In episode 242 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons checks in on FEMA at a moment of rapid change. With funding delays, political uncertainty, and major reforms underway, FEMA's role in national resilience is shifting in real time. Doug speaks with four guests — Joel Scata (NRDC), Michael Coen (former FEMA Chief of Staff), Samantha Medlock (former FEMA Assistant Administrator), and Derrick Hiebert (AECOM) — to unpack what's happening inside the agency, where communities are feeling the impacts, and what potential improvements could emerge from this period of transition. It's a candid, timely look at the future of FEMA and the evolving landscape of climate adaptation in the United States.

Experts in this Episode:

• Joel Scata – Senior Attorney, Environmental Health – Natural Resources Defense Council - transcript

• Michael Coen – Former Chief Of Staff at FEMA - transcript

• Samantha Medlock – Founder and Principal – Climate Risk Advisors - transcript

• Derrick Hiebert – Infrastructure Resilience Practice Leader - AECOM - transcript

This episode was generously sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America AdaptsFacebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/

Links in this episode:

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 PodcastsFollow 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

In episode 241 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons explores what happens when federal climate services retreat—and a new adaptation ecosystem rises to fill the gaps. As agencies like NOAA, FEMA, and EPA scale back their climate work, adaptation professionals are turning to emerging climate-service innovators for the tools, data, and guidance they need. We kick off with Dr. Jesse Keenan framing the big-picture implications of this federal pullback, then hear from leaders at Climate.us, EcoAdapt, the Georgetown Climate Center and Probable Futures, who are stepping forward with practical solutions. This episode highlights the essential adaptation tools available right now, the people building them, and why decentralized innovation may be one of the most hopeful developments in the field today.

This episode was generously sponsored by the CO2 Foundation.

Experts in this Episode:

• Dr. Jesse Keenan - Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning at Tulane University (transcript)
• Rebecca Lindsey – Editor at Climate.us (transcript)
• Annie Bennett - Associate Director for the Adaptation Program with the Georgetown Climate Center (transcript)
• Alison Smart - Executive Director, Probable Futures (transcript)
• Deb Rudnick, Ph.D. - Senior Scientist at EcoAdapt (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.keenanclimate.com/biography

https://www.cakex.org/

https://www.climate.us/#about-us

https://probablefutures.org/

https://www.georgetownclimate.org/

https://www.adaptationclearinghouse.org/

CAKEX Contributing content: https://www.cakex.org/get-started#contribute

Sign up for slice of cake: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/TBlEu2B/slice

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/ @usaadapts 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

In episode 240 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with reporter Terry Jones about the tangled story behind America's first federally funded climate relocation on Louisiana's Isle de Jean Charles. Once hailed as a model for how the nation could move entire communities out of harm's way, the project became mired in politics, confusion, and broken promises. Terry shares what he uncovered on the ground — from residents who never wanted to leave, to state officials unprepared for the task, to the bigger question of whether the U.S. is truly ready for managed retreat. This episode clears up the confusion, revealing what really happened, why it matters, and what the rest of the country can learn before the next community faces these climate impacts.

Transcript for this episode here.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

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/

Links in this episode:

As millions face climate relocation, the nation's first attempt sparks warnings and regret https://floodlightnews.org/isle-de-jean-charles-climate-relocation-broken-promises/

https://floodlightnews.org/

https://floodlightnews.org/author/terry/

https://www.isledejeancharles.com/

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.

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

In episode 239 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons revisits his conversation with Dr. Katharine Mach, Professor at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a lead author for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Katharine explains the process of drafting that report and how the media both succeeds and fails at communicating its urgency. Doug and Katharine also discussed the need to rethink the role and purpose of the IPCC as it prepares for its next major assessment—especially now, as the Trump administration dismantles the National Climate Assessment and scales back federal climate programs, making the IPCC's global work more important than ever. That makes the IPCC's independent, global work even more vital—providing the scientific foundation the world, and especially the U.S., still needs to understand and respond to climate risk.

Transcript available here.

Topics covered:

• IPCC is a grand partnership between the governments of the world.
• How did the media do in reporting on the IPCC report?
• The IPCC has zero regulatory authority over sovereign nations.
• What does it mean to be a lead author for the IPCC.
• Many developing countries don't have the climate data and experts that developed countries have.
• How can the IPCC be relevant to adaptation planners in the U.S.
• Who is the audience for the IPCC report and how do you communicate to different audiences.
• How can American policymakers make use of the IPCC report.
• Adaptation education at the University of Miami

Key Quotes:

"Adaptation isn't a checklist—it's a continuous conversation about what kind of future we want."

"Climate risk is always filtered through inequality."

"Transformative adaptation is about changing the rules of the game, not just moving the pieces."

"Science must learn to listen before it speaks."

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

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/

Links in this episode:

https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01170-y

https://people.miami.edu/profile/[email protected]

https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGII_SummaryForPolicymakers.pdf

https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2021/01/The-concept-of-risk-in-the-IPCC-Sixth-Assessment-Report.pdf

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:da39e9af-530e-4645-8b71-a254562b9a2a

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.

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

In episode 238 of America Adapts, Doug Parsons takes you inside a CCST webinar that he moderated —part of the California Council on Science and Technology's Climate Change & Human Mobility series, organized with the UC Disaster Resilience Network and UC Berkeley. You'll hear from three experts: Dr. Hélène Benveniste (Assistant Professor, Environmental Social Sciences, Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University), Dr. Joshua Busby (Professor of Public Affairs, LBJ School, University of Texas at Austin), and Dr. Barbara F. Walter (Rohr Professor of International Affairs, School of Global Policy & Strategy, UC San Diego). Together, they explore the politics of place attachment, the limits of "climate haven" narratives, and the policies that can turn hard choices into durable, just resilience. We also dig into how climate stress can heighten the risk of civil conflict under certain economic and governance conditions, and why national adaptation plans need to account for mobility—designing for relocation, receiving communities, and security implications alongside equity and long-term planning.

Episode Transcript

2025 EXPERT PANEL SERIES #1 Climate Change Human Mobility #1: Risks|Displacement|Community Impacthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5UZ_UtiD-E

2025 EXPERT PANEL SERIES #2: Housing Costs, Insurance Rates, and Rebuilding After Disastershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zs3GrV5zmQ

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/

Links in this episode:

https://ccst.us/register-climate-change-and-human-mobility-briefing-series/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzT8noY0IVM

UC Disaster Resilience Network

UC Berkeley Center for Security in Politics

https://ccst.us/people/staff/eric-chu/

UC Disaster Resilience Network YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCDRN

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

In episode 237 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons talks with Dr. Andrew Rumbach of the Urban Institute, who went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to work on recovery and has spent his career studying disasters and resilience. They discuss Katrina's enduring legacy—what's been fixed, what remains broken, and what's now under assault. Andrew shares insights on how FEMA has evolved since 2005, where bipartisan reforms have emerged even in a hostile political climate, and whether the country is truly ready for the next major storm. He also highlights five powerful documentaries that capture Katrina's human and political dimensions, offering listeners new ways to understand both the storm and its aftermath. This conversation looks back at Katrina not only as a past tragedy but as a warning for our uncertain future. Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, its lessons still shape how America thinks about disasters.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

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/

Links in this episode:

Sign up for Andrew's substack! https://substack.com/@andrewrumbach

The Five Katrina themed documentaries Andrew recommended: https://open.substack.com/pub/andrewrumbach/p/five-essential-films-about-hurricane?r=402vg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

https://andrewrumbach.com/

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.

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

In episode 236 of America Adapts, we're heading to coastal Maine — a place where science, community, and nature all come together to tackle climate change. Adaptation doesn't just happen on its own. It takes data, observation, and sometimes years of research to generate the science that guides decisions. That science is often messy, imperfect, but it's the foundation for every smart adaptation. Effective adaptation requires partnerships. As you will hear, in Maine, you'll find scientists, historians, local communities, and institutions like the Schoodic Institute working side by side. And it's not just about Acadia National Park — the lessons and approaches being tested here have implications far beyond Maine's rocky shores. In this podcast, you'll hear how these partners are mapping mudflats, tracking rockweed, digging into history, and asking hard questions about how to connect science with the urgent work of building resilience. This is the story of the science behind adaptation — and the unique role Maine plays in showing what's possible.

This episode was generously sponsored by the Schoodic Institute.

Experts in this Episode:

• Dr. Nick Fisichelli – President and CEO of Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview
• Dr. Chris Nadeau – Climate Change Adaptation Scientist at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview
• Dr. Hannah Webber - Marine Ecology Director at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview
• David Manski – Vice-chair of the Board at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview
• Lauren Gibson - Wild Acadia Coordinator at Friends of Acadia - transcript of interview
• Raney Bench - Executive Director at the Mt. Desert Island Historic Society - transcript of interview
• Catherine Schmitt - Science Communication Specialist at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview
• Julia Rush - Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellow in Science Communication at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview - transcript of interview
• Gillian Audier- Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellow in Science Research at Schoodic Institute - transcript of interview

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!

Instagram: @SchoodicInst Facebook: @SchoodicInstitute LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/company/SchoodicInstitute YouTube: Youtube.com/user/SchoodicInstitute

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/

Links in this episode:

Schoodic Institute Science Page https://schoodicinstitute.org/science/

Landscape of Change https://mdihistory.org/landscape-of-change

Maine's Climate Future Report https://climatechange.umaine.edu/climate-matters/maines-climate-future/

https://friendsofacadia.org/

Acadia National Parkhttps://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm

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/ @usaadapts 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

In episode 235 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons speaks with Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate and Security and author of the new book Climate Change on the Battlefield. Erin explains how climate change is already impacting global security—degrading military readiness, increasing conflict risks, and forcing new missions on defense forces worldwide. We explore how national adaptation plans can serve as strategic tools, the dangers of political backsliding in the U.S., and how China's assertive adaptation strategy may reshape global power dynamics. Erin also highlights countries that are getting it right—successfully integrating climate risk into military and national planning. This is a must-listen for anyone working at the intersection of climate, defense, policy, or global stability.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social

Links in this episode:

Leaving the Island podcast series: leavingtheislandpod.com

https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Battlefield-International-Contemporary/dp/1350407666

https://climateandsecurity.org/erin-sikorsky/

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!

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

In episode 234 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons explores the fast-changing world of climate risk and insurance—where escalating hazards are driving rapid changes in how we safeguard homes, businesses, and entire communities. This episode brings together an unprecedented mix of guests: policy experts advancing insurance reform, senior executives from leading insurance companies, a Miami real estate agent navigating the front lines of a shifting market, and innovators using big data and advanced technology to transform how risk is measured and managed. Across these conversations, listeners will hear how reinsurance strategies are evolving, how fintech is creating new tools to stabilize premiums, how local resilience projects are shaping insurability, and how industry leaders are adapting to intensifying climate threats. Together, these voices provide a rare, comprehensive look at the diverse forces reshaping an industry on the front lines of climate adaptation—offering insights every community will need in the years ahead.

This episode was generously sponsored by the CO2 Foundation.

Experts in this Episode:

• Dr. Carolyn Kousky – Founder Insurance for Good – Interview transcript
• Anna Sherrill - real estate agent and vice president of sales at One Sotheby's International reality – Interview transcript
• Stephanie Race - CEO of Earth Analytics Group – Interview transcript
• Charlie Sidoti - Executive Director of InnSure – Interview transcript
• Laurna Castillo - senior vice president with CSAA Insurance Group – Interview transcript
• Abby Ross - Founder and CEO of The Resiliency Company – Interview transcript
• Stephen Weinstein - CEO of Mangrove Property Insurance – Interview transcript
• Dylan Dimarchi - co founder of Eventual – Interview transcript
• Moira Birss - fellow at the climate and community institute – Interview transcript
• Frances Bouchard - Managing Director of Climate at Marsh McLennan – Interview transcript

To learn more about the CO2 Foundation and the project they fund, visit their web site here.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social

Links in this episode:

https://co2foundation.org/about/

https://mangrove-fl.com/

https://resiliency.com/

https://eventualclimate.com/#faq

The Epicenter (mentioned by Abby Ross): https://www.epicenterinsights.com/

https://www.earthanalyticsgroup.com/about

https://resiliency.com/

https://climateandcommunity.org/bio/moira-birss/

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/ @usaadapts 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

In episode 233 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons takes you inside the 2025 MR Conference at Columbia University, a gathering focused on the complex realities of climate-driven movement—whether we call it managed retreat, relocation, or mobility. What does it mean to leave behind homes, neighborhoods, or entire communities in response to climate risks—and how do we do it in ways that prioritize justice and long-term resilience? The episode explores the politics of place attachment, the financial systems that shape who can move and who can't, and how storytelling helps bring these abstract issues down to the human level. You'll hear from a diverse group of voices across disciplines, and from former Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, who calls for moral leadership and shared responsibility in a world facing climate-driven displacement. Whether you're an adaptation professional or simply trying to understand what's coming, this episode delivers timely insights from the frontlines of climate planning.

This episode was generously sponsored by Tulane University's Center on Climate Change and Urbanism.

Experts in this Episode:

• Dr. Alex de Sherbinin – Chair of MR2025 Organizing Committee and Director and Senior Research Scientist, at the Center for Integrated Earth System Information (CIESIN) at the Columbia Climate School
• President Carlos Alvarado – Former President of Costa Rica
• Kelly Main - Founder and Executive Director Buy-in Community Planning
• Olga Loginova - Journalist and documentary filmmaker
• Loïck Le Roy – Phd Student at Sorbonne University
• Rob Moore - Director climate adaptation at the Natural Resources Defense Council
• Macey Williams - Resilience Manager at the Center for Planning Excellence
• Dr. Jesse Keenan - Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning School of Architecture at Tulane University

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/

Links in this episode:

https://ciesin.climate.columbia.edu/events/mr2025-mobility-adaptation-and-wellbeing-changing-climate

Leaving the Island, the investigative podcast about the first federal attempt to resettle an entire island in Louisiana because of climate change.

Official web page: https://www.audiation.fm/leaving-the-island

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19fkNUWn64WtBYFkSdAJYA?si=110b66ca8a404045

www.olga-loginova.com

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/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Donate to America Adapts

Follow on Apple PodcastsFollow 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

In episode 232 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons has a candid conversation with Laurie Schoeman, former senior advisor on climate resilience in the Biden White House. Laurie offers a rare, unfiltered look inside the administration's climate resilience efforts. Laurie helped coordinate adaptation strategy across agencies. While she didn't lead the National Climate Resilience Framework, she had a front-row seat to its evolution—and its compromises. She speaks openly about what worked, what fell apart, and what was left on the cutting room floor. From the outsized influence of youth climate politics to the glaring absence of adaptation finance—and especially the neglect of communications—Laurie brings an insider's experience in the development of federal climate policy. Doug and Laurie critique the performative nature of federal resilience efforts, the muddled conflation of climate justice and adaptation, and the critical failure to include communications in the resilience framework. Her message is clear: if we're serious about climate risk, we need to rethink not just how we fund adaptation—but how we talk about it. Laurie also reflects on her role in a groundbreaking blue ribbon commission on wildfire resilience in Los Angeles, which recently released bold recommendations positioning the city as a national leader in adaptation.

Topics Discussed:

• How adaptation finance was neglected, with no real champions for the complex work of funding climate resilience.
• Why the administration's climate justice efforts were often more performative than impactful, despite unprecedented federal funding.
• The conflation of adaptation, equity, and justice, which Doug and Laurie argue muddied priorities and weakened results.
• The quiet removal of communications from the National Framework—a missed opportunity with lasting consequences.
• A call for foundations to pivot toward adaptation communications, not just emissions reductions.
• A critical look at staffing and leadership gaps in the federal government's approach to climate risk.
• Her current role addressing wildfire resilience in Los Angeles, where she continues to push for real-world adaptation solutions.

Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!

Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.

Donate to America Adapts

Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!

Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/

Links in this episode:

Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire-Safe Recovery https://labrcommission.org/blue-ribbon-commission-on-climate-action-and-fire-safe-recovery/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurieschoeman/

Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park Summer Lecture Series with Doug ParsonsRegister here: https://schoodicinstitute.org/summer-lecture-series/

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/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Donate to America Adapts

Follow on Apple PodcastsFollow 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