Climate Solutions

The United States Southern Command's (USSOUTHCOM) is responsible for providing contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America, and the Caribbean. USSOUTHCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the Department of Defense. While regional security is an important aspect of its mission, climate change is having an affect on its area of responsibility. Climate change is impacting our national security and the security of our partners and allies. USSOUTHCOM's area of responsibility faces increased demand for humanitarian and disaster relief assistance during a hurricane season that could see a record number of storms. This comes as several Central and South American countries face a drought. Former U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Leslie Bassett moderates a discussion with the commander of USSOUTHCOM, GEN. Laura Richardson who underlines the effort being made to help combat climate change in the region. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38163]

Spanning nearly 63 million square miles from California to China, the Pacific Ocean is by the far the largest of the world's ocean basins. The Pacific contains more than half of the free water on the planet and is the deepest ocean on Earth. Climate change impacts are being felt around the globe, but what do we do about it? Much of the ocean is still waiting to be explored, but human activities like industrial fishing, deep-sea mining, and fossil-fuel burning are changing it in significant ways. Scripps Institution of Oceanography professor Brice Semmens moderates a discussion with NOAA Administrator, Richard Spinrad and State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary of Ocean, Fisheries and Polar Affairs, Maxine Burkett on the State of the Pacific Ocean and how the hemisphere can work together to combat the growing effects of climate change. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38162]

Using carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies to mitigate climate change is a land-intensive endeavor. To capture one gigatonne of CO2 through direct air capture requires a facility & energy production footprint of at least hundreds, but potentially tens of thousands of square kilometers. To capture one gigatonne of CO2 via reforestation requires about 862,000 square kilometers of arable land (nearly the size of the Kalahari Desert). We currently release about 40 gigatonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, so…do the math. And land that is allocated for CDR must compete with other land use claims: for urbanization, agriculture, biodiversity, and renewable energy technologies. But what if our perspective was slightly… more aqueous? Oceans, which make up 70% of the Earth’s surface, already absorb more than 10 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. Series: "Climate Solutions " [Science] [Show ID: 38190]

In order to reach global net-zero emissions by 2050, we must remove CO2 from the atmosphere as well as prevent further emissions. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) can be accomplished naturally -- through forests, soil sequestration, or mineralization -- and technologically. In fact, we will need both natural and technological CDR methods to get to net-zero. So what methods exist that remove carbon from the atmosphere? What are their respective costs, how do they compare, and which are already on the market? Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 38045]

Climate economists have created a value called the "social cost of carbon" in order to better understand the cost/benefit relationship of climate policies and regulations. The social cost of carbon is the cost to society from damages caused by a ton of CO2 emissions. This value is difficult to quantify, with factors such as future societal wealth and global climate damages (such as species extinction) that are impossible to know. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 38046]

California is a pioneer in researching the impacts of and solutions to climate change. Getting to carbon neutral - or net zero carbon emissions - is key to curbing our increasingly warming planet. Dr. Roger Aines of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory talks with Climate Now's James Lawler about the latest research on ways to capture carbon. Series: "Sustainable California" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 37993]

Conservation is common to all societies which learned to live within ecosystem limits. In breaking the evolutionary and biological straight-jackets constricting other species, we became the ultimate multi-niche free-ranging species. Our rise to global conquest and ecological emancipation from nature through domestication and manufacturing expanded conservation for survival to saving whales, elephants, the Acropolis and Mona Lisa. The universal rules for overcoming a tragedy of the commons locally offers hope for combating global warming and sustaining the diversity of life globally—if we use our unique capacity for cooperation and planning. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37776]

The impacts of climate change and the urgency to act have not gone unnoticed in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The Institute of the Americas (IOA) has released a policy white paper entitled, Nationally Determined Contributions Across the America: A Comparative Hemispheric Analysis in an effort to better assess progress made to date by countries across the Americas in delivering on their climate commitments. The white paper provides a timely snapshot of progress made, while also highlighting the serious funding gaps that remain if LAC countries are going to deliver on their previously agreed upon climate pledges. Series: "Climate Crisis" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 37455]

Climate scientist Julie Kalansky discusses how drought in California and Nevada is a common occurrence, with the attendant water restrictions and threat of severe wildfires bringing the reality of climate change into sharp focus. Future climate projections for the region suggest a trend toward more extremes, including more severe and prolonged drought as well as exceptionally wet years. Learn about the science of drought and how the Scripps-based California Nevada Climate Applications (CNAP) program works to provide drought tracking and early warning in support of drought preparedness and resilience in the face of a changing climate. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 37031]

Join world renowned scientist Ram Ramanathan for insight into a multifaceted education program, Bending the Curve, which inspires action on climate solutions. The groundbreaking program is offered at all University of California campuses and internationally. Learn how he and colleagues around the world are educating students at every level to become climate warriors. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 35706]