Climate Change (Audio)

Oil and gas are the most traded commodities on the planet; they are also the chief causes of the most grievous harm our species has yet faced, the burgeoning climate crisis. Bill McKibben is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and a founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 to work on climate and racial justice. He examines how the export of hydrocarbons, in particular, has become an enormous threat to efforts to rein in greenhouse gasses. It explores the role that America – the world’s biggest exporter of gas – plays in this ongoing catastrophe. And it looks at the role that non-tradeable commodities – sunshine and wind – play in easing this crisis. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Science] [Show ID: 40220]

Witness the resilience of Isleton, California, as they pioneer a groundbreaking, community-based flood insurance program aimed at fostering recovery and climate resilience. This initiative, led by UC Davis researchers, could revolutionize disaster preparedness, offering fast, flexible support post-flood and investing in long-term sustainability. Series: "UC Davis News" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 40177]

Learn about the California Transformative Climate Communities Program by taking a journey with UCLA into three communities - Fresno, Ontario and Watts - leading comprehensive, collaborative, equitable, and innovative climate action that changes lives. [Science] [Show ID: 40150]

Over the last two winter seasons atmospheric rivers have impacted California and the west with extreme precipitation and the cascading consequences of these events. The meteorology that causes atmospheric rivers is complex, but scientists at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) are working to help better predict them and understand what they mean for rainfall and snowfall across the state. Join CW3E Deputy Director Julie Kalansky to learn how scientists are researching the causes and consequences of these rivers in the sky, and are working to understand the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of these amazing weather phenomena. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 39649]

Join Los Angeles Times environment reporter and author of the new book California Against the Sea Rosanna Xia and Scripps Institution of Oceanography coastal resilience specialist Laura Engeman for a discussion on communicating the science and impacts of sea-level rise and California’s changing relationship with the ocean. Engeman will also discuss how Scripps Oceanography is advancing science and technology to understand sea-level rise across California and beyond. Xia will also do a reading from the book and be on hand afterward to sign copies and meet audience members.   Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 39648]

Southern California’s giant kelp forests are ecosystems that are potentially vulnerable to the region’s warming waters, but unlike terrestrial forests, changes in these underwater ecosystems are largely invisible to most of us. Join biologist Mohammad Sedarat and artist Oriana Poindexter in an exploration of their collaboration on the aquarium’s new art exhibition, Hold Fast, an immersive journey through our local giant kelp forests. Learn how their unique perspectives are combined to provide visitors with insight into climate change through the lens of art. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 39556]

What role do oil companies have in tackling climate change? In this program, Paasha Mahdavi, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, talks about the challenge of getting big oil to take climate change seriously. Mahdavi's research broadly explores comparative environmental politics and the political consequences of natural resource wealth. He is the author of Power Grab: Political Survival Through Extractive Resource Nationalization (Cambridge University Press, 2020), which shows how dictators maintain their grip on power by seizing control of oil, metals, and minerals production. Additional recent work includes the effects of oil-to-cash transfers on civic engagement; the political economy of fossil fuel subsidy reform; and the efficacy of policies to eliminate natural gas flaring. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39442]

In the coming decades, individuals around the world must adapt to changing environmental conditions, often driven by climate change. Adaptation requires significant resources, prompting the question of whether existing economic and social inequities may be exacerbated when adaptation become accessible to some, but not others. Kyle Meng, associate professor of economics at UC Santa Barbara, explores what happens when one of the world’s most unequal cities experiences an unprecedented, nearly catastrophic environmental disaster. In 2017, following years of prolonged drought, the city of Cape Town announced an impending "Day Zero", at which point pipes would run dry. Using a variety of data sources, we show how households of different wealth levels adapted to Day Zero and discuss the long term implications of Day Zero for Cape Town's water use and public finances. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Science] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 39334]

Increasingly destructive wildfires are one of the most consequential impacts of our changing climate, often precipitating a cascade of related disasters including landslides, debris flows, dangerous air pollution and degradation of water quality in our rivers, streams and reservoirs. Join geophysiscist Dr. Neal Driscoll as he describes how ALERTCalifornia is working to use camera systems, artificial intelligence and a variety of sophisticated remote sensing techniques to prepare, respond and recover from the ravages of wildfire on the environment. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 39250]

UC Davis Professor, Dr. Frank Mitloehner, and CLEAR Center members took to Mexico to attend the Congress Internationale de la Carne in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, where they met and discussed sustainability efforts with the Minister of Agriculture. In addition to meeting with beef cattle producers and others in the livestock industry to share research coming from the UC Davis CLEAR Center, we got to tour feedlots and discuss sustainable practices that are currently being implemented. For example, rotational grazing can improve forage quality and soil carbon sequestration while implementing shade for cattle can improve efficiencies in production, and promote animal welfare. [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39161]

UC Berkeley drills a 400-foot borehole to explore geothermal heating on campus. UC Berkeley plans to decommission its 40-year-old cogeneration plant and replace its current steam heating system with a new system that uses water pipes to heat and cool buildings on campus. While the cogeneration plant burns natural gas to produce electricity and steam heat for the campus, the new system will use electricity for both power and thermal needs. By using clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, to produce this electricity, the campus’s future power, heating and cooling needs would be entirely carbon-free. (Video: Roxanne Makasdjian, Alan Toth, Adam Lau) Series: "UC Berkeley News" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 39224]

Combating destructive effects of climate change, the Arboretum and Public Garden staff and Learning by Leading™ students plant test trees to cultivate a resilient and diverse urban tree canopy for the UC Davis community. Emily Griswold, Director of GATEways Horticulture and Teaching Gardens, outlines the tireless research and work of tending to mature trees and planting saplings. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 39214]

The confluence of the accelerating climate crisis, more frequent and severe disasters, widespread systemic injustice and oppression, and any number of additional coinciding crises paint a dark picture of our future. Climate professionals often feel inadequately trained to facilitate, navigate and lead communities through the transformative changes we all face. This program will offer directions on how these essential workers — and all of us — can grow the necessary skills and capacities to face and navigate our future. It is those very skills that may yet make us homo sapiens sapiens — “wise humans.” Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 38692]

As humans, we benefit immensely from the ecosystems around us — including the ocean — in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. As climate change continues to affect these ecosystems, we must ask ourselves — what can we gain by safeguarding them? Join Bernie Bastien and Raiza Pilatowsky in an interactive talk that explores the need to recognize what we value about nature in order to find new and inspiring ways to protect our planet, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 38691]

Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS) is a unique installation that's changing the way oceanographers study and understand processes that occur at the boundary between the ocean and the atmosphere. Join oceanographer Dale Stokes for an insider’s look at this one-of-a-kind ocean research laboratory. Learn how SOARS allows scientists to simulate varying ocean environments by controlling winds, waves and more! Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 38690]

What's the future look like with a changing climate? And who will lead the way to help us mitigate the environmental, economic and social impacts? In this program, internationally acclaimed author Kim Stanley Robinson talks about what motivates him to write science fiction that focuses on the environment. Robinson is author of more than 20 books, including "The Ministers for the Future," the "Mars" trilogy and "2312," which was a New York Times bestseller nominated for all seven of the major science fiction awards — a first for any book. He was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine and asteroid 72432 was named “Kimrobinson” in his honor. The program also features four UC San Diego students who talk about their research on dealing with climate change. Series: "Writers" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 38733]

Modern slavery, which encompasses 45 million people around the world, is intricately linked to the economy, politics, violence and war, gender and the environment. In this panel discussion, Kevin Bales, professor of contemporary slavery and research director of the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham, talks about the impact of contemporary slavery with three UC Berkeley professors, Arlie Hochschild, professor emerita, Department of Sociology, Enrique Lopezlira, Ph.D., director, Low-Wage Work Program, and Eric Stover, adjunct law professor and faculty director, Human Rights Center. Slave-based activities, like brick making and deforestation, are estimated to generate 2.54 billion tonnes of CO2 per year – greater than the individual emissions of all the world’s nations except China and the U.S. Globally, slaves are forced to do work that is highly destructive to the environment. This work feeds directly into global consumption in foodstuffs, in minerals – both precious and for electronics – construction materials, clothing, and foodstuffs. Most of this work is unregulated leading to extensive poisoning of watersheds, the clear-cutting of forests, and enormous and unregulated emissions of carcinogenic gases as well as CO2. Political corruption supports this slave-based environmental destruction and its human damage. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Humanities] [Science] [Business] [Show ID: 38615]

There are 45 million enslaved people in the world today. The links between slavery, conflict, environmental destruction, economics and consumption began to strengthen and evolve in the 20th century. The availability of people who might be enslaved dramatically increased in line with population growth. According to Kevin Bales, professor of contemporary slavery and research director of the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham, the large and negative environmental impact of modern slavery is just now coming to light. Slave-based activities, like brick making and deforestation, are estimated to generate 2.54 billion tonnes of CO2 per year – greater than the individual emissions of all the world’s nations except China and the U.S. Globally, slaves are forced to do work that is highly destructive to the environment. This work feeds directly into global consumption in foodstuffs, in minerals – both precious and for electronics – construction materials, clothing, and foodstuffs. Most of this work is unregulated leading to extensive poisoning of watersheds, the clear-cutting of forests, and enormous and unregulated emissions of carcinogenic gases as well as CO2. Political corruption supports this slave-based environmental destruction and its human damage. Kevin Bales, CMG, FRSA is Professor of Contemporary Slavery and Research Director of the Rights Lab, University of Nottingham. He co-founded the American NGO Free the Slaves. His 1999 book Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy has been published in twelve languages. Desmond Tutu called it “a well researched, scholarly and deeply disturbing expose of modern slavery.” The film based on Disposable People, which he co-wrote, won the Peabody Award and two Emmys. The Association of British Universities named his work one of “100 World-Changing Discoveries.” In 2007 he published Ending Slavery: How We Free Today’s Slaves (Grawemeyer Award). In 2009, with Ron Soodalter, he published The Slave Next Door: Modern Slavery in the United States. In 2016 his research institute was awarded the Queens Anniversary Prize, and he published Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecocide, and the Secret to Saving the World. Check out his TEDTalk. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Humanities] [Science] [Business] [Show ID: 38614]

UC San Diego's School of Biological Sciences presents another event in their Deep Look series focusing on Earth Day. UC San Diego researchers will offer perspectives from a range of scientific disciplines relevant to the planet and its future. How are wildflowers adapting to climate change? How can humans sustainably co-exist with one of the world’s largest vertebrates, the Asian elephant? How is modern genetics being used to aid the future of the California Condor? Plus, UC San Diego has launched a new Center for Nature, Science and Society to explore the nexus of climate change, biodiversity and human impacts. Series: "A Deep Look into the Future of Biology" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38861]

Just a hundred miles to the east of San Diego, one of the largest inland lakes in the West is drying up as a result combined human activity and climate change. The exposed lake bed is rapidly turning into a source of dust, worsening the frequent dust storms that impact the people who live in the surrounding areas. Learn about the intersection of architecture and science in this stark but magnificent landscape in a conversation with Climate Scientist Amato Evan and Architect Gillian Shaffer Lutsko. Discover how collaborations with local activists, policy groups, scientists and indigenous communities inspired an architectural project that envisions how we can unite conversations around redevelopment, the climate crisis, public health and community-led design. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38689]