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America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast

America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast

Written by: Doug Parsons
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A changing climate presents humanity with only one option: adapt. Join your host, Doug Parsons for America's leading podcast on climate change - America Adapts! Each episode, Doug sits down with scientists, activists, policymakers, and journalists to discuss the tough questions facing this country and the world as we confront humanity's greatest challenge. Question your assumptions, refresh your perspective, and become part of the climate movement that will determine our planet's future, right here on the America Adapts podcast.Copyright 2016-2023 Doug Parsons Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • How Football (soccer!) Plans to Adapt to a Hotter World

    How Football (soccer!) Plans to Adapt to a Hotter World
    Jun 22 2026
    In episode 255 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons speaks with Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founder and director of Football for Future, about how the world's most popular sport can become a powerful platform for climate adaptation and communication. Elliot shares how his organization is engaging clubs, players, governing bodies, and fans while expanding the football climate conversation beyond sustainability and emissions. Doug and Elliot discuss Football for Future's Pitches in Peril report, which examines climate risks facing 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities and stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including extreme heat, flooding, risks to players and fans, adaptation funding, and how major sporting events can leave behind a resilience legacy. They also explore whether global sporting events can help unlock new sources of funding for resilience. Elliot argues that "politics follows culture," leading to a broader conversation about adaptation's communications challenge and what the resilience community can learn from football about storytelling, influence, marketing, and reaching audiences far beyond the traditional climate space. Transcript for this episode. FIFA World Cup Links in this episode: https://footballforfuture.org/pitchesinperil The Future of Adaptation Funds in Global Sport https://afddf8e8-2dfc-4526-9ba6-71e1899413f3.filesusr.com/ugd/e9e304_a61ef14e0fdf41ddb6961067f737089d.pdf Key Themes Covered in This Episode The World's Most Popular Sport Meets Climate Change The 2026 World Cup as a Climate Stress Test Football's Role in Climate Communication Funding Climate Adaptation Through Sport Extreme Heat and the Future of Outdoor Sports Reaching Billions Through Culture and Storytelling Creating a Resilience Legacy Beyond the Tournament For Educators & Students Climate Change and the World's Most Popular Sport The 2026 FIFA World Cup as a Climate Stress Test Extreme Heat, Stadium Resilience, and Athlete Safety Adaptation Finance and New Funding Models Climate Communication Beyond Traditional Audiences Why Politics Follows Culture Using Sports to Make Climate Adaptation Visible and Relevant Who Should Listen to This Episode Anyone curious about how climate change is affecting the world's most popular sportClimate adaptation and resilience professionalsSports executives, sustainability managers, and event organizersClimate communicators, journalists, and storytellersStudents and educators interested in adaptation and public engagementFunders exploring new approaches to climate resilienceFans wondering what climate change means for the future of football Support for America Adapts helps make episodes like this possible, including more international conversations on how adaptation is unfolding globally. All donations are now tax deductible! Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here! Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here. Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Facebook, Linkedin and Bluesky: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, Now on Spotify! List of Previous Guests on America Adapts Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts. The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leadershttps://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-best-sustainability-podcasts-environmental-business-leaders For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Podcast Music produce by Richard Haitz Productions Write a review on Apple Podcasts ! America Adapts on Facebook! Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we're also on YouTube! Subscribe to America Adapts on Apple Podcasts Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com
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    40 mins
  • Meet the Adapters: Conversations from the National Adaptation Forum

    Meet the Adapters: Conversations from the National Adaptation Forum
    Jun 8 2026
    In episode 254 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons heads to the National Adaptation Forum to meet some of the people shaping the future of climate adaptation. With help from guest interviewers Shaun Martin of WWF and documentary filmmaker and podcaster Olga Loginova, Doug speaks with leaders working in public health, urban forestry, climate communications, sports, Indigenous engagement, adaptation finance, and immersive storytelling. These short conversations highlight the creativity, innovation, and collaboration driving adaptation efforts today, while also raising an important question: how do we bring even more people, sectors, and ideas into the adaptation movement? If you've ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at the people and conversations defining the adaptation field, this episode is for you. Guest Hosts: Shaun Martin - Vice President Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, WWF-US Olga Loginova - Documentary Filmmaker and Podcaster Experts in this Episode: Clara Kitongo - Tree Equity Manager at Tree Pittsburgh (transcript) Elliot Arthur-Worsop - Co-Founder, Football For Future (transcript) Katie Basile - Coastal Resilience Specialist (transcript) Juliano Calil - Founder, Virtual Planet Technologies (transcript) Leanne Spaulding - Resilience and Data Lead, , Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) (transcript) Silvia Duque Añez – Sustainability Coordinator City of Fort Lauderdale (transcript) Dr. Rachit Sharma - Research Scientist, BIRCHE Lab, University of California, Berkeley; Household Energy Initiative (transcript) Jonathan Cook - Blackpoll Consulting (transcript) Dr. Lara Hansen - Executive Director, EcoAdapt; Co-Founder and Organizer, National Adaptation Forum (transcript) Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here! Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here. Donate to America Adapts Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Links in this episode: https://www.policyinnovation.org/leanne-spaulding Geos Insitute ClimateInsights: https://climateinsights.app EPIC: https://www.policyinnovation.org Nature Moves. Our Rules Don't.: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/nature-moves-our-rules-dont Data Foundation: https://datafoundation.org https://householdenergy.org/rachit-sharma-mbbs-mph-phd/ https://sehataurclimate.carrd.co/ National Adaptation Forum https://www.nationaladaptationforum.org/ Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here! Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Donate to America Adapts Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Android Now on Spotify! List of Previous Guests on America Adapts Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts. Donate to America Adapts, we are now a tax deductible charitable organization! The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leadershttps://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-best-sustainability-podcasts-environmental-business-leaders Join the climate change adaptation movement by supporting America Adapts! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapts fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Podcast Music produce by Richard Haitz Productions Write a review on Apple Podcasts ! America Adapts on Facebook! Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we're also on YouTube! Subscribe to America Adapts on Apple Podcasts Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • The FOMO Problem: Why Climate Adaptation Still Isn't Scaling with Shalini Vajjhala

    The FOMO Problem: Why Climate Adaptation Still Isn't Scaling with Shalini Vajjhala
    May 19 2026
    In episode 253 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons speaks with Dr. Shalini Vajjhala , Executive Director of The Pre-Collective, about why climate adaptation still struggles to scale and whether the real challenge is less about engineering and more about coordination, trust, and financing. Drawing from two recent essays, Shalini discusses her argument that the U.S. is experiencing a "civic disaster," where weakened institutions and declining public trust are undermining our ability to respond to growing climate risks. Doug and Shalini explore why adaptation projects often remain stuck in pilot mode, the role of "predevelopment" in resilience finance, why avoided losses are so difficult to fund, and what separates communities that actually build projects from those trapped in endless planning cycles. They also examine the growing political dimensions of adaptation, the role of philanthropy and public institutions, why adaptation still lacks broader "FOMO," and how communication failures may be slowing progress across the field. Check out the America Adapts "Starter Page" to help you dig into the archive! Links in this episode: "Resilience Finance Still Isn't Scaling—Is Predevelopment the Missing Piece or Just Another Layer?" https://cafwd.org/news/why-resilience-finance-starts-with-predevelopment/ The US is in the midst of a civic disaster. We have to invest in collective action for our recovery starting now. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/us-midst-civic-disaster-we-have-invest-collective-action-vajjhala-mon5c/ Key Themes Covered in This EpisodeWhy climate adaptation still isn't scaling The idea of a growing "civic disaster" in the U.S. Trust, governance, and institutional breakdown Why resilience finance begins with "predevelopment" Why many adaptation plans never reach implementation The "FOMO problem" in climate adaptation For Educators & Students This episode is especially useful for students and educators exploring climate adaptation, resilience finance, public policy, urban planning, infrastructure, environmental governance, and climate communication. Doug and Shalini unpack complex adaptation concepts in a highly accessible way while also challenging listeners to think critically about implementation, trust, and institutional capacity. The conversation also provides a valuable look into how adaptation professionals are increasingly thinking across disciplines—including finance, politics, communications, and systems thinking. Who Should Listen to This Episode Adaptation and resilience professionals Urban planners and infrastructure leaders Insurance and finance professionals Government officials and policymakers Climate communication specialists Researchers, educators, and students Anyone interested in the future of climate adaptation Support for America Adapts helps make episodes like this possible, including more international conversations on how adaptation is unfolding globally. All donations are now tax deductible! Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here! Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here. Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here! Facebook, Linkedin and Bluesky: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, Now on Spotify! List of Previous Guests on America Adapts Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts. The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leadershttps://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-best-sustainability-podcasts-environmental-business-leaders For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Podcast Music produce by Richard Haitz Productions Write a review on Apple Podcasts ! America Adapts on Facebook! Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we're also on YouTube! Subscribe to America Adapts on Apple Podcasts Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com
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    52 mins
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