Advertise on podcast: Climate Solutions (Audio)

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]

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]

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]

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]

Increasingly frequent and intense wildfires in California and the western US are impacting communities across the state. Even areas not prone to fires suffer from degraded air and water quality – direct consequences of these extreme events. ALERTCalifornia combines a state-wide fire camera network with state-of-the-art sensor technology to support data-driven decision making before, during, and after wildfires. Join Dr. Neal Driscoll as he describes the scientific and technological expertise at UCSD that is being brought to bear on making California more resilient to climate change.  Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 38459]

Scripps Institution of Oceanography marine biologist Stuart Sandin illuminates his work leading the 100 Island Challenge, a project that uses high tech ecological surveys to capture snapshots of coral reef ecosystems found in the tropical waters of the Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian oceans. His team uses large-area imaging and 3-D visualizations to make unprecedented detailed observations of how coral reefs are faring. While some reefs are struggling, others have been able to adapt in response to changing climate and other human impacts. By combining ocean observation with modern techniques like genetic sequencing and data analysis, Stuart and his team aim to elucidate which corals are surviving and how. By decoding nature’s incredible capacity for adaptation, these scientists are paving the way for using this new knowledge to aid coral reef recovery.   Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 38458]

Coastal regions are susceptible to a host of threats to the natural environment and our quality of life as a result of climate change. Our beaches and coastal bluffs are being eroded by ocean storms and sea level rise, ongoing drought leaves us vulnerable to wildfires and habitat and wildlife loss, and our dependence on water from distant sources puts us at risk for severe water restrictions. Although climate adaptation and resilience planning already are underway in many communities, the threats associated with climate change make it increasingly important to design these efforts in ways that bring scientists, planners, practitioners, and community representatives together in planning processes. An expert panel is presenting how a cross-jurisdictional, interdisciplinary, collaborative approach leads to science-based and cost-effective strategies for building resilience in the face of climate change. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 38381]