're describing, should I and he just cut me off and presumed my question was, should I live in a place that I live in? should I move? And he was like, yes, get out of there. You got to go. That was three or four years ago and I haven't moved yet.
 
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Links in this episode:
https://www.propublica.org/people/abrahm-lustgarten
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahm_Lustgarten
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/26/1239904742/how-climate-driven-migration-could-change-the-face-of-the-u-s
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374171735/onthemove
https://abrahm.com/
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/03/climate-migration-rust-belt-economy/677856/
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Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities:
If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here!
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List of Previous Guests on America Adapts
Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Donate to America Adapts, we are now a tax deductible charitable organization!


Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1
https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/2019/october/strategies-to-address-climate-change-low-moderate-income-communities/

Podcasts in the Classroom – Discussion guides now available for the latest

In episode 204 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons hosts Bill Weir, the Chief Climate Correspondent at CNN. Bill shares his insights into how climate change now intersects with every aspect of our lives, transforming all beats into climate beats. Drawing from his experiences covering climate stories, he emphasizes the power of storytelling. We delve into the inspiration behind his book, "Life As We Know It," which looks at positive climate stories all inspired by the birth of his son. Critiquing mainstream media's coverage of climate change, he calls for a shift towards highlighting adaptation and innovation over sensational disasters. Bill unveils his upcoming special, "Adaptation Nation," and shares the joys and challenges of interviewing icons like Paul McCartney. Bill will leave you with some practical advice on how you can bring climate communication into the important adaptation work you’re doing. Join us as we explore the interconnectedness of climate with our lives and the transformative power of storytelling in shaping our collective response to the greatest challenge of our time.
Topics covered:
Embracing the Climate Beat The Human Element of Climate Stories Inspiring Innovations in Climate Adaptation Life Lessons Through Earth Day Letters The Aftermath of the Paradise Fire Challenging Assumptions in Climate Adaptation The Complexities of Water Management in Arizona The Media's Role in Climate Change Communication The Importance of Climate Adaptation Professionals Practical Insights for Adaptation Practitioners Interviewing Paul McCartney Recommendation: Sid Kitson, Developer of Babcock Ranch

Quotes:
 
Bill Weir:
“We’re all going to be climate reporters.”
 
“I'm an omnivore, but when they created a climate desk at CNN, it occurred to me that this is the beat that includes all the other beats.”
 
“This is not the earth systems of your grandfather anymore. And all of these stories are connected. So oftentimes I'm, yelling at my TV set while there's some sort of a cataclysmic, something's happening somewhere that is getting national attention. And I'm just like, say it, stay the words,  say the words, climate change!”
 
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Waterfront Conference hosted by the Waterfront Alliance.
May 21st, 2024, New York City
Links in this episode:
https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/untitled-by-bill-weir
https://www.cnn.com/shows/wonder-list
https://twitter.com/BillWeirCNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.facebook.com/billweir/
https://www.billweirclimate.com
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Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities:
If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here!
Now on Spotify!

List of Previous Guests on America Adapts
Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Donate to America Adapts, we are now a tax deductible charitable organization!


Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1
https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/2019/october/strategies-to-address-climate-change-low-moderate-income-communities/

Podcasts in the Classroom – Discussion guides now available for the latest episode of America Adapts. These guides can be used by educators at all levels. Check them out here!

The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmenta