The Climate Conversation

This episode revisits last week’s Rapid Readout, with additional insights from co-hosts Daniel Bresette and Alison Davis and EESI Policy Director Anna McGinn. Speakers unpacked what happened at COP30; covered U.S. federal, subnational, and private sector roles in the proceedings; and explained what it all means for U.S. climate policy. If you’re catching up on the whirlwind of COP30, this episode is for you!

The United Nations climate summit—also known as COP—will take place in Belém, Brazil, starting on November 10th. This year, the United States will not have an official presence at COP30 due to the elimination of the State Department's Office of Global Change, making it more important than ever for mayors and other subnational leaders to engage. In this episode, Kate Johnson, regional director for North America at C40, sits down with EESI to talk about subnational climate action and how it fits in with COP and international collaboration more broadly.

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Capacity building is crucial to the success of community-led climate adaptation and resilience projects. In our latest podcast episode, we sit down with Liz Tully of the Climate Resilience Fund to learn about the Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI). We also chat with community leaders from Kentucky to Idaho about how CSCI grants have made local resilience efforts possible, and how federal and state support could make their work even more impactful.

Whether you are an amateur in the kitchen or a professional chef, electrification is a gouda option! In this episode, Chef Christopher Galarza, an expert in cooking with electric and induction technology, explains to co-hosts Daniel and Alison why he does not play with fire in his restaurants or at home. Chef Chris’s leadership at Forward Dining Solutions and EcoChef recently earned him a spot on the 2025 Grist 50 list.

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Welcome to Season 10 of The Climate Conversation! Daniel and Alison recorded today’s episode from Capitol Hill with Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California’s 37th Congressional District, part of Los Angeles County. Rep. Kamlager-Dove spoke about her work promoting a circular economy through the Slow Fashion Caucus, which she co-chairs, and the bipartisan Recommerce Caucus.

Today’s episode of EESI’s podcast is showcasing a brand new EESI resource, Rapid Readouts. Things are happening faster than ever, and you need information quickly. These 30-minute, interactive Readouts will bring you what you need to know, when you need to know it. Our first Rapid Readout took place on Friday and explored the benefits of ENERGY STAR.

Climate change has thrown the sports world a massive curveball. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events pose a threat to athletes in all seasons and settings, from mountain skiers to ocean surfers. Sport ecologist Madeleine Orr joined Daniel and Alison on The Climate Conversation to talk about her book, Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport. She also shared tactics for the industry to protect athletes and fans while reducing its environmental impact.

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Home insurance is one of those things you need to have and hope to never need. But as risk from climate disasters increases, many homeowners are finding it more and more difficult to obtain an affordable policy. This is especially true in the American West, where wildfires are creating more uncertainty than insurance companies are willing to cover, forcing many homeowners to enroll in state-run insurance plans. Daniel and Alison sit down with Dr. Lisa Dale, director of the Climate and Society Masters program at the Columbia Climate School, for a conversation about how policymakers can help communities navigate the insurance crisis as it relates to wildfires.

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For residents of former and current mining communities (especially in Appalachia, the Midwest, and the Mountain West), abandoned mines are a familiar—and often dangerous—aspect of the local landscape. Unreclaimed abandoned mines and infrastructure can leak acid drainage, pollute groundwater, or collapse unexpectedly. Guests Kevin Zedack and Matt Hepler (both from Appalachian Voices) sit down with Daniel and EESI’s newest communications associate, Hannah Wilson-Black, to explain how cleaning up these sites can safeguard ecosystems and human health while providing new economic development opportunities in coal communities.

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With the United States withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, there is a lot of uncertainty about what U.S. climate diplomacy will look like under the current administration. But despite challenges at the national level, many state governments are poised to continue making progress on global climate action. This new dynamic is already playing out in response to ocean acidification. Daniel and Alison sat down with Jessie Turner, executive director of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), to explore the landscape—or seascape—of subnational climate diplomacy.

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