What can the spread of coronavirus teach us about the spread of climate change? Both crises have global reach, invisible perpetrators, and require aggressive, early action for containment. But while an infectious disease is acute and deeply personal, the impacts of a changing climate are systemic and vague. Scientists point out that the coronavirus family — which includes COVID-19 and SARS — originated as an animal disease that can be passed along to humans. With increased human development encroaching into wildlife areas, should communities be preparing for more pandemics?

Visit climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts for more information on today's episode.

Guests:

Brian Allan, Associate Entomology Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director, The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard C-CHANGE)

Barbara Gottlieb, Director of Environment and Health, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Additional interviews:

Jason Rohr, Professor at the University of Notre Dame

This program was recorded at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 3, 2020.