The risks are many and complex — and so are the actions we can take to reduce our vulnerability — Climate change is here and it’s only going to get worse. We can slow it down but warming will continue for decades barring a virtually impossible complete shutdown in global use of fossil fuels. The world, therefore, has no choice but to focus much more on adapting to the many…

Can the Energy and Action that Resulted be Rediscovered — Earth Day was first organized 52 years ago following several environmental disasters that energized youthful protests but quickly became a mass movement. The event had a profound influence on my life and career, leading to my decision to focus on environmental issues in law and graduate school and positions with…

The Answer Depends on Five Complicated Questions — As the dangers of climate change become increasingly apparent and documented by scientists, one proposed strategy for avoiding disaster is generating increasing public support: invest heavily in technological innovation. The most prominent advocate for this view is the Microsoft billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates. In summarizing his book “How to…

How Much the World Warms Depends on Us — One of the questions I am most frequently asked about climate change is “what can I do”. Indeed, the problem is so big, and the scale of the global response required, so large, as to reduce many of us to believe there is little if anything we can do about…

How Many Do You Know? — Reporting on climate change is growing daily. The Washington Post just announced the addition of more than 20 new positions for coverage of climate and extreme weather, and NBC renamed its weather group the climate unit. The media tell us in graphic detail about the disastrous consequences of hurricanes, coastal…

Students Are Interested, the World Needs Them — For the generation of those under 25, GenZ, climate change is not an abstraction but rather among their greatest fears. Many have already experienced some form of climate disaster, a reality in counties resident to more than 40 percent of Americans in 2021. …

Lasting Lessons Include the Benefits of Flexibility and a Culture of Cooperation — The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is justifiably celebrated as the basis for the near universal adoption of measures to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals. While not emphasized at the time, the chemicals eliminated were also potent greenhouse gases and would have contributed significantly to climate…

Some Signs of Progress Toward Successful Adaptation Projects — Some Signs of Progress Toward Successful Adaptation Projects Mangrove forests offer natural protection against storms and flooding. Photo from Mida Creek, Kenya. Photo credit: Timothy K on Unsplash My previous blog discussed the case for much greater funding to help developing countries both reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (in climate…

Before Investing Trillions to Help Developing Countries, We Need to Understand it Better — Before Investing Trillions to Help Developing Countries, We Need to Understand it Better Sand pumping operation in front of the Galveston, Texas sea wall, 2015. Photo credit K. Christensen, Houston Chronicle, Jan. 6, 2017 Developing countries at the recent Glasgow climate negotiations, COP26, made a strong plea for much more…