A Climate Change with Matt Matern

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...

You can catch Rasheda at this year’s Hollywood Climate Summit June 2nd-4th! Get your tickets now at www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com 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/trees to learn how. Rasheda Crocket Bio: Rasheda Crockett is an award-winning writer, actress, and CEO of RSC Productions, LLC, and is known f...

If you want to help us reach our goal of planting 30k trees AND get a free tree planted in your name, visit www.aclimatechange.com/trees to learn how. Mauricio Porras Bio Mauricio Porras is the Co-Founder of HERO, a groundbreaking platform established in 2020 that provides basic income support to climate activists, researchers, and mobilizers worldwide. With a background in communications and impa...

If you want to help us reach our goal of planting 30k trees AND get a free tree planted in your name, visit www.aclimatechange.com/trees to learn how. Episode Resources Esteban Jorge Gast LinkedIn Generation 180 Website Identity at Play Podcast Climate Comedy Cohort Website Climate Cultura Website Matt Matern on LinkedIn A Climate Change on Apple A Climate Change on Spotify A Climate Change on You...

Elin Bergman Bio Elin Bergman is the Executive Director of CradleNet Sweden and co-founder of the Nordic Circular Hotspot, alongside her role as Senior Advisor at SUCCESS Stockholm University. With over a decade of leadership in circular economy initiatives, she has transformed Cradlenet into one of the world's oldest and most influential circular economy networks. Beginning her career in the gami...

Can the communication channels of today be used to serve the fight against climate change, rather than deter it? In our latest episode, we explore the climate action movement with Kamila Camilo, Founder of Creators Academy Brazil. She shares how content creators are being mobilized to share positive environmental stories, the grassroots initiatives empowering indigenous communities through the dig...

What if climate anxiety could be the fire that sparks climate action? Dr. Charlie Gardner believes that it can. The conservation scientist and professor at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology joins us for a critical conversation on the importance of environmental activism, in whatever shape or form, on part of scientists and academicians in the fight against the climate crisis. This...

Could waste from one industry become the climate solution for another? Madison Savilow, Director of Corporate and External Affairs, Carbon Upcycling, joins us for a deep dive into the world of carbon capture - its potential, the why and how, and how it is revolutionizing the world of construction, and thereby, environmental protection. If you want to help us reach our goal of planting 30k trees AN...

Diego Saez Gil, the Founder and CEO of Pachama, joins us to explore how AI and satellite technology are revolutionizing forest conservation and carbon credit verification. Diego shares insights on partnering with tech giants, working with indigenous communities, and leveraging AI to protect nature. If you want to help us reach our goal of planting 30k trees AND get a free tree planted in your name...

Zanagee Artis, Fossil Fuels Policy Advocate at NRDC and co-founder of Zero Hour joins us to discuss the urgent fight for ocean conservation and climate justice. We dive into how young activists shape climate policy, the battle against offshore drilling, and the promise of offshore wind energy. Zanagee shares his journey from youth organizer to national advocate and why the next two years are criti...

Dr. Gavin Schmidt, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, joins us for a deep dive into climate science, climate modeling, and the future of sustainable civilization. Gavin shares insights on the Arctic's rapid warming, machine learning's role in climate predictions, and the impact of methane emissions. We also explore how climate science intersects with astrobiology and the searc...

Paul Hawken, renowned environmentalist and bestselling author, joins us to explore a revolutionary approach to climate action—one rooted in regeneration, not reduction. He challenges conventional climate narratives, critiques the shortcomings of net-zero goals and carbon credits, and explains why language shapes our relationship with nature. Hawken also reveals how his latest book, Carbon: The Boo...

Heather McTeer Toney, environmental justice leader, former mayor of Greenville, MS, and Executive Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Beyond Petrochemicals campaign joins us to discuss the dangers of petrochemical expansion and the role of local activism in shaping national climate policy. She shares insights on environmental justice, community advocacy, and how pollution affects marginalized co...

Saad Amer, environmental justice expert and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree joins us to discuss the intersection of climate action and political engagement. He shares insights on grassroots organizing, corporate accountability, and the role of policy in advancing sustainability. He also explains how individual and collective action can drive meaningful environmental progress, even in politically divisi...

Andrew Jones, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Climate Interactive joins us to explore groundbreaking climate simulation tools shaping global policy decisions. We dive into Climate Interactive’s En ROADS model, used by Congress members and educators worldwide, and we discuss its role in making climate science actionable. Andrew highlights effective climate solutions, challenges less impactful...