A Climate Change with Matt Matern

In this week’s episode of  A Climate Change , host Matt Mattern welcomes comedian and writer Bill Kessler for a spirited, no-filter take on the intersection of climate politics, policy, and everyday life. Blending wit with insight, they dissect the week’s environmental headlines, from viral AI spectacles to the deeper economic and moral choices shaping our planet’s future.   Matt and Bill unpack t...

Fact: According to an IRENA report on Reuters from mid-July, over 90% of new renewable projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives. Solar is 41% cheaper, and onshore wind is 53% cheaper than fossil fuel energy. The consumers are speaking up, and market dynamics are pushing the growth of renewables. In this episode of A Climate Change , host Matt Mattern speaks with Dr. Gernot Wagner , c...

Every single person, regardless of vocation, can be a climate activist. Just ask Andrew Zimmern - world renowned chef, James Beard awardee and Emmy-winning TV personality, who's now leading the fight for ocean health. He joins us on the latest episode of A Climate Change with powerful insights from his PBS series "Hope in the Water," revealing why artisanal fishing communities are crucial for our...

Fact: According to a December 2024 report by WRI , 75% of greenhouse gases and 90% of CO2 emissions are linked to extracting and burning fossil fuels. While sustainability measures like emission control and renewables focus on the demand side of the equation, the real high-impact change lies in measures to control the supply side. This week, Matt sits down with Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil...

Two birds, one stone is always a good approach, isn't it? Especially when it comes to climate action. So, what if cities could tackle climate change while building more equitable communities? Dr. Sheila R Foster, Professor at Columbia University and an expert in environmental justice, explores innovative urban governance models that combine climate action with social equity. Dr. Foster shares insi...

In this bonus episode, Matt is joined by comedian and writer Bill Kessler, to take a lighter look at President Trump’s infamous UN speech from last week. They dive into Trump’s climate denial on the world stage, his bizarre tangents about wind energy, and the sheer comedy gold of his word salads. This episode is meant to be more fun and less heavy than usual - we hope you enjoy the laughs while st...

While corporate companies chase returns and profits, there are those few who chase sustainability, and even fewer who get it right. In this episode, we sit down with Alexia Kelly, Managing Director of the High Tide Foundation and former Netflix sustainability executive, to explore the complex world of greenhouse gas accounting and carbon credits. Backed by her extensive and high-stakes experience...

There’s a spectrum of ways to fight against climate change and smart, intentional business lies right in the middle of that spectrum. Joel Makower, Chairman of Trellis Group and a pioneering figure in green business practices takes us behind the scenes of the economics of climate action in this revealing episode of A Climate Change. Tune in for an exploration of the intersection of business innova...

Film and writing have forever inspired change, pushing the masses into action. This applies to climate action, too. In this episode of A Climate Change, we speak with documentarian Olga Loginova about her groundbreaking work chronicling environmental and social justice issues. Listen in for a deep dive into her powerful three-part series on America's first federally-funded climate relocation proje...

When it comes to climate action, the West’s solutions are falling short by a mile; thousands of miles. It’s indigenous communities that have the knowledge to unlock the secret to successful climate action. In the latest episode of A Climate Change, we unpack all there is to learn from these communities, courtesy of James Fountain, an ESG expert, cultural geographer, and award-winning author of ‘Ou...

In this episode of A Climate Change with Matt Matern, a panel of leading climate attorneys and advocates unpacks the Trump administration’s attempt to repeal the EPA’s Endangerment Finding - the legal cornerstone of federal climate regulation. They explain its scientific and legal foundations, the risks to public health, the economy, and U.S. climate leadership if overturned, and the importance of...

In the fight against clean energy, who really wins? Trump supporters may think it’s them, but this episode of A Climate Change reveals another story altogether. In this eye-opening conversation with Rob Verchick, environmental law professor and former EPA deputy administrator, we explore critical developments in ocean conservation, renewable energy challenges, and climate resilience. From Louisian...

The Trump administration's " One Big Beautiful Bill " threatens to reverse years of clean energy progress and environmental protections, raising urgent concerns about climate policy and public health. In this special livestream episode of Climate Change with Matt Mattern, host Matt brings together a powerhouse panel including Dr. Gernot Wagner (Climate Economist, Columbia Business School), Lucero...

We’ve all heard the phrase “two birds, one stone,” and most of us love it. Now, what if this approach could be applied to large-scale climate action? In the latest episode of A Climate Change, we sit down with Beth Sawin - a trailblazing climate activist, a PhD in Biology from MIT and Founder and Director of the Multisolving Institute - to talk about the 360-degree approach to environmentalism the...

Global environmental change begins with a university that thoroughly understands sustainability. In this episode of A Climate Change, we speak with Patricia Lee, Sustainability Project Officer at Griffith University in Australia. Patricia shares how Griffith became a global leader in sustainability through cross-campus collaboration, Indigenous knowledge integration, and a deep commitment to educa...

We made it to Episode 200! Today, we look back at four and a half years of meaningful conversations with some of the brightest minds in the climate movement - scientists, policymakers, activists, and visionaries who are shaping our future. We reflect on the challenges we've explored, the progress we've witnessed, and the urgent work still ahead. Through these inspiring guests, we've learned that i...

Legal expertise meets environmental activism in this revealing discussion about fighting back against anti-environmental policies through strategic litigation and state-level action. In this episode of A Climate Change, we speak with Daniel Farber from UC Berkeley Law School, a constitutional and environmental law expert, to explore effective strategies for combating harmful environmental policies...

What happens when the ocean - which covers over 70% of the planet - reaches its breaking point? Today we’re joined by Dr. Deborah Brosnan, a pioneering marine scientist and climate resilience expert, for a deep dive into nature-based solutions for coastal protection. Dr. Deborah Brosnan shares how surviving a plane crash became a pivotal moment that led her to dedicate her life to ocean science an...

We’ve tested the limits of our planet plenty, and the water war has officially begun. But what if there was an antidote to the toxins polluting the dominant color of the globe? In this compelling episode of A Climate Change, host Matt Matern sits down with Tracy Quinn, President and CEO of Heal the Bay, to explore the devastating impacts of recent Los Angeles fires on marine ecosystems and coastal...

What if health could be the key to driving climate action? In this episode of A Climate Change, we sit down with Shweta Narayan, Campaign Lead at the Global Climate Health Alliance, about how public health is a powerful lever for global climate action. Drawing from her childhood in an industrial town in India, Shweta explores the climate health impact of the air pollution crisis, the role of envir...

Can bold policy and innovative engineering reverse one of the world’s worst land loss crises? In this episode of A Climate Change, we speak with Peter Waggonner, Senior Policy Adviser for Greater New Orleans Inc., about Louisiana’s urgent battle to stop coastal erosion, and how a $50 billion restoration plan is reshaping environmental policy. Peter also discusses the threats of saltwater intrusion...

Can our current social movements overcome political inertia to save us from the climate crisis, or is apocalyptic optimism our best path forward? In this episode of A Climate Change, we speak with Dr. Dana R. Fisher, Director at the Center for Environment, Community and Equity, Professor at the School of International Service, and author of Saving Ourselves, about how climate activism, apocalyptic...

Antoinette Vermilye Bio: Antoinette Vermilye is the co-founder of the Gallifrey Foundation and a passionate advocate for ocean conservation, plastic pollution reduction, and gender equity in climate leadership. With a background spanning marketing, design, and social impact, she connects people and ideas to create action-oriented solutions. Known for her creative thinking and coalition-building, A...

Climate solutions require more than innovation; they need policy, accountability, and informed citizens ready to demand change where it matters most. You can find Paasha Mahdavi’s book, Power Grab: Political Survival through Extractive Resource Nationalization on Amazon . If you want to help us reach our goal of planting 30k trees AND get a free tree planted in your name, visit aclimatechange.com/...

Kiley Bense Bio: Kiley Bense is a Reporter with Inside Climate News and covers climate change and the environment, focusing on Pennsylvania, politics, energy, and public health. She has reported on the effects of the fracking boom in Pennsylvania, the expansion of the American plastics industry, and the intersection of climate change and culture. Her previous work has appeared in the New York Time...