The cane toad, introduced in Australia in the 1930s to control pests, quickly became a major problem itself – one of many examples of human interventions in natural systems that scientists should keep in mind while trying to tackle the climate crisis, says New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert, author of Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future.

Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez talks about local climate action, land value capture for more equitable urban development, and the importance of supporting women in society, in an interview as she was en route to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

As world leaders descend on Glasgow, Scotland for the COP26 climate summit, the critical role of land and water isn't getting enough attention, says former Arizona Governor and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. The destruction of forests is spewing emissions and taking away natural carbon sinks. And dwindling water supplies – seen in real time in the looming crisis in the Colorado River Basin – demands immediate action, he says.

City planners are emerging from behind the scenes to help address some of society's most complex challenges, including building equity and fighting racism. This summer a coalition of planners came together to acknowledge past discrimination in urban development policies and commit to becoming "change agents" to help create more racially equitable communities. For links and resources discussed in this episode, please visit our show notes at https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/articles/2021-10-land-matters-addressing-structural-racism-urban-planning

In this summer of 2021, land is being ravaged. Wildfires burn in the western U.S., Canada and elsewhere, and the Amazon rainforest has been scorched so much for ranching and agriculture it now emits more carbon than it absorbs. Land conservation veteran Jim Levitt explains the central role of land, land management, and land conservation in confronting climate change, now and in the future.

Mayor Frank Jackson is happy about the myriad efforts to revitalize Cleveland – from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to the University Circle cultural center and the recent "innovation hub" activity in tech and life sciences. But as he finishes out his fourth and final term, Jackson says that the city's ultimate success should be defined by one standard only – whether future regeneration is equitable for all. For links and resources, please visit our show notes at https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/podcasts-videos

Home to global tech companies and a record number of millionaires, Cambridge, Massachusetts has been trying to make the city more accessible for all. Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui talks about recent strategies, including an innovative affordable housing overlay that awards extra height and density and includes a streamlined permitting process for below market-rate residential projects. For links and resources discussed in this episode, please visit our show notes at https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/series/land-lines-magazine

As the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy marks its 75th anniversary, Board Chair Kathryn J. Lincoln and President George W. "Mac" McCarthy reflect on the past, present, and future of an organization that recognizes the central role of land in solving some of the world's greatest challenges, from confronting climate change to making global cities better places for all.

Rising rents are straining family budgets now more than ever, says NYU professor Ingrid Gould Ellen, co-author of the Lincoln Institute report "Through the Roof" – and the pandemic has both revealed and exacerbated the affordability crisis. Local governments should establish comprehensive plans to create more housing, she says, but action at the state and federal level will help as well.

In the first of the year's shows marking the 75th anniversary of the Lincoln Institute, environmentalist and author Bill McKibben breaks down the actions of the incoming Biden administration to confront the climate crisis, from rejoining the Paris accord to halting the Keystone XL pipeline. Land use and land policy, he says, are critical components as the planet readies for inevitable impacts such as rising seas, which is expected to trigger massive migration.